Another Rainy Desert Day

This and the next 3:  morning clouds over Tortugas

According to the local meteorologists and the weather channel website we had only a 15% chance of precipitation today, but at about 12:20 p.m. just as I was about to take Becca on an early afternoon ride the wet stuff began coming down.  It rained pretty steady for a little over an hour, and just a few minutes ago--when I took Becca out for her midday pee break--I was surprised at the size of the puddle in our driveway in front of the garage.  I didn't think we'd got that much rain, but we almost always welcome any additional moisture here in the northern Chihuahuan Desert.  Fortunately, Becca and I had finished our morning hike well before the inclement weather rolled in.

Becca on the upper foothills trail

More clouds over the mountain

Desert valley

Line of distant sunlight

West of Tortugas

Break time!

In the Ocotillo shadow

Take a hard left

Ocotillos in sunshine

Heading west on the road around the mountain

Hill west of the mountain

Horsing around (actually horsing in a straight line)

Way ahead of the pack

The long view

Doña Ana Mountains

Back up the mountain

Almost to the road

West side of Tortugas

Desert Zinnias that have seen better days