Hump Day With Heelers

Hiking the long dirt road again

I was planning only a moderately long hike with the Heelers this morning, but once we got going--and I got to taking photographs--we just went a hell of a lot further than anticipated.  Frio and Willow didn't mind; they were completely engrossed in the day's trek.

The only wrinkle in today's hike came right near the end when a woman running the long dirt road with her white Standard Poodle approached.  I took the Heelers off trail, and they were good when the woman and I greeted each other, and she and her dog had passed by.  But then Frio and Willow decided they had to start barking and pulling on their leads.  I reprimanded each of them with a slight tap on the snoot, a maneuver that has more of an effect on Frio than on Willow.  I got them under control quickly enough, though, and we got on our merry way back to our CR-V, where I had water waiting.

As the temps warm toward summer I'll have to make a point of carrying water for us all in a daypack; we were all very thirsty by the time we got back to Whitey.

Facing toward the mountains

A desert wash

Heelers taking a shade break

Scott's Oriole

Long view south to Bishop Cap

Tortugas and the Organs

This and the next:  a bit of fall color in springtime

Ocotillo branch

Ocotillo branches and the mountains

Flower buds at the tip of an Ocotillo branch

This and the next:  Torrey Yucca beginning to blossom

All the red flowers are Claret Cup Cactus

Lenticular cloud means high winds aloft

Wild Rhubarb

This and the next:  same yucca, different perspective

Talk about buds

Ocotillo buds

Two roads diverged in a desert wood (doesn't have the same ring to it)

This and the next:  Organ Mountains