Foggy Mountain

This and the next three:  foggy conditions just west of Tortugas Mountain

The dewpoint was extremely high this morning due to yesterday's rain; it was so high, in fact, it produced light fog around Tortugas Mountain.  Just east of the road around the mountain Becca picked up a scent and led me over to the dead Coyote pictured below; it showed definite signs of trauma at its mouth, leading me to believe it might have been poisoned our shot--not acceptable behavior so close to established hiking areas.  Over the years I've been hiking in the Chihuahuan Desert I've found three or four dead Coyotes, and it always leaves me with a deep sense of sadness.

On the western flank trail

Fog heaviest to the west

Slightly foggy up the mountain

Cresting the upper foothills trail

After the rain, fog

Foggy bottom

This dead Coyote we found shows definite trauma; very worrisome

Road west of the mountain

Foggy outlook

Torrey Yucca with good posture

There are mountains out there somewhere

Tortugas and the Organs

Still flowering

On the inbound leg

Hard to believe Creosote bushes are blooming

Don't know what this is

A closer look reveals some kind of raptor

Baby Becca

Small pool of water on a boulder

When Becca and I started down the single-track on the west side of Tortugas Mountain this morning we spotted a guy coming up with a dog on a short leash.  When I got a good look at his dog I couldn't help but laugh; she was the spit and image of Becca when Becca was a pup.  The coincidences didn't end there.  According to Don, her guardian, Clover was ten months old--exactly the age Becca was when we adopted her.  Don had adopted Clover as well, about three months ago.  Clover was anxious to meet Becca, though Becca didn't seem quite as enthused as her younger doppelgänger.  They did greet each other, however, with no canine incident to speak of.  Don said that the people from the animal shelter made a visit to his house to make sure conditions were right for Clover, who needed a lot of space and lots of exercise.  I told Don that during the first year with Becca both Dr. K and I wondered more than a few times if we'd done the right thing in adopting her due to her abundance of pure energy.  Of course she's turned out to be a very good dog.

Looking east toward the summit of Tortugas Mountain

Quite cloudy to the south, though

If you had to guess who this is . . .

. . . would you be inclined to say "Becca"?

Actually it's "Clover" trying to greet Becca

Clouds over the Organs

Shrouding the mountains

Patch of blue

Working on the mountain road

South to the gap

Closer look at the gap

On the road around the mountain

Devil's claw

It was overcast like this most of the way today

Sure looks like rain

Rainy day desert

Abbreviation

I'm going to say "Lesser Goldfinch" (Spinus psaltria)

Shortened the hike a bit this morning so I could run some fairly early errands, shopping at both Target and Albertsons in order to get home at about noon.  Earlier in the desert Becca and I saw a few outdoor enthusiasts including our friend Raymond (Ramon) who was finishing up his hike behind us; he and I shared a long-distance wave.  We're still running about ten degrees above normal here in the Chihuahuan Desert, all set to graze 80 degrees Fahrenheit today.  

Plying the single-track

High overcast during much of our hike

South to the Organs

Black-and-white desert

South to the Franklin Mountains, El Paso, Texas

Similar view, closer up

Northwest of Tortugas Mountain

On the road heading north

Northern Chihuahuan Desert a few miles east of Las Cruces, New Mexico

When it's near 80F on Nov. 7th the Desert Marigolds don't want to stop

Desert Marigolds

At least the Ocotillos are in the autumn mood

Former flowers

Keep An Eye Out

November 6th wildflowers

Becca and I had to leave early this morning for a shortened hike west of Tortugas Mountain.  I had a 10:30 appointment with the eye doctor down in El Paso.  It has become something of a nightmare to drive in that metropolis; seemingly they're doing construction on all major streets on the city's west side.  Unfortunately I have to go down there again in mid-December; the ultrasound test I had (for the first time) indicated warning signs of glaucoma, so I have to have a "glaucoma workup" to see if I really do have it.

Scoping out the territory

Square of the hypotenuse

Lacy contrails

Going against the grain

Message from God:  stop killing each other

Prickly Pears and Ocotillos

From the western flank of Tortugas Mountain

From the western flank

Colorful Ocotillos in the high foothills

Allthorn (left) and a small Ocotillo

Autumnal signs

Slightly northwest of the mountain