Comes the Wind--Again

Sunrise at the ranch

Becca and I were out to the mountain before the worst of the wind picked up; but it started worsening when we were hiking with JC and Shaque on the inner loop trail.  It's supposed to get even worse than yesterday, 25- to 35-mile-per-hour sustained winds with gusts to 45 mph and 50 mph.  When the wind blows that powerfully in the desert there's always dust in the sky--as there was yesterday.  And it's looking like it will be even dustier today.  Yuck.

A particularly interesting Creosote Bush

Up the western slope of Tortugas Mountain

Trail through the arroyo

Higher in the foothills

Clouds come and go

Sunny in the west

Pausing for a look at Tortoise Mountain

Prickly Pear (foreground), Franklin Mountains on the horizon

Clouds return over Tortugas Mountain and the Organ Mountains