Turning Raw

Cloudy, blustery morning

It rained overnight, and when Becca and I went into the arroyo beside our house for her early morning constitutional everything was wet, but the conditions weren't too bad; when we got out to Tortugas Mountain a short while later, however, things turned really nasty.  It was mostly cloudy with no sun, and the wind kicked up dramatically.  The wind chill made it almost frigid, and, of course, I hadn't dressed properly.  While my hands froze I kept picturing my gloves at home all toasty and warm near the wood-burning stove.  They were probably thinking of me, too, the left saying to the right, "What kind of dope leaves his gloves at home when conditions are so raw outside?"

The west mesa and mountains beyond

Another raw morning in the northern Chihuahuan Desert

Clouds were scudding at a good clip

The Lone Ocotillo

Looking northeast across the mountain's flank

Rocky trail up

Becca's not worried about the cold weather

Still pretty limber

Centennial High School

Cast of characters

Yuccas and the Potrillo Mountains

Old, leafless Ocotillo

On the road again

A back way into Las Cruces

Which way do I go?

Still damp from overnight rain

Princess Yucca lost her crown