Sudden Cold Snap

There was a ring around the sun this morning (high ice crystals?)

It was just below 40F when Becca and I got started this morning, but the strong, persistent wind made it feel as if winter had returned to the northern Chihuahuan Desert.  We ran into a guy on the west side of the mountain who said he was glad he decided to wear long trousers--he would have frozen otherwise.  When we were nearly finished with our trek we encountered our buddy Jimmy, and Becca nearly pulled my arm out of its shoulder socket rushing to greet him.  Jimmy is one of Becca's oldest trail pals, and by "oldest" I mean longest known.

Doing what she loves

B&W

Color image from almost the exact perspective

Waiting for the pokey photographer

The raven (bottom) was about to chase the hawk (RedTail?) off

Both excellent fliers

Looks like a Red-tailed Hawk

A few more action shots of the raptor

The hawk was quite a ways off

Best I could do from distance

Trying to capture that ring around Sol, and got some contrails to boot

Tallest Soaptree Yucca around

Telephone poles to nowhere (Electrical Lineworkers School)