Intrepid Duo

Becca near her favorite sandy spot

Although Becca was reluctant to climb the ramp into the back of Whitey the CR-V this morning I managed to coax her up.  Then I drove her over to the west side of Tortugas Mountain to do a short hike even though I'd already walked her up the arroyo alongside our house and halfway around the neighborhood block.  Because of heavy cloud cover I figured she wouldn't suffer from the heat too much, although it felt very humid.

Just as we were starting our trek we ran into our pal Raymond and walked with him on a longer first leg than I intended to do; it was all right, though, because it didn't seem to tax Becca too much.  On the road to the mountaintop, just before reaching the first locked gate, Becca and I parted company with Raymond and struck west to bushwhack over to her favorite sandy spot; she didn't lie down there, however, somewhat anxious to keep going.

There were a few other hikers out and about, but we didn't encounter any--and we lucked out in missing the rain.  It started about an hour after we'd come home, but it only came down lightly and didn't last long.

It wasn't hot, but it felt very humid

Looking south toward El Paso

There she is again

Threatening sky

Desert Marigold

This and the next:  heading back to Tortugas Mountain

The "A" and the Tortugas Mountain Observatory

Look at that sky

Stingleaf

This and the next 2:  getting closer to the trailhead

This and the next:  two different Barrel Cacti