Absent the Wind

Desert Willow (Chilopsis linearis)

Only a steady breeze when Frio, Willow and I took off this morning on a normal trek into our section of northern Chihuahuan Desert.  In the distance on the long dirt road a guy hiked ahead of us.  We'd have never caught him had he not turned around and headed back the way he came.  The Heelers were well behaved as the man passed and we greeted each other.  Frio never barked, but Willow whimpered because she wanted to meet the guy close up and personal.  I had to remind her of our social distancing policy.

We explored the "new" arroyo as well as part of the older "new" arroyo before heading back.  None of us seemed particularly interested in doing a long hike so we shortened our outing significantly.  When we approached the brink of the hill where we'd left Whitey the CR-V we heard a woman's voice, and I thought for certain we'd soon encounter other outdoor enthusiasts; but by the time we crested the hill there was nobody about.  Just as well.

We're only going to be a few degrees warmer than yesterday--in other words, near normal--so it didn't feel very warm during our morning sojourn.

Prickly Pear Cactus

This and the next:  exploring the "new" wide arroyo

Break time for Heelers

Soaptrees

This and the next 2:  leaning tower of Soaptree Yucca

Looking back at the passage through

Another break

Soaptree in B&W

Frio and Willow

The OHs

This and the next:  different perspectives of the same Soaptree Yucca

This and the next:  different interpretations of the same stick

This and the next:  different interpretations of the same tree

Wide arroyo

This and the next 2:  same Prickly Pear Cactus blossom

This and the next:  same blossoming Cholla

Tree Cholla on our property

Dusty Desert Day

This and the next 5:  exploring another "new" arroyo

The wind was up before we were this morning, but it didn't start getting gusty until Frio, Willow and I hit the trail north of Tellbrook on our daily trek.  The gusts got particularly bad on our return trip, whipping up dust and sand to the extent that desert vistas became obscured.

One good thing about our hike today was we got to explore yet another "new" arroyo, one we'd overlooked the past few months.  It was a good one, stretching northeasterly through the rugged arid territory; it provided plenty of shady resting spots for the two Heelers even though the temperature was nowhere near as hot as yesterday.

It was 102F at the Farm & Ranch museum near our house yesterday, but we're slated to reach only 82F today--quite a substantial change.

This and the next 9:  same Soaptree Yucca blooming

This and the next:  Banana Yucca

The OHs:  Frio and Willow

Willow and Frio

Long view across the desert

This and the next 2:  another Soaptree Yucca blooming

A whole bumper in the middle of nowhere

This and the next 2:  what high wind will do for your desert view

Abbreviate When Hot

Torrey Yucca at the edge of an arroyo

It was evident right from the start of our morning hike that the day would become quite hot; in fact, it was already 80F by the time we finished our trek at 8:30.  Good thing we got a very early start.

We left from our regular departure point at Tellbrook, hiked up the long dirt road to the "new" arroyo, dipped into the arroyo for a shade-and-water break, circled back to the long dirt road and followed it to the intersection with the east/west road.

We headed east from there toward Tortugas Mountain, but turned around before going too far.  It was already starting to feel pretty warm, and neither Frio, Willow nor I were in the mood to roast just to get in a long hike.  So we retraced our steps to the waiting CR-V.

Soaptree Yucca leaves

That Torrey Yucca/that arroyo

Dog's eye view of the arroyo

Kneeling human perspective of the same arroyo

At right:  the way we just came

A new Soaptree Yucca stalk next to an old one

Shade break!

Tangle

Further up the arroyo

Desert west of Tortugas and the Organ Mountains

Little white squiggle means White Sands Missile Range test this morning

Whitethorn Acacia are blooming

The rest:  Scaled Quail (Callipepla squamata), also called "Cottontop"