Credit Due

Loggerhead Shrike

During the first two legs of my morning trek--along the same route as this weekend's organized run--I was feeling pretty good about those organizers who staged the event; each orange plastic ribbon that had marked the route was gone.  When I reached the intersection with the road circling the mountain, however, the good feeling disappeared.  Looking southward I spotted orange ribbon after orange ribbon still tied (or fastened by clothespin) to Ocotillos or Creosote Bushes.  Hopefully somebody will get around to removing those markers as well.

There weren't too many outdoor enthusiasts around when I got an early start, and I only saw a few when I headed back in.  Ongoing construction at the entrance to the Tortugas Mountain Trails Recreation Area (Sunset side) has got me wondering if I should start hiking from the gate at Geothermal Road until work has moved on to another location.  I meant to start doing it last week, but simply forgot.  See if I can keep it in mind until tomorrow morning.

Computer-enhanced Loggerhead Shrike

Tangle

Tangle alongside the upper foothills trail

High-elevation cactus garden

Desert trail

Same trail

Fall color in the desert

Road west

Cholla skeleton

Barrel Cactus growing at the base of a Banana Yucca

Soaptree Yuccas

From one Torrey Yucca to another

Scratch time

Single-track

Keeping an eye on me