Heat Again

First two images:  the sky at the start of our hike

Becca and I hit the trail west of Tortugas Mountain a little before 8 this morning; it was 47F, about ten degrees warmer than in the high country where we were yesterday.  Unlike up there, though, it's supposed to get hot this afternoon--81F--and I'm just fed up with any temperatures above the mid-70s.  Oh, well, I suppose when it finally does get cold I'll be wishing for heat.  Typical human, eh?  The Beckster and I had a nice trek out in the northern Chihuahuan Desert.  We bumped into four outdoor enthusiasts:  two runners, a guy with a gutsy, small black dog on a lead, and a woman we see fairly often as she hikes out of the Sunset Area.

This and the next:  sun highlighting Ocotillos

Becca in the upper foothills

Cheerful bouquet

Cactus spines

A look at the rugged Chihuahuan Desert

This and the next:  two looks at the trail down

#2

First time this fall I've seen an inversion at the base of the Sierra de Juarez

Black-throated Sparrow