Explosive Situation

First 2:  zooming in on Bishop Cap

We parked at the pullout at the top of LDR this morning and the four of us were just stepping out of the CR-V when we noticed a black SUV parked in the middle of the road a short distance from the major east/west arroyo.  While we stood deciding what to do a very loud explosion emanated from the area of the SUV.  That convinced us to hop back into our vehicle and make tracks for another location.

We parked in the dirt lot at the corner of Tellbrook and Sonoma Ranch and set out for a trek from there, having to step aside for a pickup truck with two passengers almost immediately.  A short while later we heard a second explosion coming from LDR, and that's when I felt fairly certain that somebody had set off two sticks of dynamite.  Gave a bit of a queasy sensation regarding our safety being out there.

We did a somewhat abbreviated hike due to the heat, which both Frio and Willow seemed to tolerate a little worse than yesterday when we hit 105F.  It's supposed to be equally hot today.  So we all enjoyed our brief ride home in air-conditioned comfort.

Doña Ana Mountains and the flank of Tortugas

Tortugas and the Organ Mountains

Thorny jogger or uprooted Ocotillo?

Road past Tortugas

Western flank of Tortugas Mountain

Organ Mountains

Tortugas and the Organs

Southeastern flank of Tortugas

East toward the Organ Mountains

West back to the trailhead

Small Barrel Cactus with buds

Chihuahuan Desert scene

This and the next:  slightly odd-shaped Torrey Yucca

Willow cooling down after our hike

Frio ready for another hike

Post-hike Heelers