Noise

Before the sun breaks over the mountain

I felt quite despondent on the morning trek today because, first, I had to hike without my constant companion, Becca, who is still limping, though not seriously, and, second, perhaps because I didn't have to focus on her, I was more aware of all the noise pollution from "civilization."  There were loud cars, loud motorcycles and loud dirt bikes, all on the road in front of Centennial High School, no doubt belonging to students there.  I could hear that racket from several miles away.  Also, from a subdivision two miles north of the high school came the constant "beep beep beep" of the backup-warning signal on heavy construction vehicles.  Lastly there was the rapid-fire discharge of a semiautomatic weapon being wielded in the distance by some idiot who clearly can afford to waste good money on expensive ammunition.  Six quick shots in succession followed by another six shots in succession, etcetera.  Mix in the morning tweet from our illustrious president and I was nearly depressed while trekking through the Chihuahuan Desert.  Fortunately the beauty of the natural world distracted me enough to regain some semblance of normalcy by the time I returned home.

View over the mesa to the west

Ocotillo

Trail to the sky

The Nefertiti of Hares (Black-tailed Jackrabbit)

No bushwhacking through here

Swirly sky

Desert west of Tortugas

In an arroyo west of the mountain

Further up the arroyo

Standing in the center of a Chihuahuan Desert arroyo

Surprised to find Dayflowers still in bloom

Little bouquet of Desert Marigolds

Fishhook Barrel Cactus fruit

The mountains through an Ocotillo

Allthorn

On the western slope of Tortugas Mountain

Cheerful bouquet

Soaptree Yucca flowers

Closeup of Soaptree Yucca blossoms

Soaptree Yucca flower stalks

Gazing into the maw of a Soaptree Yucca seed pod

I think this is Bewick's Wren

Dynamic sky over Tortugas

A forlorn, hikeless canine