Week's End Trek

Some people--bikers, no doubt--have started repairing the holes

I figured out why I'm spotting far more Nipple Beehive Cacti than I have in the past; the abundant rainfall of August has caused the cacti to swell, lifting them upward in a more erect fashion.  In periods of low moisture or drought these Nipple Beehives are almost level with the ground making them nearly inconspicuous.  And the added precipitation has allowed some of them to bloom as many as seven times.

The desert was beautiful this morning as Becca and I did a long hike west of Tortugas Mountain.  The Paperflowers are blooming again as are the Blackfoot Daisies.  Senna, yellow daisies and Desert Marigolds are out in large numbers, too.

On the lower section of the single-track damage is less pronounced

Becca spots four Jackrabbits running together

Pencil Cholla fruit

Why they're called "Black-tailed Jackrabbits"

View of Chihuahuan Desert hill

Trailing Four O'Clock

Nipple Beehive Cactus

Looking back at Tortugas

Paperflowers

Blackfoot Daisies

Blackfoot Daisies

Blackfoot Daisies