Pleasant Solo with Wils

For those who think the desert is flat

Weather conditions were quite nice when Willow and I set off this morning on the daily hike.  Dr. K had an AAUW meeting to attend.

Just as the Wilster and I were getting started we spotted the Basset people and their hounds directly in front of us.  I employed some stall tactics, one of which was to hike part of the upper flatland road in the direction of Tellbrook Road.

By the time we turned around and trekked up to the crest of the steep hill west of the right branch arroyo the Bassets were long gone.  We saw no one else during our outing.

This & next 2: long distance view of Tortugas and the Organs

Western flank of Tortugas & the distant Doña Ana Mountains

Doña Ana Mountains

Willow being attentive

She was leading the way

Soaptree Yucca

Whitethorn Acacia branches

This & next:  Cactus Wren on Torrey Yucca

Last 2:  Cactus Wren on yucca stalk

 

Sunday's Finest

1st 3:  across the desert to Tortugas and the Organs

Very pleasant weather when Dr. K, Willow and I set off on the morning hike.  While descending LDR-A we saw Two-White-Dogs-Lady on LDR; she and her pups were just about ready to bushwhack back home.

We saw three coyotes when we exited the CR-V at the trailhead, one heading up the gulch east of us and the other two on the crest of the steep hill just west of the right branch arroyo.  The two on the hill were involved in a slight skirmish.  I quickly climbed the hill hoping to get a photo of the two, but--as is often the case with Tricksters--they had disappeared.

After the trek we drove over to our local Circle K to gas up the CR-V, and then we took a long drive around the area, including riding through the campus at NMSU.

Early break

Late break

Hedgehog cactus

This & next:  right branch arroyo

Last 2:  prickly pear and hedgehog cacti

 

Good Hike

1st 3:  sky over the mountains

Even though it was slightly below freezing when Dr. K, Willow and I started our trek this morning the absence of wind made conditions bearable; add to that the warmth of the sun, which broke out a bit later during our sojourn, and things felt pleasant.

We got a glimpse of Two-White-Dogs-Lady and her pups when we descended LDR-A arroyo, but they were bushwhacking far west of us.  We spotted no other nature enthusiasts out there today.

We took a semi-long ride after our outing, which seems to have become a standard feature of our Saturday and Sunday hikes.

Willow in LDR-A arroyo

Interesting clouds over the Organs

Just west of the left branch arroyo

What?

Last 2:  those clouds over the Organs

 

Fridays and Ham

The long view

The weather was more pleasant this morning even though it was 28F when Dr. K, Willow and I started our hike.

We saw the Basset people and their hounds crossing Tellbrook just as we were heading off, but we never spotted them again.

Two-White-Dogs-Lady already seemed to be bushwhacking toward home with her pups when we were descending LDR-A arroyo.

We did our regular route today without taking many stops/

Wils on break

This & next:  in the left branch arroyo

Another break for Willow

Home on the range (but not ours)

 

Blustery Trek

Where are the Organs?

It was windy when Dr. K, Willow and I started our hike this morning, but we were fortunate in that we were sheltered from the worst of the gusts.

We mostly followed our usual route, seeing the Basset people and their hounds both when we were exiting Whitey the CR-V and later when we were heading down LDR-A arroyo.  They were descending LDR so we bushwhacked eastward in order to avoid an encounter.

Because we had cut out one leg of the trek we did some bushwhacking over to the saddle south of 4210 hill, climbing briefly onto the crest before turning around due to the blustery wind.

Barrel cactus and the long view

Torrey Yucca

Torrey Yucca (left) and Soaptree Yuccas

Willow spots Bassets

This & next:  different barrel cactus and the mountains

Heading toward the saddle

This & next:  pencil cholla

This & next:  Soaptree Yucca with legs outstretched

This & next:  distant views of Tortugas and the cloudy Organs

Willow on 4210 hill

Round Rockhenge