Hot!

We started out in the mountain's shadow

We ran into a woman hiker about two miles into our trek.  She said, "It's too darned hot already."  That pretty much says it all.  We set a record high yesterday and we're on track to break another old record:  104 F.  At noon it was already 98 F. On these kinds of days one must get an early start.  Becca and I were back to the car a little after 9 a.m.  Regardless of the brutal conditions, there are always sights to see in the stark desert which make battling the elements worth the trouble.

It was sun the rest of the way

Rose-like Prickly Pear flower

Taking shade where she can find it

Scenes that make a hot hike worthwhile

Soaptree Yucca flower stalk

This Soaptree Yucca is probably hundreds of years old

Strawberry Pitaya flowers

Beauty and its beast

Strawberry Pitaya cacti