Finding Balance

Chihuahuan Desert morning sky

Becca and I took our usual hike on the west side of Tortugas Mountain this morning, and it was relatively unpeopled out there.  We did encounter three different mountain bikers close in to the mountain, but once we got into the outback we saw nobody.  The temperature was in the low 60s and we hiked almost the entire way beneath a significant cloud cover.  Aside from a few birds and a rabbit or two we saw no other wildlife; therefore, the only critter who appears here is Becca.  I always like to include photos of her enjoying our morning trek.

What lies ahead?

Torrey Yuccas on the western slope of Tortugas Mountain

Inverted spur

Man doing handstand while wearing chaps?

Patch of blue

Odd ripples in the cloud cover

Looking northwest

Mountain biker on the outer loop road

Looking south while heading north

Hangers-on

Becca the explorer

Organ Mountains

Soaptree Yuccas

In the distance lie the Doña Ana Mountains

Dynamic sky over the Organs

This way

You coming?

Yucca, Ocotillo and the Potrillo Mountains

Guess why they're called "paperflowers"

More dynamic sky

Pinacate Beetle, aka "stinkbug," does a headstand when threatened

The beetle emits a malodorous spray from its rear end

Scratch and sniff this Eleodes obscurus

Still a lot of cloud cover two-thirds of the way though our trek

Stingleaf (Cevallia sinuata) flowers still blooming