Humid and Cold

Centennial High School

We got a slight amount of precipitation overnight, mainly in the form of sprinkles.  There was enough humidity in the air, though, to feel it during our hike.  This type of humidity makes you feel warm even when it's cold outside, as it was during our trek.  There were a few other people around the mountain this morning, and I noticed that two runners were both wearing only t-shirts and jogging shorts.   If you've ever done any running you know how hot you can feel when the dewpoint is high.

Clearing skies?

Not snow but bedrock

Uberpup

Down the slalom trail

Not clearing

Trail heading south

Crossing an arroyo

Looking back toward the Tortoise

Tortugas and the Organs

A favorite Soaptree Yucca

Stark contrast

Threatening skies to the north

Cactus Wren in a Torrey Yucca

Looking my way

Shake your tail feathers

Got an itch

A Ladderback Woodpecker

A very tall Torrey Yucca

Freezing Rain?

Can we beat the rain?

When Becca and I left home this morning the local meteorologist was predicting freezing rain starting at about 7:00 a.m. in El Paso; that would give it about half an hour to get to us.  But after a long hike, and after a long conversation with Jimmy--who we ran into back near the trailhead--we still hadn't gotten any rain, let alone freezing rain.  Right now it still looks as if we could get precipitation, just not of the frozen variety. 

Skies to the south look threatening

Looks chilly, is chilly

Rock with interesting pattern

In a huge arroyo west of Tortugas

Soaptree Yuccas

Almost out of the arroyo now

Looking back

Huge leg bone (cow?)

Steep utility road up the mountain

Wind Warning

Meteorologists were warning last night that we can expect a very windy day today, beginning around noon.  Becca and I were fortunate to get in a long hike with very little of the windy conditions.   It was breezy at times, but not at all unpleasant.  We hiked back to the parking area with JC, who's getting ready to head out to College Station, Texas to see his beloved Kentucky Wildcats play the Texas A&M Aggies.

Nearly All Dog

Nearly all dog as in nearly all of the photos are of Becca.  I use her as a subject often because it keeps me in photo-shooting practice in case I come upon other critters.  I love to photograph desert wildlife, but animal encounters are often rare because wildlife is doing its darnedest to avoid human contact.  Nevertheless, we chance upon wildlife often enough to make carrying my camera daily a minor chore.

Astronaut's Car Dealership

Dr. K wanted to test drive a new Honda CR-V today, so after Becca and I finished our hike I went with Dr. K over to the Borman Autoplex.  It's owned by former astronaut Frank Borman, and is it ever a big operation--probably twice the size of NASA (kidding).  It's quite a dealership, though, and the people we dealt with were very accommodating.  They did not, however, offer to give us a new car free of charge.

Along the Mountainside

Hiking just west of the Organ Mountains

Dr. K, Becca and I did a Sunday-morning hike along the western foothills of the Organ Mountains ten miles east of town.  Because it was cold we saw absolutely nobody going or coming.  There were no cars in the parking lot when we got back.  Although the temperature was high 20s/low 30s the ambient temperature didn't feel bad because the sun was shining brightly and there was no wind--not even a breeze.  Becca really loves the colder temps because the weather energizes her; just what she needs:  more energy.

The happiest hiker

Remnant of snow on the Organs

Critter watch

From a distance it looks like a Red-tailed Hawk

Almost positive it is

No internal-combustion engines allowed on the Sierra Vista Trail

Tortugas Mountain from the Organ foothills

Organ and Franklin Mountains are the southernmost section of the Rockies

Snow in a deep arroyo bank

Heading back

Conical bird nest