Come Monday

Heelers in Second Arroyo

30F at start today, but plenty of sunshine and little wind.  By the time we reached Tellbrook Arroyo all sensation of being cold had disappeared.

We hiked up to Second Arroyo, entered and found our secluded spot for a water break.  Both Willow and Frio seemed to have boundless energy in the cooler weather, and they were eager to pursue any passing jackrabbit if only we'd let them off their leads.

Saw nobody during our sojourn today.  Most people probably assume it's way too cold to be hiking in the early morning hours.

Willow and Frio

Heelers with Dr. K in Second Arroyo

This and the next 2:  three versions of the same tree

Willow and Frio

Tortugas and the Organ Mountains

Organ Mountains

 

Another Cold and Windy Morn

Willow and Frio

Freezing (32F) when we started hiking this morning, with a wind chill of 26F.  Fortunately there was abundant sunshine, but it felt damned cold out there when we began our trek.

By the time we got down to Tellbrook Arroyo the bite of the wind wasn't quite as sharp as yesterday, so we decided to hike all the way up to First Arroyo where we took a short break for water.

While we were headed north on LDR we saw a man and woman hiking with two dogs on the southernmost east/west dirt road, but they were too distant to worry about any kind of encounter.  They were the only outdoor enthusiasts we spotted during our morning peregrination in the northern Chihuahuan Desert.

This and the next 4:  same Soaptree Yucca in First Arroyo

Tortugas and the Organ Mountains

Frio and Willow

Soaptree Yucca and the mountains

Organ Mountains otra vez

 

Blustery Conditions

This and the next:  weird clouds

Our intention this morning was to hike up to Second Arroyo and back, but the 30F temperature and strong wind made us decide to abbreviate our trek.  We descended LDR-A and crossed the Tellbrook Arroyo, started up LDR, but turned around instead of going further north.

We retraced our steps back up LDR-A to the high flatland, hiked the spur road over to Tellbrook Road and then back west to our waiting CR-V.  The wind had abated only slightly before we headed out.

Since our outing was so short we took a long ride afterward, which seemed to satisfy canines and humans alike.

This and the next:  morning moon

Soaptree Yucca and the Organ Mountains

Heelers

Backlit Soaptree Yucca

Headed for the high flatland

This and the next:  triplets

Tortugas and the Organ Mountains

This and the next:  Ocotillos and the Organs

 

Day of Limited Thanks

First Arroyo in B&W

Thankfully it didn't feel as cold as it might have this morning considering it was 36F at the start of our trek.  But brilliant sun and little wind kept conditions bearable.

We hiked up to First Arroyo and back, only encountering one other human being, a runner who was just starting down LDR as we were cresting the hill.  Both Willow and Frio were exceedingly well behaved as I pulled them over to the right side of the road.

We'll be below freezing tonight (30F) so tomorrow's start may be a bit chilly.

First Arroyo

Organ Mountains

This and the next 2:  Frio and Willow in First Arroyo

What manner of beast is this?

Old and new sections of the same Soaptree Yucca

Soaptree Yucca

Sun through Soaptree

First Arroyo

This and the next 3:  same Prickly Pear Cactus

 

Giving Thanks

Willow and Frio in Second Arroyo

I'm thankful for Dr. K, Willow and Frio.  We're all thankful for the Chihuahuan Desert we get to hike in everyday.  Dr. K and I are especially thankful for all the sane individuals in this country who are not Trump supporters.

This and the next:  Soaptree Yuccas

Edge of the desert

Underside

Frio and Willow on LDR

Sparrow in a yucca

Five-crowned Torrey Yucca

This and the next:  House Finch on yucca bayonet

This and the last:  five-crowned Torrey Yucca again