Midweek Bump

Trekking to the upper foothills

Becca and I did a bit longer hike than we'd done the past few days, bushwhacking into several different arroyos to do a little exploring.  On our way back into the high foothills we saw a couple of road workers getting ready to do some repairs on the road leading to the top of Tortugas Mountain.  A large dump truck had just dropped a huge load of gravel and a bulldozer was getting ready to smooth things out when we saw our buddy, Gregg, trailing on foot behind the vehicles.  He came down to the trail where we were hiking, and I wished him good luck heading up the road.  He said he wasn't sure he'd go that way after all due to the repair work.  We chatted briefly before parting company.  By the time Becca and I reached the lower section of the road the dump truck had just whizzed by, kicking up a nice little dust storm.

Lineman trainees and their poles

Through the grassland

Becca sees something she wants to bound after

On your mark, get set . . .

Delicate pink-and-white flowers

Still haven't ID'd this

Variegated Fritillary

Don't recognize these flowers

Barrel Cactus fruit

Exercise caution picking this fruit

Time for a little bushwhacking

Spent seed pod of the Senna

Dipping toward that arroyo

Couldn't decide between this photo and the next . . .

. . . even though they're practically the same

Huge two-headed Torrey Yucca

The arroyo we're exploring really widens out here

We're on a hill east of the arroyo (different arroyo at center of image)

Loving the marigold

Looks to be a small bee

Another rocky respite

Moth or butterfly?

Talk about getting ahead of the pack

Large dump truck dumping gravel on the mountain road

Waiting behind the dump truck to spread the gravel