Over the Hump Trek

Always happy to get an early start

Becca and I got an early start on our trek this morning, and we pretty much stuck to the well-traveled trails west of Tortugas Mountain; we did venture up the east/west arroyo, heading back toward the mountain.  We ran into Courtney and her dog, Pepper, on the road leading to the mountaintop.  Pepper was wearing saddlebags with water inside, and she was completely well behaved while carrying them.

Ocotillo blossom

Soaptree Yucca flower stalk

Soon this will be covered in white yucca flowers

Pale Evening Primrose

Evening Primrose

Variegated Fritillary?

Rock egg

Claret Cup Hedgehog Cactus

West of Tortugas

Headed back up the mountain

Pepper toting water in her saddlebags

Pepper is such a good dog

Scott's Oriole

Desert Cottontail standing to eat Desert Broom

The bunny hop?

?

Another Resupply Day at the Ranch

Symbiosis

I had to abbreviate our hike a bit this morning so that I could run typical Tuesday-style errands today; by that I mean shopping excursion to both Target and Albertsons Grocery.  Becca and I bumped into our pal Jimmy down near the old white shack on the road leading to the mountaintop.  We talked for about fifteen minutes before heading our separate ways.  It was pleasantly warm in the desert during our trek, but now--mid-afternoon--we're almost 85F, a tad too hot for this time of year.

Moseying along

Cactus Wren

Ocotillo flowers starting to bloom

Claret Cups are still blooming all over the mountain

Juxtaposition

New growth

These are not pimento-stuffed olives, but Ocotillo buds

White Tackstem or Desert Chicory?

These flowers are almost microscopically small

Torrey Yucca still flowering

That's a silly face, Becca

Ocotillo flower stamens

Small Mesquite and Hedgehog Cactus mounds

Apache Plume in bloom

Temporary Warming Trend

Flycatcher

Becca and I had a nice long hike in warmer weather this morning; in fact, it was so warm I took off my warmup jacket after about a mile of trekking.  Exiting the outback after a period of bushwhacking, Becca and I saw Courtney and Pepper; we didn't interact with them, however, but just said hello.  We also bumped into our buddy Gregg about a quarter mile from the trailhead.  He and I chatted while Becca lay in the shade of a Creosote Bush.

Nice little garden:  Hedgehog Cactis, Ocotillo and Littleleaf Sumac

Range Ratany growing amidst Prickly Pear Cactus

Strawberry Pitaya Hedgehog and Agave

An alert Desert Cottontail

Buggy Whips with buds

The long arm at bottom left is two feet in length

Red-faced Prickly Pear pad

First sandy respite

New growth on a Prickly Pear Cactus

The comb-like teeth will eventually become aeroles and spines

Claret Cup

Sandy respite #2

Drying flowers of Wild Rhubarb (Canaigre)

Honeybee on Scorpionweed