Moody Monday

The road in

Heavily overcast morning as Willow, Frio and I made our way up to Second Arroyo where we stopped for a brief water break.  Then it was a bushwhack across to First Arroyo and a climb to the hill just south of it.

From there we followed an animal trail west and southwest along the ridgeline until we intersected with LDR.  We headed south on the long dirt road until we crested the hill in the upper flatland where the CR-V was parked.

We saw no humans or dogs, but we did have two encounters with critters:  a Black-tailed Jackrabbit who crossed the trail far enough ahead  of us to not arouse the Heelers excessively, and a very close encounter with a covey of quail who were wise enough to stay relatively calm in the cover of the dense desert chaparral.

By the time we reached our vehicle the sun was shining brightly.

This and the next:  patches of blue

This and the next:  computer-enhanced experiment

This meat has gone bad (kidding--it's a rock)

This and the next 4:  same Claret Cup Cactus

Computer-enhanced image

This and the next:  Willow and Frio

Soaptree

Bushwhacking up to a hill north of First Arroyo

This and the next:  Gambel's Quail

This and the next 2:  different Claret Cup Cactus

This & the next:  fork in the road & the Doña Ana Mountains

 

Pleasant Sunday Morning

Banana Yucca

52F at the start of our hike this morning; we're heading for a high of 88F.  Too hot for this time of year.

Frio, Willow and I hiked down LDR-A, crossed the Tellbrook Arroyo, made a left onto the single-track that strikes west through the desert.  When it intersected the new arroyo we turned to the north and followed the arroyo all the way to the intersection with LDR just short of First Arroyo.

We saw no other humans or dogs out there today, though we did see two Coyotes coming out of a driveway on Tobosa Road and crossing into the desert when we were leaving for our trek.  I almost expected to see them again by the time we got to the midpoint of our hike, but no such luck.

This and the next:  Soaptree Yucca on the bank of new arroyo

This and the next:  Frio and Willow in new arroyo

New arroyo

Soaptree Yucca in new arroyo

The rest:  Claret Cup Hedgehog Cactus

 

Cool Saturday

This and the next:  Willow and Frio in Second Arroyo

53F when we started off today, 12 degrees cooler than yesterday.

Willow, Frio and I trekked up to Second Arroyo, stopped for a water break, and then bushwhacked over to First Arroyo.  After a brief respite there we hiked westward to LDR and began our return.

Midway down to the Tellbrook Arroyo we spotted two people making their way down to the arroyo in our direction.  I determined we'd beat them there, and we could jog over to LDR-A for the ascent to the upper flatland.  We did just that.

When the hikers came abreast of us--separated by a short expanse of desert--I heard the man commanding one of his dogs to heel.  Then the guy yelled hello to me.  It was the man and woman who hike with their Basset Hounds.  When the Heelers saw the guy's hounds they went bananas, pulling on their leads to get at the dirty Bassets.  I called them off, and Frio was most responsive; Willow, however, still has much to learn about good canine behavior.  It's going to take time with her.

Dead tree X

Dead tree

Second Arroyo

Barrel Cactus

This and the next 3:  deadwood

Which of these doesn't belong?

Black-chinned Hummingbird

Down First Arroyo

This & the next: Mormon Tea (Ephedra nevadensis) flowering

Large mound under Mesquite Tree is Nipple Beehive Cactus

Nipple Beehive Cactus (Coryphantha macromeris) needs rain