Midweek Meandering

What are we looking at here--two Pinacate Beetles doing it?

Becca and I did a moderately-long hike west of Tortugas Mountain this morning, and, again, the temperature was way above normal, and the humidity was high, too.  We're supposed to be near 90 again today.  Yuck.  I'm tired of complaining about the weather.  We only ran into one person at the beginning of our hike and, even though there were quite a few cars in the parking lot when we got back, we didn't see anybody else around the mountain.

This bird nest is nearly the size of a soccer ball

The shadow of the mountain only goes so far

Horsetail clouds

Where the trail drops off

The trail we follow to the lower desert

Becca on the Crosscut Trail

Pea-sized fruit of the Pencil Cholla

Desert Marigold

Road back to the Tortoise

Prickly Pear, Soaptree Yucca and Ocotillos

Bright green against olive (?)

Becca closing in on the mountain

Almost back to the trailhead at the Sunset Area