Can You Mix Engine Oils? (Jeezus!! A friggin' *technical*!)

Out there in the fields, where we ponder our wheels....the question has come up a number of times (for me). I tho't you too might find this article of interest. Besides which, Overland Journal is the only publication, I know you agree, worth subscribing to. 

And their annual conference, Overland Expo, is coming up soon. (New location: Fort Tuthill County Park, mere minutes from Flagstaff)

How's tHAt for a press release & promo?

For those who, like myself, eschew campgrounds, road 89A going SW from Ft Tuttle C.G. is the "backroad" to Sedona. It's in Nat'l Forest and from my brief looksee this past Fall appeared to offer innumerable boondocking opportoonitees.

Happy New Year !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

When I'm 64

Double El has, for decades, goaded me into sometimes dangerous, but always entertaining situations. Here I celebrate one of the pleasures of venerability...not taking myself (as) seriously.

A purple candle on one of my mom's Haviland plates!

Double El's phone created this "animation."

Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument

So, I had my annual physical and it was, as they say, all good.  I hadn't had any "riskque" encounters this past year and hadn't been ravished by any of those damned jumping toilets seats so was able to skip the STI profile. The nurse listened to my heart and lungs and they were, apparently, still there so without even a kiss or pat on the ass I was sent on my way.

I stopped at John Brook's Foods in Socorro where I often find interesting stuff. They had some gorgonzola and two kinds of bleu, one Danish and one French. This is REAL aged cheese; if you look closely you can see the pus-colored ooze along the bottom of the mold (that white layer). The brownish part had a nice crustiness to it, due, I'll surmise, to some exposure to air.

We stopped in T or C to pick up some books by/on Gurdjieff. He came up in conversation recently and it's been several decades since I read his stuff.  Xochis Used Books and Gallery is one of those incomparable resources where you can actually find things. The proprietor, an expert on psychedelics, has, in addition to the usual stuff, a locked case with some of the lesser-known works. I got several by G.I. himself and a couple by Ouspensky. More than enough for a "refresher."

Trundling westward. Thinking maybe of touring Patagonia, I hear it's an up- and-coming arts town; then over to Organ Pipe. Suggestions anyone?


Smith was delighted to be back in the wilds and wore herself out.

Ralph

He'd been ignoring the diabetes for some time. Karen heard the loud thud as he lost consciousness and crashed to the floor. Later, when she'd had time to think about it, she felt he died then. But the Emergency Medical Folks resuscitated him enough to get him on life support. Though he never regained consciousness, he stayed "alive" two more days, long enough for his relatives to come say goodbye.

Officially, he died on the 18th.

Politics - Dakota Pipeline

This came from Senator Martin Heinrich....

Dear Friend,

President Obama has just risen to the challenge and listened to all of our voices to reject the current route of the Dakota Access pipeline. I commend our president for doing the right thing and thank the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe and the protectors from across the country for working so fearlessly for this outcome.

The issues facing Indian Country are many and they are complex, but that should not stop those of us in positions of elected leadership from seeking to make a difference wherever and whenever we can.

Back in September, days after the protests against the Dakota Access pipeline began, I spoke out against the aggressive tactics being used against the demonstrators and called on President Obama to intervene. The Obama Administration quickly announced that they were putting a halt to the project until they could respond to the concerns of the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe by establishing better tribal consultation.

Last week, I again urged the President to seek a peaceful resolution that respected the desire of the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe to protect their water and historic sacred sites and to keep Camp Oceti Sakowin open to demonstrators after an arbitrary date had been set to close it. 

No pipeline is worth more than the respect we hold for our Native American neighbors. No pipeline is worth more than the clean water that we all depend on. This pipeline was not worth the life of a single protester.

I will continue to defend and protect tribal sovereignty and explore ways to improve the tribal consultation process for projects like this one so the voices and expertise from Native communities are always taken into account.

Please contact me on this or any other issue of importance to you.

