Adios JC and Olivia

A small Mesquite tree growing inside a large clump of Hedgehog Cactus

Becca and I had to say so long to JC and Olivia for another season; they're headed to northern New Mexico on Monday, then on to Arizona before returning to Fairbanks, Alaska.  I'm glad we had a chance to see them today and to chat awhile before they set off to complete the second leg of their morning hike.  Bumped into Gregg on the way back to the car, and he showed me the new hiking stick he'd fashioned from a yucca stalk; pretty nice piece of work on his part.

Hiking the high trail

Deep arroyo on Tortugas's steep western slope

Closeup of Wild Rhubarb flowers

Wild Rhubarb

On the horizon at the end of the road:  the Franklin Mountains near El Paso

An arroyo runs through this valley

This is the arroyo inside that valley

A shade break on the way back up the mountain

Watching a hiker headed up Tortugas

JC and Olivia at Shaque's memorial