One O Seven

Flank of Tortugas Mountain and the distant Organ Mountains

Becca and I got an extra early start this morning because of soaring temperatures.  We're supposed to hit 107 degrees Fahrenheit here today.  That's seven degrees shy of our record, but hot nonetheless.  We ran into a woman we see fairly often during our treks, and she asked about how Becca handles this kind of heat.  I told her Becca does fine as long as we take frequent shade and water breaks.  That was the case today as we stopped on four different occasions to stand in the shadow of desert plants and to drink in order to stay hydrated.

A young Eagle Claw Cactus (Echinocactus horizonthalonius)

New Mexico Whiptail Lizard in motion

Headed back up the mountain

What that young Eagle Claw will look like as an adult

This and the next 4:  Gambel's Quail chicks at the waterhole