Nary a Soul

In the woods

Dr. K, Becca and I took our time getting started on the Grand View trail this morning, but amazingly we encountered not one other human being during our entire trek--and this on a Saturday.  On the return leg, though, when we were almost back to the CR-V, we did bump into two canines who live in one of the residences near the trailhead:  a Chow mix we've met several times before and a Pitbull mix we were meeting for the first time.  The Pitmix did a lot of barking at us initially, but he was friendly when he came to greet us.  Both dogs were fascinated by Becca, who, in a previous existence was a renowned star of stage and screen.

High country vista

Becca on our road

Room for three

I heard clopping feet

Ancient cone

Nothing's perfect

 

Looking toward La Luz

Four-Wing Saltbush (Atriplex canescens)

What's growing at the edge of that cliff?

This

View of the Tularosa Basin

Midway ramada

White Sands from the Grand View Trail

Abert's Buckwheat

Sitting sideways on that cottontail

High desert to the mountains

Townsend's Solitaire (Myadestes townsendi)

Different view of the Tularosa Basin

I was going to say "female Northern Flicker," but I'm not sure

I've never been able to ID this plant

Closer look at the white puffballs

Shade break!

Grand View Trail

Turkey Vulture

I'm looking at you, kid (Turkey Vulture, Cathartes aura)

Interesting perspective of Becca

Wonder dog

What's she thinking?