Sunday's Desert Trek

Unripe Barrel Cactus fruit

Willow, Frio and I hiked up to Second Arroyo this morning, stopped inside for a drink and brief respite, and then started back.  I noticed when I looked to the north on the dirt road the male half of the husband and wife runners we see fairly often was headed our way.  We stopped at the mouth of First Arroyo to let him pass, exchanging greetings as he went by.  His wife, however, was a good bit behind him so the Heelers and I entered First Arroyo and explored quite a lot of it in order to let the woman pass.

By the time we exited the arroyo she was fairly far ahead, and we were able to trek back at our normal pace, stopping briefly in the shade of an arroyo at the side of LDR.  Both Heelers--especially Frio--pulled a lot on the return, anxious to catch up with the people ahead of us.  Fortunately, not long after we crossed the Tellbrook Arroyo heading south the woman had crested the steep incline into the upper flatland and disappeared.

On the steep ascent up LDR I welcomed the Heelers pulling because it helped me climb with less difficulty.

Dead tree

Soaptree Yucca

Frio and Willow

Willow and Frio

A mesquite I thought was dead has come to life

This and the next:  deadwood in First Arroyo

Looking southwest in First Arroyo

Rock with an odd burned spot

This and the next:  Ocotillos and Organ Mountains

Much of the Chihuahuan Desert is still grassland