Mountain Hike Before Heading Down

Just starting off on the Grand View Trail

We got in one last high-country hike before heading down to the lower desert.  Before we did, though, we stopped at the Draney Apple Orchard to buy two bags of apples:  $6 per bag.  We spoke to Don Draney and he told us that they'd had a bad storm with heavy hail a week ago that had ruined some of the apple crop.  I told him what we'd seen at the footbridge over the creek yesterday--evidence of a big storm--and he asked if the bridge had held up okay.  I said it had.  He was glad because he's one of the New Mexico Rails-to-Trails workers who helped construct that footbridge.

After a short ascent easy going on the level trail

Lots of grasses growing tsll

Seeds of the Mountain Mahogany

Past the midway point

White Sands in the distance

Happy in the shade

Biplane flying over the trail