Trekking at Week's End

Yellowing Ocotillos

Set out to do some serious bushwhacking in the desert this morning, and I did just that, heading into the outback far west of Tortugas and then making my way back east.  Got some fairly decent photos along the way, but no sign of any large mammals; as always I was hoping to spot some Coyotes, but never even heard any in the distance.

Didn't see many people on and about the mountain today, but I did bump into a guy hiking with his dog on one of the major trails when I was heading back in.  I've run into these two a few times before, and the guy is very friendly; his dog is some kind of Corgi mix (I think).  If I'm not mistaken I thought I heard the man call his dog "Nigel."  Don't know why that struck me so funny.

When I'm done working on the blog today I have to go back to carefully reading my eBook Lost in Lucania on the Kindle Direct Publishing digital reader; I'm getting close to self-publishing my novel.

This and the next:  same Hedgehog Cactus

Variegated Fritillary

West of the mountain

On the trail that crosses between two dirt roads

Tortugas and the Organs

House Finch

Same House Finch (using "Dry Brush" filter)

Arroyo west of the mountain

Soaptree with tall stalks

This morning's moon

Rodent's-eye-view inside an arroyo

Tortugas and the Organs

Closer look at Tortugas and the Organs

Gnarly old Soaptree

Gnarly old Barrel and gnarly old me

Check out the toppled trunk with new growth

What bushwhacking through the desert looks like

Flora in a deep arroyo just west of Tortugas Mountain