We were on our way to the Jemez to hike the East Fork Trail, on Hwy 550, where we ran into a backup on the highway. Turns out we were just minutes behind a terrible head-on crash where a pick-up truck swerved into the North bound lane. Three people were killed and the 4th was airlifted to the hospital. Police began to turn around the traffic in the area that was needed to remain cleared for the accident investigation, and we were part of that group. So we turned around just north of Cabezon Road and that gave us the opportunity to change our plans and head out to the Ojito Wilderness which is west of the White Mesa Bike Trails area.
Kathleen our original leader turned over the reigns to Ginny who led us along the Hoodoo Trail and we had another wonderful hike in the New Mexico Wilderness.
I would like to dedicate this hike to the memory of those who lost their lives in that crash on Hwy 550. The Hoofers offer their prayers and good thoughts for them and their families.
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| The Hoofers: Lynda, Karen, Leader#1 Kathleen, Jane, Jennise, Rita, Pat, Brigitte, and Leader #2 Ginny |
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| And Rose |
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| Evening Primrose |
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| Silverleaf Nightshade |
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| Perky Sue |
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| Perky Sue |
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| Heading out |
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| Lynda demonstrates how important it is to have ones boots tied while Jennise is posing pretty |
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| Trailing Smokebush /Trailing Indigobush (thanks to Lynda for the ID) |
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| Prickly Pear |
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| The first of the Hoodoos |
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| Kathleen celebrates as she climbs to the top |
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| Great place for a group picture Brigitte shows her best (?) side |
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| Trailing Smokebush /Trailing Indigobush |
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| Indian Paintbrush |
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| A lot of sand from the sandstone formations |
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| Waves in the sand created by the winds |
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| Looking even closer we see the animal tracks |
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| We spend a lot of time here looking at all the formations |
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| Jennise trying to figure out if she can get this formation in her backpack...it would look soooo good in her backyard! |
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| Not the best picture of this flower....but to get the front of Brigitte is so rare I had to keep this one |
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| A bonsai tree |
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| Horny Rock |
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| Closeup of the Bonsai tree |
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| Milkvetch with its fruit |
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| The colors of the rock and the whole landscape was amazing |
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| I wasn't the only one taking pictures...check out this tree that was growing on a rock and the roots are now exposed after the erosion of most of the rock |
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| We found many of these small perfectly round stones |
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| Hoofers scatter to check out the entire area |
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| Hoodoos abound |
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| A scattering of the small round stones |
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| Camel Rock |
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| Giraffe Rock |
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| Karen is impressed at this large Ponderosa |
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| Taking a selfie as I look down a rock slide and try to decide if I want to slide down it |
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| Perky Sues in the sand |
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| Jane waves to me after I slide down....(not really I am not that crazy) |
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| Modern graffiti |
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| I believe this is a Spectacle Pod |
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| Water carving through the sandstone |
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| Making a cozy nest for some little critter |
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| The consensus was Santa Fe Phlox, but this can't be as it only has 4 petals whereas Phlox has 5. Talked to our plant expert Jean, and she did not know what it was either as of our last conversation |
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| Our nature expert Lynda said that this was a boneyard from an Owl roosting in the tree next to it and he regurgitated the bones |
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| Here are some of the bones she found: the bottom two are teeth from a mouse. and the upper two are a possible femur and a jaw bone with some teeth intact |
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| Lynda finds even more bones. 2 jawbones one has that large incisor tooth still intact several other bones and a femur and some more teeth....pretty cool findings! |
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| Hoofers gather for a brief snack before heading on with the hike |
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| Meanwhile I take more pictures |
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| That four petal flour again |
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| White Ragweed |
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| Possibly Milkwort (from Jean) |
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| Perky Sue's |
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| Sandia Mountains far off in the distance |
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| Finally heading out again |
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| Hairy Golden Asters |
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| Rock inclusion |
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| The layers of sandstone make the rocks look like pages of a book |
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| Goblin Rock... most people missed this one it was off to the side of the trail |
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| The trail in the sand |
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| What appeared to be a dead oak....has revived with plenty of new leaves |
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| Looking down at the valley with all the colors |
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| The trail leading right through a rock slide... |
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| Looking up at the rock slide |
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| Looking down at the rock slide |
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| A very colorful boulder |
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| Moonscape |
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| Some very interesting looking rocks |
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| Prickly Pear |
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| Cabezon in the distance |
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| A fairly large lizard |
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| And he turned toward me for a brief moment |
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| Split in two |
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| Cute little fellow |
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| Time for lunch: our leaders Kathleen and Ginny find a nice spot, while Karen looks for just the perfect spot |
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| Jennise finds a nice rock |
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| As does Pat while Karen is still looking for a soft enough rock |
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| Rita and I share a rock |
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| Lynda finds a perfect shady spot |
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| Brigitte decides to hide behind her handkerchief just as I take a picture |
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| Karen smiling as she finally finds her resting spot |
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| After lunch I find where Jane was hiding |
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| I decide to look around after eating.... I want to climb to the end of that rock and look over it |
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| Great view from that rock |
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| I even find Brigitte looking around down below |
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| And there are the Hoofers |
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| I decide to take more pictures |
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| I liked both of these shots so I kept them both |
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| A viewpoint between two rocks |
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| Looking though the hole |
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| Holes made in this rock by water...and is that a huge book lying next to it? |
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| Looks like one |
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| On the way back Rita thought that rock in the middle was the most perfectly round rock she had ever seen So I took a picture of it for her....this is 20x zoom not quite as round as she thought but it does look like a meatball |
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| Blackfoot Daisy |
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| Indian Paintbrush |
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| Getting up close and personal with some Lichen |
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| Wow can you imagine having a house right here and this rock ledge being your balcony? I can |
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| Blooming Yucca |
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| Indian Hemp |
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| Indian Hemp |
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| Could this be where the perfectly round stones come from? |
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| Sandstone painted rock |
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| The two trails in the Ojito WIlderness just west of the White Mesa Bike trails. On the right is the Seismosaurus Trail head and on the Left is the Hoodoo Trail head I took this picture for the Hoofers who wanted the information |
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| Our rock hounds showing off their booty....can you believe that they carried those rocks for 2+ miles....?? Jennise claims hers is a heart rock (??) |
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| Ok I see it now....but that rock was freaking heavy !! Jennise reported in that the rock was only 13 pounds although it felt like 30! |
The Hoofers having another great day in the New Mexico Desert!
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