Raw Weather for Starts

It was 38F when the Beckster and I headed out this morning, but a stiff wind made the conditions feel pretty brutal.  It was like that for about the first third of the hike, then the wind died, the temperature climbed into the low 40s, and the dewpoint seemed to rise.  That meant for two-thirds of the hike it didn't feel bad.  Good thing, too, because we ran into JC and Gregg and stood talking with them for about twenty minutes.  Well, Becca didn't do any jabbering because she was distracted by nearby scents; otherwise she would have joined in on the palaver.

All Fogged Up (Again)

For the second time in three days we've had dense fog in our area, creating somewhat hazardous driving conditions.  Unlike on Sunday, though, this morning's fog began to burn off while Becca and I were still hiking.  We ran into two of our good buddies out there--JC (just returned from College Station, Texas) and Jimmy--and Becca was elated to see them, a fact she demonstrated by running around in circles for their amusement.

Javelina Cantina

Javelina (Collared Peccary) at far left (you can see its right ear)

Yesterday in the early afternoon my neighbors' Chihuahua dogs were going bonkers, snarling and barking, entering our yard to chase something.  When I went outside and looked over our wooden fence--the side closest to the arroyo--I saw a Javelina standing on the arroyo bank near our fence.  It's the first I've ever seen in this area.  I got my camera and tried to get a picture, but it trotted down toward the end of our yard.  When I went outside and around the fence, the Javelina saw me and raised its hackles before crossing the arroyo into the desert near another neighbor's yard.  I suspect it was getting a drink at our water hole when the Chihuahuas got wind of it.  You can get a good look at Javelinas by following this link:  http://a-z-animals.com/animals/collared-peccary/pictures/3621/

Yesterday's fog is gone

Cloudy skies

Dip into a deep arroyo

Critter search

Dark clouds over Tortugas and the Organs

On the road again

Typical Chihuahuan Desert scene

Wind power

On the outer loop road

Heading back to the Tortoise

Foggy Desert

Just starting off alongside Tortugas ("Tortoise") Mountain

We get all kinds of weather in the northern Chihuahuan Desert:  drought, rain, sleet, snow--even fog.  This morning's fog was especially surprising because none of the local meteorologists predicted it.  Due to slightly dangerous driving conditions we decided to do our morning hike on the near side of Tortugas Mountain (a fifteen-minute drive from home), starting off at the trailhead out of the "Sunset Area" on the west side of the Tortoise.  Astonishingly there were a lot of other fog nutters on and about the mountain.

Ocotillo (O-ko-TEA-yo)

Torrey Yuccas

Becca enjoying the fog

White-winged Dove

Most-recent growth on an Ocotillo

Ocotillos along a desert road

Torrey Yucca

Desert Cottontail

Bad Morning for Photos

This morning's light was very poor for photography; the sky was overcast, the landscape a kind of hazy grey.  Although the temperature was 34F when Becca and I headed out it didn't feel especially cold, even with a persistent breeze.  But during our long trek the sun never made even the slightest effort to show itself.  We didn't see anybody we know out there, but the parking lot was fairly full when we returned to the sunset side of the mountain.