Sami and Zoran came to visit us during the week of June 14. On Thursday they joined Erin and I for a trip to the Carlsbad Caverns and Guadalupe Mountains (just over the New Mexico border into Texas).

Erin is trying to get into shape to hike with me to the top of Guadalupe Peak so she took along her daypack for a short stroll up the Guadalupe Peak trail. She has a new pair of hiking boots so she's working on breaking them in along with her feet! She's doing pretty well. Zoran and Sami pose here with one of the peaks in the background.

Zoran, Dad, and Erin taking a breather about 1/2 mile into the uphill trail. Here we're about 400 feet above the parking lot where we started. We were originally planning to hike further, but it was late in the afternoon and rain was iminent (we had no rain gear!). The short walk did get our hearts pounding.

Below is a jagged peak to the west of where we ended our short hike. The Guadalupes are actually a limestone reef once buried under an ancient ocean. The outside slopes are mostly treeless, but at the top there is a forest composed of both conifer and deciduous trees.