A Real Gullywasher

First 3:  small Barrel Cactus off LDR-A

We got a later start this morning because--even though the alarm sounded--the heavy cloud cover made it seem like it was still night.  We got out there before 8, though, and started on a hike characterized by ultra steamy conditions, the result of yesterday's gullywasher.  I'm not sure of how much rain we received, but the runoff flowed heavily enough to wash two-thirds of our neighborhood desert out onto the streets.

Dr. K, Willow, Frio and I trekked up to Second Arroyo, marveling all the while about how much desert earth had been relocated by heavy storm water pouring out of Tortugas Mountain.  And we kept complaining about the humidity because it made us sweat despite the much cooler temperature.  We're headed for a high of only 93F today.

Didn't see anybody else in our section of the northern Chihuahuan Desert during our journey, and we all seem to like it that way.

Willow's paw brushed this millipede, which quickly curled into a mandala

Frio and Willow

This and the next 3:  aftereffect of  storm water flowing through arroyos

Millipede

This and the next:  couldn't decide which I liked better

Flowers of a Barrel Cactus

Almost finished with the morning trek

Ripe