Pre-Wind Trek

Spectaclepod

Significantly warmer this morning while Dr. K, Willow and I did our daily hike.  We were lucky to beat the wind, which is raging this afternoon.  After our outing I went shopping at Albertsons, and Dr. K went shopping at Target after I returned.  Willow kicked back at home during each of our trips.

This & next:  sun through clouds

This & next:  phantom bats

Willow and Dr. K

Magdalena Peak

Colored desert

The rest:  sun and clouds

 

Wils and Me

Tree

Willow and me on the regular hike this morning; saw the Basset People and five hounds heading toward the mountains on Tellbrook while we were driving to the trailhead, but never spotted them again.  Nobody else seemed to be out and about in our section of northern Chihuahuan Desert today.

Barrel cactus southwest of Tortugas Mountain

Willow on break in the right branch arroyo

Looking northerly in the right branch arroyo

Soaptree yucca

4200 hill and the southeast side of Tortugas

 

Glove Weather

Looking northwest

Surprisingly cool out there this morning; cool enough to make me wear my gloves for two-thirds of the hike.  Never had to cover my ears, though.  Dr. K, Willow and I followed our regular route today; about midway through the trek we spotted the Basset People hiking along the steep hill ridge, presumably with the hounds who we never saw.  Took a long drive after our outing listening to Matt and Myron on their Sunday Morning show.

Tortugas and the Organs from LDR-A arroyo

Soaptree Yucca and the Organs

Soaptree Yucca in the left branch arroyo

Willow on break

Barrel cactus X

Willow, one cute heeler

 

Trekking with Wils

Cloudy Potrillo Mountains

We got quite a bit of rain yesterday, and perhaps more overnight.  As Willow and I drove east toward the Organ Mountains it was almost as if we entered a totally different weather zone; to the west it was sunny, but on the hill closer to the mountains it was completely cloudy.  The weather changed significantly while we followed our regular route after a slight detour at the start.  We saw no other nature enthusiasts during our morning hike. 

Distant view of Tortugas and the cloudy Organs

Southwest of Tortugas

Ancient Soaptree Yucca in the left branch arroyo

Barrel cactus and assorted desert flora

Cloud shadow and Picacho

Willow taking a break

Young Soaptree Yucca and prickly pear

 

Rain Maybe

Picacho

Dr. K, Willow and I were able to do a hike well in advance of any predicted precipitation; but now, just before 1 p.m., we're getting much-needed rain.  We followed the standard route this morning seeing no other hikers out and about in our section of northern Chihuahuan Desert.

Southwest from LDR-A

This & next:  Black-throated Sparrow on ocotillo

Soaptree Yuccas and the mountains

Wils

Some sky!

Desert flora

Willow again

Deadwood

 

Sky southeast from the right branch arroyo

Tad Humid

Morning crescent

It felt quite humid when Dr. K, Willow and I were doing our morning hike; we're supposed to get rain later today.  Followed our regular route, spotting three hikers with dogs bushwhacking in the desert northwest of us; one appeared to be Two-White-Dogs-Lady.  We saw no one else during our outing today.

Picacho and environs

LDR-A arroyo

Organ Mountains

This & next:  Willow on the cross trail

Willow's tongue

Backlit Black-throated Sparrow

Barrel cactus with a view