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Sunday, January 29, 2012

Very Cold Start

Huge Torrey Yucca, city of Las Cruces in background
It was 29 degrees Farenheit when we got rolling this morning, with a really stiff wind that made it downright cold.  We were quite surprised at the number of hearty souls who were out on the mountain, enjoying the abundant sunshine.  To avoid running into other people, Becca and I did some bushwhacking in an arroyo that runs east/west across the desert from the high foothills of Tortugas (Tortoise) Mountain.  It's always amazing to see the wild animal footprints in the sandy arroyo bottom:  rabbit, quail, coyote, fox, etcetera.  (Ah, yes, the elusive "etcetera.")

Yucca, Tortugas Mountain (left) and Organ Mountains

Cross-country hound

Healthy Barrel Cactus on an arroyo bank

Typical flora in a desert arroyo

1 comment:

Dr. K said...

Despite the lack of rain, the desert is amazingly fertile.

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