Absolutely Drenched

Yesterday's early evening moon

1% chance of rain when we set off this morning.  Willow, Frio and I hiked down the LDR-A arroyo, crossed the Tellbrook and headed up LDR.  About a third of the way up we turned east into the desert and did some bushwhacking.

After a spell we turned west, intersected with LDR and trekked southward toward the Tellbrook Arroyo.  Just as we approached the arroyo I felt a drop of cold rain on my neck.

It began sprinkling lightly, and I had a good laugh over the sparse precipitation.  I should have known better.  In a short while it began raining harder, and, within a moment, the cold, wet stuff was pouring down.  It poured for the second half of our hike and only let up a bit when we reached the CR-V in the upper flatland.  Expecting only to be spat on the sky flushed a deluge down totally drenching us.

Sky at start

This & next 2:  some blue

Across the grassy desert

This vine could be remnants of a Desert Unicorn-plant

The road (impressionism)

Tree

Over to the Organ Mountains

Frio and Willow

Just east of LDR

This & next 2:  Tortugas and the Organs

Frio and Willow heading back

Long-distance view of Tortugas and the Organs

 

Back to the Old

This & next:  Organ Mountains

We decided to do our usual hike this morning:  down the LDR-A arroyo, right on the east/west cross trail, southerly up the Left Branch Arroyo, across to the middle branch, northerly down the middle to the junction of the right.

It was 64F when we headed out today, and as we ascended Right Branch Arroyo the weather conditions got cooler, an almost-chilly breeze picking up consistently.

Took the new route through the arroyo channel in the right branch, crossed out to the narrow trail east of the channel when a tree-and-yucca impediment forced us to do so, and then exited up the steep hill west of the right branch into the upper flatland.

This & next:  Barrel Cactus with fruit

Organ Mountains

Willow and Frio

This & next:  Ocotillos with yellowing leaves

This & next:  triple Barrel Cactus with fruit

Soaptree Yucca with its own flower bed

Headed up that hill soon

In the right branch

 

Aviators

Willow and Frio

1st and last caption for paragliders

Neither Dr. K nor I seemed much in the mood for a morning hike so we shortened the trek significantly:  we descended LDR-A arroyo, turned around at the Tellbrook Arroyo and then climbed LDR-A back into the upper flatland.

We think both Willow and Frio were a bit upset with the abbreviated hike, but they said nothing about it.

Hill beside LDR-A

Frio and Willow

There is a paraglider in this image

 

Tortugas and the Organs

Tortugas Mountain and the Organ Mountains