Onto the Less-Beaten Path

Headed for the sunshine

Dr. K, Becca and I headed up to Soledad Canyon to hike part of the Bar Canyon loop trail this morning.  We decided not to do the loop, though, choosing instead to head south along the trail that ends up beside Chimney Rock.  We went all the way to the missile range boundary sign before turning back and trekking the way we came in.  When we first started off there were four hikers ahead of us--a man and woman with two dogs--but we never ran into them.  We did encounter a man and woman on our way out, and further along the final leg of the trail a man hiking alone.  There were four or five vehicles in the parking lot when we got back to Whitey, and a black pickup was just pulling in as we were leaving.  As we drove home we noticed that the Sunset Area entrance road and parking lot were jam-packed with vehicles, and we figured everyone was taking advantage of the gorgeous weather.

First sighting of old Sol

From the Bar Canyon Loop Trail

Organ Mountains

To the southwest

Sotol and Becca

Multiform Organ Mountains

This and the next 5:  shapes and shadows in the Organs

Jet and contrail

Contrail

Love the juniper and grassland terrain

Junipers in the grassland

Distant look at the Organs

Chimney Rock

Decorations still up on the wilderness Christmas Tree

Interesting land forms

Progressively closer views of the Chimney

Danger zone

Back the way we came

Two last looks at the Chimney

Heading out

Further along on our exit plan

Grass/juniper/Organs/clouds/sky

Becca leading the way

Dark-Eyed Junco

A Well-Behaved Dog

Becca and I did a hike on the far side of Tortugas Mountain this morning, and as soon as we reached the upper loop trail and started around the east side we encountered a biker approaching at high speed.  We stepped off the trail and let him pass.  I gave a friendly greeting as he passed, but he ignored me.  I was starting to grumble to myself about how rude some people are when we bumped into a very friendly older woman on the south side.  We spoke briefly about the windy weather before going our separate ways.  She temporarily restored my faith in human beings.  But the feeling won't last.

When we began our return to the trailhead we met three people and a dog who were heading the opposite way.  I put Becca on the lead and made her step off the trail to the left and gave her the "down" command.  She lay flat on the ground watching the man, two women and a beautiful dog.  One woman was holding the dog by the collar, and she said of Becca, "That is a very well-behaved dog."  Laughing, I said, "Sometimes."  The other woman said, "What a good dog."  And the man said, "Very impressive."  The other dog had gotten loose, and started to come around to Becca, but the man got in the way.  I said, "It's okay," meaning there would be no problem if the two dogs met; but the woman--presumably the pet's guardian--said, "She's not supposed to do that."  Then the woman said, "Have a nice day," and I echoed the sentiment.

I have to admit I felt pleased with Becca's behavior, and it was nice for her and for me to receive such an earnest compliment.

Moon and monolith

Cactus Wren on a boulder

Same Cactus Wren/same boulder

Precarious perch

Sotols growing on a rocky slope

Becca choosing a shadow to lie down in

Backlit Torrey Yucca

Trail across the plateau

Becca having a lie-down

Saturday morning moon (even more to come)

The trail we got here on

Yuccas/mountain/moon

Same

Organ Mountains

This and the next 8:  Moon over the mountain