Early Monsoon Season

Back behind the Tortoise

We had a tremendous hail storm late yesterday afternoon, followed by an incredible cloudburst, and then another hail storm with even bigger stones.  (See video below, ignore nasally voice.)  This morning the air was thick with humidity, and it felt like mid-July Monsoon season in the northern Chihuahuan Desert.  Nevertheless, there were plenty people out and about.  We ran into a guy with a black year-old Berger Picard dog (aka Picardy Shepherd) a beautiful French breed that nearly went extinct after both world wars, and is now quite rare.  I think I've only seen one other years ago.  We also bumped into a gentleman and his three dogs who we've encountered before.  Becca and all the canines got on swimmingly.  Then when we were nearly finished with our hike we ran into a couple of guys and a dog from the large Search and Rescue training operation underway on the Monte Vista side of the mountain.  We only said hello to one man because the other was busy putting his dog through training exercises.  Quite an eventful, long hike for us today.

Becca on the trail around the mountain

Becca in the shade, Packrat with his new Armachillo shirt

Becca spots something we don't see

Far point of today's hike

Dr. K and Becca

Search and Rescue training exercise with search dogs and handlers