Four For Bushwhacking

Just starting our bushwhacking explorations this morning

Dr. K, Frio, Willow and I headed out Tellbrook to do a longish hike this morning, and we ended up doing some serious bushwhacking almost immediately in an area we've never explored before.  The effort was well worth the energy expended as we saw some noteworthy sights, most notably the evening primrose, the Claret Cup blossoms and the Gambel's Quail.

The Heelers were extremely well behaved on our outing, probably because we didn't run into anybody trekking with a dog or dogs.  Willow and Frio are perfect desert dogs; it almost seems as if they know where to go when we're bushwhacking in places they've never been before.  Both are incredibly smart.

After we'd wandered through the desert off any beaten path we decided to trek a ways up the long dirt road and find a place to take a break to water the Heelers and ourselves.  From there we turned around and headed home.  It was definitely a worthwhile outing.

Barrel Cacti and other desert flora

This and the next:  Yellow-Flower Desert Evening-Primrose

Oenothera primiveris

3 of the 4 trekkers:  Dr. K, Frio and Willow

High desert wash

Hedgehog ready to bloom

This and the next 2:  crooked Torrey Yucca in bloom

Torrey Yuccas on a ridgeline

This and the rest of the red ones:  Claret Cup Hedgehog Cactus

Huge Torrey Yucca

Torrey Yucca crown crowned in white

Just starting to bloom

View across the desert to the Mesilla Valley

Perspective

This and the next:  similar views of the Organ Mountains

#2

The rest:  male Gambel's Quail on sentry duty

Never got side-eye from a quail before