Raw North Wind

Hiking in the foothills west of the mountain

When we got home from our hike yesterday I detached my small pocket watch carabiner clip from my belt loop and was surprised to discover no watch on the end of it.  Thinking that Becca and I would have to retrace our steps from yesterday's trek to see if I could find the pocket watch I was pleased this morning to spot it right next to the place where we park Whitey near the Sunset Area side of the mountain.  I couldn't believe it hadn't been run over.  The find allowed us to hike a different route this morning, and it proved to be a difficult outing.  Despite the abundant sunshine it was cold (25F with a wind chill of 19F) when we started off, and it only seemed to get worse the longer we were out there.  A brutal, raw wind out of the north completely negated the sun's effect, and both The Beckster and I were eager to curtail the hike a bit in order to get back to our vehicle and away from The Hawk (aka "the wind").

Becca checking out her surroundings

Took an unsalvageable image, applied Poster Edges, and made it disposable

Strawberry Hedgehog Cactus

Strawberry Hedgehog edge on

Must mean "self-restoration" since there's been no work done here for months

Arroyo sentinels

Closeup of the Torrey Yuccas on the arroyo bank

Lost my pocket watch yesterday, surprised to find it today

Rodent hole at the base of a Torrey Yucca trunk

This and the next four:  similar views of the west side of Tortugas Mountain