Trek and a Ride

This & next:  Soaptree Yuccas

34F when we started off this morning, but no wind.  Sunshine made it feel quite bearable out there.

We did two-thirds of our regular route before veering out of the left branch to do a little bushwhacking eastward.  We hiked over to the saddle south of 4210 hill and then headed north to the top of said hill.  While up there we spotted the Basset people and their hounds headed west down the Tellbrook Arroyo.

Bushwhacked back to the left branch and finished the rest of our trek.  Afterwards we took a long drive listening to Matt and Myron on the radio, getting some good laughs from their antics.

Pathfinder

What's wrapped around my boot?

This:  a Devil's Claw

Lone Soaptree on 4210 hill

This & next:  descending

Willow on break in the left branch arroyo

Yuccas atop 4210 hill

This & next:  across the desert to Tortugas and the Organs

Rock egg

Hot air balloon over Las Cruces

Intersections

 

All Hat No Cattle

Desert X

The weather would have felt fairly pleasant this morning had there not been a persistent, cold light wind.  Fortunately we had plenty of sunshine.

Dr. K, Willow and I did our regular route, seeing, happily, no cows out and about in our section of northern Chihuahuan Desert.  We did see an SUV parked facing east at the side of LDR, and, later, a Jeep driving from south to north on the same dirt road.

We took a long ride after our trek, choosing to explore a few roads we'd not driven on before.

This & next:  moon in clouds

This & next:  clouds west

This & next:  slight turn of Willow's head

This & next:  ridge east of the right branch arroyo

Top view of Wils

 

Gary Larson Day

Organ Mountains

We spotted the cows almost from the moment we started our hike this morning; there were four walking along LDR from south to north.  We saw lots of horseshoe prints yesterday and assumed some cowboys had been out looking for the cattle; they just didn't round them up.

The adult "dogies" headed all the way up to the high crest on LDR and then just stood there for the longest time.  Toward the end of our trek we wondered if we would encounter them when we drove west along the upper flatland road, but when we crested the steep hill just west of the right branch arroyo we saw the cattle lower down in the desert.  Sure wish the owners would go out and collect them.

This & next:  the cows (4) are still out there

L'il Wils never saw the cows

Morning moon

Last 2:  Tortugas and the Organs

 

Fast Hike

Long-distance view of Tortugas and the Organs

Dr. K, Willow and I started our hike just behind the Basset people and their hounds this morning; they were descending LDR-A just ahead of us.  Willow was on lead and pulling all the way down until we veered off into LDR-A arroyo.

We saw Two-White-Dogs-Lady just north of the Tellbrook Arroyo, her standard poodles running around through the desert; the poodles were the cause of the Basset Hounds braying.

We saw no one else while we did a hurried trek; I had a 10:30 appointment to have my teeth cleaned and then later examined by the dentist.

Willow on lead (Bassets were nearby)

Barrel cactus

Willow off lead

Morning moon

 

AKA Humpday

1st 2:  jet/moon

Pleasant hike this morning for Dr. K, Willow and me.  Not too cold.  We didn't see anybody else while we were trekking around in our section of desert--not Basset people and hounds, nor cattle.  I did spot one jackrabbit who was hauling butt to get away from us.

I was able to photograph from great distance two people hiking in opposite directions on the road to the top of Tortugas Mountain.  It's a fairly strenuous walk.

Wils

Various yuccas

The rest:  people walking up and back on Tortugas Mountain

 

Wilster and Me

This morning's moon

When Willow and I were driving out of the neighborhood this morning we spotted a bobcat; I slowed down hoping I might get a photo, but the spooked feline moved on.

While hiking--descending the middle branch arroyo--I saw a large black object in the distance moving slowly.  Got my camera out and zoomed in to the spot; I saw at least three cows down near the Tellbrook Arroyo.

At the same time the Basset people and their hounds were hiking north along the ridge to the east, and they spotted the cattle.  I could hear Mr. and Mrs. Basset talking about the bovines, probably discussing how to get their hounds down to the Tellbrook Arroyo without encountering the cows.

When Willow and I started up the right branch arroyo I stopped to make a call to the New Mexico Farm and Ranch Heritage Museum to alert them about the cows, thinking the cattle might have escaped from there.  The woman I spoke to said "no," but she was going to call her cattlemen to check anyway.

View of the Organs from LDR-A arroyo

Sit and watch

Pivot

Willow is good at staring

Another view of the Organs

Immovable feast

We all fall down

Something doesn't seem right

The area where cattle are roaming

Two loose bovines