In the Heart of the Heart of the Desert

This way to the sky

Becca and I hiked the middle dirt road leading west away from Tortugas Mountain this morning, bushwhacked south through the desert east of the nearest neighborhood, and then trekked back to Tortugas Mountain on the southernmost dirt road.  We saw plenty of birds and Jackrabbits coming and going, but none of the critters I'm always hoping to see:  the magnificent, elusive Trickster, a.k.a. Canis latrans, or simply Coyote.  They're out there, but you only see them when they want to be seen.

I was photographing this late-blooming Ocotillo when . . .

. . . this delightful visitor showed up

Taking the long road west

Looking back at the road we're hiking

Turning around to check on Pokey-man

Becca looks pretty happy

Those houses are at the edge of the desert

A little closer view of civilization at desert's edge

Far west of Tortugas and the Organ Mountains

Seamy underside of a Desert Marigold

Wide arroyo that feeds out of Tortugas Mountain

Even further west

The southern route we took back in

Long way across the desert

When you come to the fork in the road . . .

Short respite from a hot hike

Contrary contrails

I'm surprised to see so many Ocotillos blooming this late

Crazy contrails beginning to dissipate