Monday's Long Trek

West of the Tortoise

My hiking companion Becca and I did a very long hike around Tortugas Mountain this morning, and we saw only one other person in the far outback--a man hiking alone on the inner loop road.  We did run into our buddy Jimmy within a half-mile of the trailhead, and we spoke briefly.  Also bumped into our friend, Gregg, and talked to him for a few minutes.  It seemed as if there were only a few cars in the Sunset Area parking lot when we got back to our car, which we always leave well away from the others.

Heading behind the mountain

What lies west of the mountain

Rocky foothills

Waiting for a pokey hiker

Far behind Tortugas Mountain

Single-track through the desert

Mounds of Strawberry Pitaya Cactus

Torrey Yucca

Ocotillo (aka "Buggy Whip") beginning to bud