Sad Day

It was very sad running into our friend JC without his best friend, Shaque, this morning.  JC and his wife made the hardest decision true dog lovers ever have to make this past Friday, and now their lives have changed forever with the absence of their very good friend.  This is something you never really get over.  You can only try to get used to the hollow feeling during the coming years--until it's your own time to cross over.  And you hope there's an afterlife so you can meet up with your long-time companion once again.

Sunday on the East Side

Dr. K, Becca and I parked near the ramada at the Monte Vista lot on the east side of Tortugas Mountain this morning before setting off on a long hike two-thirds of the way around the Tortoise and back.  Because of soaring temperatures it wasn't long before we removed our light windbreakers.  We hit 83 F yesterday, and we're headed for similar temps today.  Surprisingly we only saw one mountain biker in the outback during our trek, and when we returned to the parking lot there was only one other car there.  Curious considering how beautiful the weather was.

Another Crowded Saturday

When you're heading for a high of 81 F (apologies to friends and family back east) you can't blame people for getting an early start in the great outdoors.  There were already quite a few cars parked in the lot near the trailhead when Becca and I got out there at 7:30.  We only had one encounter with anybody, though, a mountain biker who was speeding down the dirt road from the mountaintop.  He never looked our way, perhaps because he was concentrating hard on the rocks in the road ahead of him.

Dove in an Ocotillo

Traversing the foothills

Dropping down toward a deep arroyo (shadow)

Something's burning

Fine start to the morning

Heading back toward the Tortoise

The Price of "Progress"

We'll make a right turn at the bottom of this trail

Becca and I hiked west of Tortugas this morning, and we got pretty far into the outback.  Even there--miles away from Dripping Springs Road--we cringed at the sound of baffle-less motorcycles speeding along the stretch in front of Centennial High School.  Before the school was there you'd hear a motorcycle only once in a great while, but now it's a frequent occurrence.  The high school was built to accommodate an ever-growing student population, but it's ruined once and for all the peaceful environment around the mountain.

We've turned right onto the outer loop road

Still on the outer loop

We've made another right turn and are heading back up to the mountain

This beauty was serenading us on Valentine's Day

Crazy Winter in the States

A gnarly area

While temperatures will be soaring to 80 F (26.6 C) and above here in the desert Southwest the Southeast is suffering a brutal cold snap replete with heavy snow and paralyzing ice.  The Northeast is getting hammered in places by a foot of snow, and the Midwest has been crippled by repeated winter storms.  I've seen some nutty winters in my time, but this one seems peculiarly different; and, of course, I can't help but believe it has to do with the climate shift we humans are responsible for creating.

Heading for the lower desert

Two types of Yucca:  Soaptree (front) and Torrey (rear)

Two-Thirds of the Way

Becca and I did an extra long hike around Tortugas this morning, starting at the Sunset Parking area, climbing into the foothills, dropping into the lower desert, and then hiking on the loop road about two-thirds of the way around the mountain.  We saw absolutely nobody in the outback, but we ran into Jimmy about one-half mile from the trailhead on our way back.  Becca is always so excited to see her good buddy, and she can hardly calm down around him.  We stood shooting the breeze for, perhaps, fifteen minutes before heading our separate ways.

A steel cross west of Tortugas

Becca spots a Jackrabbit

Lost in Thought (Again)

Every once in a while I get so engrossed in thinking about something--this time it was in mentally crafting a "pitch" for a book I'm entering in a contest--that I actually forget to take photos.  Today was such a day.  I was surprised when I sat down to upload my "photos" only to discover I'd taken only one--and it's not a very good one at that.  So I'm adding one I took three days ago, but didn't use on the blog.

Moon over the Organ Mountains