Foothills Friday

Rainbow was so faint I had to adjust the image saturation

The Beckster and I got an early start on our morning jaunt west of Tortugas Mountain, and we were not surprised to see other outdoor enthusiasts already there; the weather was quite beautiful--mid-40s with partly cloudy skies and no wind.  We headed straight for the upper foothills where I spent a little extra time photographing the dynamic clouds.  While we were up there we saw a hiker and two runners heading up the mountain road and, later, a guy with a black dog who came up behind us before detouring to the road.  We've seen the latter two before, and the guy is very friendly.  His dog not so much.  Good thing the human keeps the canine on a lead at all times.  I sometimes wonder if his dog would be less aggressive off lead; some dogs are more territorial when they're tethered to their guardians.  Best not to find out, though, I guess. :)

Dynamic clouds this a.m.

More clouds

Zoomed-in clouds

Looking southwest otra vez

Can't get enough of these clouds

Becca heading into the high foothills

Narrow foothills trail

Cigar clouds

Cresting out

Crazy clouds to the north

40 miles as the crow flies to the Franklin Mountains near El Paso, Texas

Prickly Pear and Ocotillos

A little Devil's Head hiding among the rocks

This way to the mountaintop road

There she is starting back

The way we just came

Two views of Las Cruces

#2

Leading the way

A pause to look back

Chopper

Can't quite make out the writing beneath the blades

Switchback up the mountain

What's that at the top right edge of the yucca?

It's a White-winged Dove

Part of The City of the Crosses and Picacho Peak

Getting close to the trailhead

Becca and her shadow

Soaptree Yucca family