First of the Week Trek

Early start

Becca and I did a really long hike west of Tortugas Mountain this morning, and we ended up doing a lot more bushwhacking than we'd planned--simply because we kept seeing things that needed photographing.  Well, at least Becca thought they needed to be photographed.  We ran into an old friend, Raymond, who we hadn't seen all winter.  He's just getting started again on his exercise regimen of hiking around the mountain every morning, so we're likely to see him again.  Because it's spring here in the Chihuahuan Desert we have to brace ourselves for some brutally windy conditions.  Tomorrow and Wednesday, for example, are supposed to be really bad, with gusts possibly reaching 55 mph.  Yuck.

I lost count of the number of flowers on this Claret Cup Cactus

Mesquites leafing out

Small Mesquite Tree in an arroyo

Mesquite Trees on an arroyo bank

In the high hills west of Tortugas Mountain

Medium-sized Mesquite Tree

Happy to take a break

Three-foot-tall Barrel Cactus

Contrails appear to be emanating from an Ocotillo

Heading up a less-traveled arroyo

Reaching out with a withered limb (actually a root)

Prickly Pears, Torrey Yucca and moon

Where in the world is Becca Sandiego?

Closer look at that monster Torrey Yucca

New growth on an Allthorn bush

Creosote flowering

Desert Chicory

Pale Evening Primrose

?

What's that coming up the road?

Love to have a taste of Br'er Hare

Becca spots a man and woman on the trail behind us