All Steamy Again

Sun doing funny stuff behind the clouds

I started off fairly early on a cloudy, humid morning here in the northern Chihuahuan Desert, and I got sprinkled on briefly as soon as I began hiking.  The precipitation didn't last, though, and I never felt a drop the rest of the way.

I ran into a friend, Pete, who was running with a full pack sporting a ground pad and using two spring-loaded hiking sticks for support.  When he stopped to talk he told me he was training for an end-of-October run on the Monumental Loop.  If you don't know what that is check it out here:  https://bikepacking.com/routes/monumental-loop/

Later in the trek, when I was headed back on the mountain road near the old white shack, I encountered Renee and his dog, Rayo, who were headed east on Geothermal Road.  Renee suggested we hike back to the Sunset Area together.  It was very kind of him to let me spend extra time with Rayo, suggesting it was my "dog fix" for the day.  And, indeed, it was just what I needed this morning.

Across the Mesilla Valley

This and the next:  Br'er Rabbit

High altitude cactus garden

Plumed Crinklemat

Ocotillos on the edge of a deep chasm-like arroyo

Long view

Plumed Crinklemat (aka Tiquilia greggii)

West of Tortugas

This and the next 2:  on the outer loop road

Amarillo

The yellow flowers are Chinchweed

Further west of the mountain

Flank of Tortugas and the Organ Mountains

Southeast of Picacho Peak

Our Lady mountains

Soaptree Yucca and the mountains

This and the next 7:  Desert Marigolds in an arroyo west of Tortugas

Looking east up the arroyo toward the mountains

This and the next:  flora in the mountain foothills

American Kestrel (aka "Sparrow Hawk") is actually a small falcon