Bad Saturday

Break station for an organized run

It wasn't really a bad Saturday, but there were too many people on and about the mountain, many of whom were participating in an organized run.  I've got nothing against organized runs, but I wish the organizers would return after the event and remove the orange plastic route markers; all too often they're left behind to mar the appearance of the desert.

I ran into mountain bikers as well this morning, but they were more distant from the mountain.  It was nice to see several different hot-air balloons lifting off over the Mesilla Valley.  What wasn't so good to see (and hear) was a single-engine prop plane that made several really low passes over Tortugas Mountain.  I can't imagine that kind of aerial maneuver is smiled upon by flight instructors.

The last leg of my trek was away from the runners' route so I encountered nobody on my way back in, and I was surprised to discover that not many vehicles were parked where I'd left Whitey the CR-V.

Single-track west

Orange plastic route marker

Devil's Claw

Hilly desert

Soaptree Yuccas alongside the trail

West of the mountain

Ballooning over the Mesilla Valley

This prop plane made several low passes over the mountain

This and the next 3:  more hot-air ballooning

This and the rest:  resident Roadrunner on our property

Meep Meep