Another Day on the Trail

June 11, 2014

I wish I could share:

The sounds of the birds in early morning

The whirr of the wings of hummingbirds as they zoom by

The glimpse of a tiny piece of history unearthed by a tiny rodent

 And the joy of leaving it for someone else to see.

The fragrance of the desert just after an afternoon rain,

The vision of puffy clouds above the crest of a mountain

An arch in the sandstone rock developed by time,

The friendly sign of a cairn marking your way on the trail

The gnarl of the tree twisted by the wind

But since I cannot, I will share photos as I saw them.

 A view at Salinas Pueblo National Monument

At the visitors center we had a long conversation with a volunteer from the Laguna Reservation.  He loved to talk and make suggestions of places not to miss on our travels.  We need to return to make a hike with him called Hole in the Wall area.  He is an athlete who has run the Houston Marathon when sponsored by ElPaso Gas and Houston Baptist.

El Malpais National Monument

A shower of rain ran us off the top of the bluffs at El Malpais.  The wind was pretty strong and we could see it coming.

 It is moving quickly across the lava beds.

 Moving toward the arches area.

 La Ventana Arch at El Malpais ~ catching the light as it moves across the arch.

 Flowers are few in the desert but so special.

 Many cairns marked the trail through the Narrows Rim Trail.   We walked separately so we could enjoy the quiet of the area.