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Wednesday, September 23, 2015

First of Fall

Crossing the road that leads to the top of Tortugas Mountain
It was almost as if somebody flipped the switch from summer to fall here in the northern Chihuahuan Desert.  Becca and I started our hike this morning under ideal conditions:  62 F (16.6 C), with partially-cloudy skies and a steady, cool breeze.  The humidity was a tad high, but the breeze easily combated any discomfort from the air's moisture content.  We ran into only one other hiker west of the mountain, but other than him it pretty much seemed as if we had the entire desert to ourselves.  By the way, temperatures are sure to rise again before we slip further into autumn weather.
Flycatcher

Raining up there on the right

Northeast side of Las Cruces, New Mexico

On the horizon the Organ Mountains

Pass of the North between Franklin Mts. (left) and Sierra Juarenses (right)

Organ Mountains

Soaptree Yucca

Becca on a sandy road

Across an expanse of Chihuahuan Desert

In the background the Franklin Mountains near El Paso, Texas

West of the Tortoise

Break time

Time to move

Potrillo Mountains

Bishop Cap


Heading west

Tortugas Mountain (left) and the Organ Mountains

Western flank of Tortugas and the Organs

Sunbeam

Doña Ana Mountains

Road back to the Tortoise

Southern section of the Organs

Huge Ocotillo

Interesting cloud (Becca photobombs shot)

4 comments:

packrat said...

P.S. Even though there's still a chance of rain today, we seem to have escaped the brunt of the tropical depression; and I haven't heard any news that it seriously affected any regions in the Southwest.

Scott said...

Commenting on your own post--man, you've sunk to new depths of desperation. :-) We're having nice weather here for the first day of autumn, too; upper 70s, low humidity, and cloudless blue skies. It could stay like this forever and be paradise. I like the image of the flycatcher, but the image isn't detailed enough for an i.d.

Just a note: if you don't hear from me for a few days, I may be "laid up." I may have had a heart attack three weeks ago, and I'm (finally) going to see the doctor tomorrow. I can see them whisking me to the hospital. If I don't get "whisked," I'll let you know, Packrat.

packrat said...

Good luck, Scott. Sure hope it wasn't a heart attack. I'm keeping my fingers crossed.

Dr. K said...

I have my fingers crossed too, Scott.

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