Well, I guess there comes a time in many people's lives when they turn 62. Today is just such a day for me. I suppose if you have to age, you might as well do it while camping in the desert!
I've never heard coyotes vocalizing as close to our tent as early this morning, when a pack were singing in the nearby boulders. Their song was followed by the low who-who-who of an owl. Such awe-inspiring sounds.
We took a few more photos of our campsite and surroundings early this morning., before hitting the road.
We packed up quite early, just having a hot beverage. The plan was to find breakfast in nearby Deming. We ended up finding a little place that seemed to cater to our vegetarian requests - but who really knows what they are eating when they order take-out from an unfamiliar restaurant?! : )
Wending our way to Rockhound, the sky was breathtaking and the landscape quite beautiful.
From Deming, we drove to Rockhound State Park's sister park, Spring Canyon State Park (a day use park), since we were too early to check into Rockhound. What a dramatic landscape! We hiked up Spring Canyon Trail and enjoyed checking out rocks and trees along the way.
As we negotiated Spring Canyon Trail, we took in excellent views of the near and far.
I always love looking at cactus and lichens - there's just so much to appreciate about both.
Twyla and I took a break, while Glen finally found the (frozen) spring.
Twyla has been seeming a little limpy - I'm hoping it's that her feet pads are sore from all the scrambling on dry, rocky trails the last few days - and not something more significant. I intend to give her a day off tomorrow from hiking. Maybe she and I will read while Glen and Nyssa hike.
This is the first time I've ever tried carrying Twyla in a pack. It's do-able, but I'd need a better pack (and better fitness) to do it on the regular.
Around 3 or so, we drove to Rockhound and set up at site 15. We inquired with the campground host what direction the prevailing winds come from and situated our car so that it will - in theory - block our tent from some of the wind tonight. Although there are lots of RVs at the campground, the sites are spacious and spaced well apart from one another, and there are nice views off to the north and east.
Not too shabby views from Site 15 at Rockhound.
The big storm on the way back to Deming this afternoon included chunky clouds, a rainbow and a flock of what we think were sandhill cranes.
Late this afternoon, a hefty-looking storm was brewing to the northwest and the wind was once again relentless. Oh, and it was 44 degrees. No one felt like standing outside and cooking supper, so we got take out for the second time in one day. Hey, it's my birthday! We risked getting Chinese, figuring it would be mediocre at best. It turned out it was very good! Kung Pao tofu for us both - and very spicy as well. Yum yum. And eaten in the comfort of our car with heated seats. : )
It was a good day, all in all.
How lovely that the coyotes and owl started your day with a birthday song!
Happy Birthday, Mary! What a great spot for it. Loved the photos of sky, cliffs, and sandhill cranes. Not a fan of cholla cactus. We once had to pull cholla spines out of our two year old's thigh with pliers!
Happy B-day, Mary! It looks like the prrrrfect spot for it
It was a beautiful birth day in the Chihuahuan Desert, which I got to share with Mary, as she shares mine, typically while we are paddling in the Adirondacks in early October every year.