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Saturday, September 21, 2013

Cloud Cover

Cloud layer in the Tularosa Basin
When Dr. K, Becca and I started our hike on the Grand View Trail this morning there was a thick layer of clouds below us in the Tularosa Basin.  Within fifteen or twenty minutes the clouds had engulfed the entire area and we did our trek in cool, overcast conditions.  Having not seen a tarantula all summer we were surprised to encounter two on the trail.  The short video below captures the second in motion.  The abundant rain has produced an incredible number of wildflowers.  Some pictured here I haven't ID'd because I'm too tired from all the yard work we had to do after our hike.
Tarantula #1

Checkerboard pattern in the valley

Furry puffballs on unknown plant

Always ahead of the pack

Beautiful white flowers

Tarantula #2

Rails-to-Trails ramada

Looking down canyon toward White Sands National Monument

Land of contrasts

Becca and Dr. K at the ramada

Packrat and Becca

Clouds heading our way

A few patches of sunlight

Pink trumpet

Pink, yellow and green

On the trail under the cloud cover

Sparsely populated by people

Indian Paintbrush

Moving on down the trail

Sunflower among Yucca leaves

Crocodile rock

Never sated on smells

One of our neighbors' horses

Another of their horses
 

3 comments:

Dr. K said...

I had forgotten how fast tarantulas can move. I'm glad they didn't get too close.

Scott said...

I've only seen one "wild" tarantula in my life--on the patio of a bed-and-breakfast where Kali and I stayed in Sedona, AZ. The host wasn't particularly perturbed. Incidentally, that B&B is also the only place where I've seen a "wild" javelina, which was rooting around in the backyard.

packrat said...

I've only seen a small percentage of all the most beautiful places on Earth, Scott, but Sedona is undoubtedly one of them.

The best time to see tarantulas is after heavy rains.

Every time we've gone to Big Bend National Park we've seen javelinas. If you ever have one charge you you'll never forget the experience. They're not trying to attack, but to catch your scent because they have incredibly bad eyesight.

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