Sincerely,

MARTIN HEINRICH
United States Senator

My reply.....


Dear Senator Heinrich:

As I travel the West in my vintage Hummer, a 1996 Geo Tracker with 4WD, I rarely pay attention to politics. It's not that I don't care, it's that I feel totally impotent. But when I read notes like the one regarding your position on the Dakota Pipeline, something I'd never even heard of, I was moved to tears.

As an aging (I'll turn 64 in a few days) hippie, I *still* haven't lost sight of the values our generation extolled. Not least was the recognition that for humanity to go forward we needed to change our attitude toward the environment and each other.

Finding common ground in these times seems more difficult than ever so I want to commend you on your courage in what must have been a difficult decision. And although it may be of little consequence. your decision will, as I travel, enable me to even *more* proudly acknowledge being from New Mexico.

Impotence is rough, but pride in one's representative goes a long way toward mitigating it.

Mil Gras !!!!

Wahnfried der Nomad

Birds & Vasectomy

Used to be they posted a bird count of the geese and cranes on an 8.5 x 11 sheet in the foyer of the Bosque Del Apache Visitors' Center. No more. A "staff decision" leaves one at the mercy of an electronic kiosk that -- if it worked -- would provide a count of nearly every bird this side of the Mississippi that was seen and/or is present. But it wasn't working. And the volunteer had obviously been briefed to NOT give any hint of counts other than to say (enthusiastically!) there were thousands. "And lots of ducks!"

Used to be we could hear the cranes flying over our hovel near Candelaria & Eubank in Albuquerque. I'm gonna say it's been fifteen years. I'm not that big on birds but the "count" in my (alleged) mind is a reflection of habitat. If there's no habitat (spawning/fledging grounds) elsewhere, there aren't gonna be many birds here.

The volunteer said if I wanted to see a bunch there was a goodly amount on the first pond to the north. And so there were. But a friend who lives further south, where they used to congregate by the hundreds of thousands on Lake Cabballo, said he hasn't seen 'em flying over for a number of years.

It's an inverse equation. As our numbers increase, theirs decrease.

It's something to keep it in mind: encouraging your son(s) to get a vasectomy. I've never understood why women are expected to undergo major surgery when men can take care of the problem with a 15-minute procedure. And cheap too!

Close Call

In a prev post I mentioned Smith had taken to leaping onto my head from the dashboard. Several mornings ago she was doing it as if on steroids. My attempts to ignore her had no effect and, after several rounds that included direct hits to Mr. Stomach, launched from atop the driver's seat headrest, I finally roused. 

It took a few minutes, but eventually I realized the grogginess and headache were symptoms of carbon monoxide overdose. I shut off the heater (a catalytic with very low co emissions) and opened the door. It was two days before I could think clearly again. (How could I tell, you ask?)

I had the windows cracked enough, I thought, but there was no breeze and the monoxide, heavier than oxygen, accumulated below the window openings. After giving it some thought I realized she started the leaping when I started using the heater. She hasn't done it since. 

A heroic cat!
      

No, she didn't lose her tail. I can only surmise that in the above photo she was, perhaps, striking a Napoleonic pose.

Sunsites, Arizona

Just down the hill from Cochise Stronghold, Sunsites is an up and coming arts community. Sunny, who commutes between her chiropractic practice in Tuscon and the one in Sunsites, recently organized a gathering that attracted 48 people. Not all self-identified as artists, but for the most part...

In the afternoon I bought a ticket to the art auction fundraiser for the library. That evening, upon seeing the 300 cars in the parking lot, I forced myself to the windows and looked in. There were at least 600 people....in one huge room! Reeling in horror, I fled. 

Everyone I met on the street was great! Check out the Produce Wagon Grocery and Blue Bear Trading Post & Gallery. The Trading Post & Gallery is run by Sunny's husband Larry, who is letting go of his lifetime collection. There are some real treasures.