Bugs Swarming

Sun highlighting Ocotillos in the western foothills

Becca and I got a decent start this morning after having to deal with several swarms of small insects in the arroyo beside our house--where she went to do her morning business.  It rained quite a bit in the early evening yesterday, and we had to deal with some of the consequences today; namely, swarming insects.

There weren't many outdoor enthusiasts on the west side of Tortugas Mountain when we got there, and I'm not sure whether the high humidity played a part in keeping people away.  We did run into one hiker we see fairly often, a pleasant guy who always greets us with a "Good morning."  And while we were taking an extra-long break in Becca's favorite sandy spot we saw several runners heading up and down the mountain road.

We probably spent an hour in the desert this morning, with a twenty-minute break wedged in; the break was good for Becca because it gave her a chance to cool off and recover before we headed back.

Becca leading the way south

This and the next:  descending peaks of the Franklin Mountains

Ocotillo experiment

Dead yucca face

Just west of the mountain

Becca on a long break

Collared Lizard

See it?

Same lizard

Spotted through the leaves

Looks like a baby Collared or Twin-spotted Lizard

White-winged Dove

What are you looking at?