Why So Crowded?

Just getting started west of Tortugas

It was chilly this morning when Becca and I started off west of Tortugas Mountain:  29F.  Instead of following the trail alongside the western arroyo we struck off for the old road that gets most of the early sunshine.  Hadn't planned on bushwhacking and exploring arroyos, but it worked out that way.  On our way in we began to run into groups of people, some with kids who seemed a little too young to be trekking out in the desert.  I'm not sure why it was so crowded this morning; I suppose it could have to do with the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday weekend and the fact that our local university is back in session on Wednesday of this coming week.

Further west

Taking a shortcut on an animal trail

Distant hikers

A tall Soaptree Yucca in the outback

Exploring an arroyo

Still in the arroyo

Out of the arroyo on an old dirt road

B&W of the same scene

Organ Mountains

Stand of Torrey Yuccas

While photographing these yuccas . . .

. . . I noticed this nest

Probably the residence of Cactus Wrens

Geothermal Road in black-and-white