Nasty Wind

Flanking the west side of Tortugas Mountain

This is day #2 of a high wind warning here in the northern Chihuahuan Desert, and in some respects it's far worse than yesterday; for one thing Becca and I were out in the worst of it this morning.  Yesterday we finished our trek before the gusts really got started.  You know the winds are bad (gusting 50-to-60 mph) when you're chewing on sand that somehow has gotten into your mouth.  Surprisingly there were other outdoor enthusiasts on and about Tortugas Mountain, and we even ran into one woman on the outer loop road west of the mountain.  She was talking on her cell phone, and I couldn't imagine how she was able to hear anything in the howling wind.

An idea of the dust and sand in the air this morning

Torrey Yucca flowers

A little closer look at the yucca flowers

Ocotillo flowers

Loggerhead Shrike

Same Loggerhead Shrike

Had to bushwhack quite a way to get to this yucca

Four flower heads

Sun through yucca

Removing the shadow

Four heads are better than two

Stately Torrey Yucca

Several different Torrey Yuccas

Almost the same view as above

Self-sanding arroyo

Headed back toward the mountain

On the dusty new trail

Ocotillo and yucca

Saw several Turkey Vultures battling the high wind