Birthday Outing

Getting ready for a ride

Isabel, Liz and Caroline flew in to celebrate Dr. K's birthday, and even though their arms were sore from the long flight in from San Francisco we all headed out to Aguirre Springs in the Organ Mountains-Desert Peaks National Monument to hike a section of the Baylor Pass Trail.  Despite the high winds--which weren't too bad on the eastern side of the mountains--it was a wonderful day for trekking in the Desert Southwest.  After a semi-strenuous hike we drove to a picnic ramada and had a nice picnic:  Black Forest Ham and provolone sandwiches, bananas and apricots, potato chips and tri-color corn chips (red, green and white) which, according to Caroline, are meant to represent the colors in the Mexican flag.  That's her story and she's sticking to it.

Isabel, Liz et al. starting up the Baylor Pass Trail

Quick photo op

Interesting dead tree

Rugged Organ Mountains

Arteries and capillaries

Largeflower Onion

Red Dome Blanketflower

Geriatric Red Dome Blanketflower and two utes

One hot Beckster

Isabel (cameo appearance by Becca's butt)

A very windy desert day

Liz and Isabel

The formation called the "Rabbit Ears)

Turning around to head back

Isabel and Liz ahead of the pack

OK, OK--another interesting dead tree

Sugarloaf Peak in the distance

Heading back to the trailhead

Darned if I know what these are

Almost back to the car