A Not so Great Hike in NM
Embarked today on a new location gleaned from a Gila Wilderness Area hiking guide. Ostensibly it was to be down from the trailhead to Rain Creek and maybe a mile or two up the creek and back. However remembered
just before arriving at the trailhead that we had none of our protective equipment with us. No bear spray, no weapon, nothing. 'Bout all we coulda done to an angry predator was to give him/her a kick in the shins. So...
Plan B. Got to the TH, let the goats out to graze for a bit. Then motored on to a place near the town of Gila that has a large camping area. Let the goats out again, wandered around this area, took some pictures, and motored
on home. Not a bad day to be sure. The mountains here are beyond spectacular. And the sky was crystal blue as it so frequently is here.

Took this because of the intricate patterns in the mountain center left. Unfortunately, the bloody picture isn't close enough to actually show those patterns. Just gotta get a better photographer.	Where the hike progressed to after the abortive beginning at Rain Creek. Interestingly, the Gila was running much higher than I expected. Why? Apparently the tiny spate of weather we had in the last couple of days gave the high country a whole lot more rain that we had in Glenwood. Not a bad thing to be sure!
The goats were of the opinion that the falling leaves were just short of absolutely delicious	Bogdan noted, "So many leaves, so little time!"
Maxie was not so taken with the leaves, but thought the river a tasty one as well	Gila River looking to the south