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Showing posts from 2012

back to NM, time for a new trailer
up to Oregon? and pdf stories

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I stopped at the natural food market in Durango to restock. It was pretty cold when I reached Chama. As I was getting propane, I asked Ernest what it has been going down to at night, ‘6 degrees last night and 3 degrees the night before.’ Sure glad I was going to my first electric hookup this winter. One morning I ran to the end of the trail going upstream and then down to the lakebed. Kind of low. It was also snagging season. That can bring out a different class of people. Oh well, I was only going to be in Heron for a week. I took M&M to the vet for worming and Meadow needed her shots. I got Mesa here two years ago so his shots are good till next fall. I’ve also been hacking at my hair since May so it was nice to have an opportunity to get a haircut. I’m going to check out ‘cutting your own hair’ on the web to see if I can get through next summer better than this past one. We’ll see. As always, I stopped in to see Paul and see how his shows went this past summer. He made a

sweat lodge, a mistake, a second shelter,
2nd spot in the canyon rims area
and cryptobiotic soil

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After three weeks, I broke camp and made a run into Moab for supplies and to see a couple friends. I had breakfast with Lisa at Love Muffin Café like the last time. It’s always a treat to see her and the Muffin has good food and sidewalk tables. Then I picked up some stuff at the food co-op. Afterwards I stopped in at Arches Electronics to see if I could get a replacement Nikon Coolpix. The owner was getting ready to close the store for the winter and he gave me a stellar deal on a model S9300. Two upgrades from my S9100 and it was $50 less than what I paid for the 9100. I asked if he had any 10x50 binoculars—and he gave me another good price. It was like christmas in October. Then I spent almost three hours on the web; too long but I still did not finish the work I wanted to do. I sure miss daily access to the web. It’s such a fabulous learning tool. Later I met Theresa for coffee and went back to her place to fill up my water jugs. It was the end of October and Theresa and David

canyon rims, trees for M&M,
and macraven

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I’m definitely not cut out to be a butt-voyeur. One day I drove 240 miles and I was beat. Granted, I had not gotten much sleep the previous two nights, but still. 240 miles is an easy day for an RVer and they can do that and more day after day. I have trouble sitting for that long (I get to feeling like a slug), let alone being cooped up in a truck. I’d much rather go for a run in the mountains for a couple hours. Different strokes. Maybe when I’m half dead and no longer able to travel between the roads. The next driving day was more like it, 76 miles (anything under 100 miles is generally good). The last 9 miles were on dirt roads in the Canyon Rims Recreation Area, south of Moab. I don’t think I’ve been here this early in past years. But then I’ve always hit this area while heading south and this time I was still heading north. I called Glen to ask for suggestions and he gave me directions for three new spots. If you recall pictures from the last 3 years, you can see why I co

back in the dirt for M&M, mail call, little chuckles,
thrilling but nuts, scootin’ mesa,
water containers, john’s eclipse, and triple 18

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After the second run down to Kanab, I drove to a spot that I came across while out mountain biking. It’s sunnier for the cooler weather. The spot is across a slope so I had to dig a 3” trench for the uphill wheel and put the downslope wheel up on two 2x8s. It’s been a few years since I had to do that. When M&M came back to camp after checking out the immediate area, I noticed they had found some loose dirt. Guano. Now they are back to cutting into the water supply. Washing them down each evening is not one of my favorite things to do. This spot, however, offers the best terrain we’ve had in quite a while for late afternoon walks with M&M. Win some lose some. I can get NPR here on my eton Scorpion solar radio and American Routes is broadcast on Saturday afternoons. I really enjoy that program but it’s not offered on all NPR stations and they don’t offer it on podcasts. It’s a real treat whenever I can listen to it. If I come back to this area again (and it’s a good l

bear at the door, 2 postings, bow drill,
3-week stints off the grid, the Kaibab,
living for single-tracks, and mushrooms

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‘I was seeing if M&M wanted to come out and play.’ I know the reasons why people choose to stay in campgrounds but it just can not compare with disperse camping out in Nature. As I got back to camp one morning after a sandbag walk, this little one was checking out the place. When I first saw her, she was at the door. Sure glad she stuck around until I dug out the camera and got off this single rushed shot. The next morning while I was working through a medicine ball routine, guess who came walking up the road? I should have posted the previous entry the last time I had web access so I’m posting two today. I’m back to spending time at the bench but I’m working with ‘found objects’ rather than silver. I’ll post pictures when I get some pieces made along with a photo of what they were made from. I made a bow drill. I used something I had around for the weights. I’m keeping my eyes open for a single more compact weight to use for a cleaner look. Sure has more power than I t