Hot Sunday

Rugged country

Becca and I did a semi-long Sunday trek starting from the Monte Vista side of Tortugas Mountain this morning.  Dr. K had a good reason for not accompanying us:  she's in San Francisco (where it's cold).  We could do with a chill here in the northern Chihuahuan Desert, where we're into the triple digits yet again.  We ran into our friend Raymond back behind the mountain, and he and I stood talking for a few minutes lamenting the high temperatures.  We had to cut our talk short, though, because it's no fun to palaver while you're sweating your buns off.

Headed behind the mountain

Tableland

Looking toward a far horizon

Cottontail photobomb (extreme right center)

North of the Organs

Circular rock shelter ruins

The kind of rugged territory Hedgehog Cacti love

Curious crablike spider on Rough Menodora

Huge mounds of Hedgehog Cactus

Ocotillos at Tortugas's western flank

Looks a comfortable place to lie down

Mountain biking west of Tortugas