A Very Hot Start

This and the next:  one of only two blooming Hedgehogs we saw today

It was off on our new regular Sunday morning hike today, which departs from the westernmost entrance sign for Organ Mountains-Desert Peaks National Monument.  Surprisingly there were only two vehicles in the parking lot when we got there and only three when we got back.

Another bonus for us today was the low number of other outdoor enthusiasts we encountered during our 90-minute trek; perhaps there were fewer people because the temperature was already high.

Of course the heat was a drawback, and little Willow kept stopping in shady spots every chance she got.  The hotter she gets the harder it is to get her moving again.  Despite the heat we all had a good time trekking through the desert.

This and the next 5:  Apache Plume

This and the next 4:  Chihuahuan Desert and the Organ Mountains

Ocotillo flower and Bumblebee

Yucca

Frio tries to catch a fly while Willow rests

Buggy Whips (aka "Ocotillo")

White Tackstem

The rest:  Desert Bird of Paradise (Caesalpinia gilliesii)

Four For the Arroyo

Weather at start

Dr. K accompanied Frio, Willow and me on our morning hike today, and we decided to explore the same arroyo as yesterday.  It was a lot of fun, but the day was already hot so we decided to cut the trek short.  Neither Heeler seemed to mind.

We saw two other hikers out there this morning, two people who were trailing behind us on the long dirt road.  They never caught up to us, though we did see them pass by the mouth of the arroyo as they were headed back.  They turned around at the intersection of the east/west dirt road and were already well on their way up the steep incline to Tellbrook when we started our return to the waiting CR-V.

In the "new" arroyo

Dr. K taking a shade break with Willow and Frio

Desert bouquet

This and the next 2:  different perspectives on the same scene

Turkey Vulture

Wilson of the desert

This and the next:  same Soaptree Yucca

This and the next 2:  B&W experiments in the arroyo

Same scene as above in color

Another Arroyo to Explore

Looking northeast over the flank of Tortugas Mountain

On an already hot, but overcast, morning the Heelers and I trekked through an arroyo we had considered exploring for the past few days.  It's an arroyo I had seen often in the past, but had never hiked.  It was well worth the effort because it presented us with fairly effortless going and plenty of fine desert scenes, some of which are pictured here.

I decided to abbreviate our hike a bit because the temperature was rising rapidly while we were out there; and we're headed for a high of 96F, a heat index defined by the term "toasty."  The only evidence of other outdoor enthusiasts this morning were the six or seven vehicles we spotted parked at the corner of Tellbrook and Sonoma Ranch Road.

The weather this morning

This and the next:  Ocotillos and the Organs

This and the next 3:  exploring a new (to us) arroyo

Heelers in the arroyo

Looking back at the way we just came

Good-size Soaptree Yucca

Prickly Pear buds about to bloom

This and the next:  Prickly Pear flower in yellow

This and the next:  Mesquite Tree flowers

Heelers in a different arroyo

Desert Marigolds

Littleleaf Ratany

Final 2:  Prickly Pear Cactus blossoms