Sierra Vista Sunday Stroll

Hornworm or butterfly caterpillar?

Dr. K, Becca and I took a long hike along the Sierra Vista Trail in the high foothills of the Organ Mountains this morning.  At 8:00 a.m. it was already hot in the Chihuahuan Desert.  After spending eighteen days at the ranch in High Rolls it was quite an adjustment reacclimating to the lower desert, even though we were hiking at an altitude of about 5,000 feet.

A dead Barrel Cactus has opened up like a basket

Weirdly anemic Sotol stalks

Rainbow Hedgehog Cactus

Paleface Rosemallow

Looking for critters

First time we noticed this sign

Peace

Queen butterfly

Loving the nectar



Smoky air in the Organ Mountain east of Las Cruces



Smoke in the High Country

White Sands National Monument from the Grandview Trail

We hiked along the Grandview Trail this morning, noticing with dismay the smoky conditions caused by the Whitewater-Baldy fire in the Gila National Forest, the biggest fire in New Mexico state history.  In the image at left, above the white gypsum sands on the horizon, the viewer should be able to see the San Andres Mountains.  They're obscured by smoky air.

Rim Again

We were going to do the Osha Trail this morning, but just as we pulled into the parking lot at the trailhead a large group of hikers were unloading from several cars preparing for a hike.  We went instead to the first trailhead for the Rim Trail, the one closest to Cloudcroft on Route 130.  It was warmer today than yesterday, but still very pleasant.  Becca did not complain about doing the same trail two days in a row.

Morning on the Rim Trail

Kicking Aspen

It was incredibly pleasant along the Rim Trail this morning, sunny and warm with a cooling breeze.  A female elk spooked by something ran straight toward us, stopping ten yards away when she saw us standing in the woods near her.  She bounded quickly out of sight.  Dr. K, Becca and I were on the trail for about 100 minutes; not a particularly long hike, but a very relaxing one.

Smoke over White Sands from the Whitewater-Baldy fire



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Becca and Packrat

Indian Paintbrush

Eager to move on

Horned Lizard



Cliff Roses



Indian Paintbrush

A Picnic and a Fudge Party

Kate, Tim, Bob and Fran

My brother, Tim, and his wife, Fran, spent five days with us in High Rolls, acting as bad influences, forcing us to consume alcohol and eat fudge.  Nevertheless, we were really sorry to see them go this morning.

High on fudge

Straight sugar with a cherry cider chaser

Why did we buy so much fudge?

On the Osha Trail

Images from a hike along the beautiful Osha Trail.  From the look on her face you can see that Becca thoroughly enjoyed the outing.

Osha, Grandview and a Day at the Races

These are images from the Osha and Grandview Trail, as well as photos from Ruidoso Downs Racetrack.