Dale, Lizzie & Julia Celeste Sellers

In Hanksville to pick up mail, Dale and corgi, Lizzie, paused to visit with someone. The pair made for an interesting couple and I approached for a photo.

I soon learned Dale is the town blacksmith. In addition to making utilitarian things, he and his sons participate in the Armored Combat League, an organization that engages in 14th & 15th century hand-to-hand warfare.

He makes some of the armor including helmets, broadaxes and shields.

I invited myself to his shop and was pleasantly surprised when he agreed.

In addition to the armory work, he offers a selection of knives. All are made from carbon steel and hold an edge far better than stainless (as Julia Child was always wont to point out).

Knife Styles

At one point Celeste, Dale's spouse, joined us. They've been together for 30-something years and, as you can tell from the photo, it's good.

Thank you, Dale and Celeste!

Carl's Garden - Hanksville, Utah

I hear Carl and his garden are putting Hanksville on the map. Likely there are many photos and videos, but we were dissatisfied with all but a few of the ones we took. Here's a video and a couple of pix of the splendid cats.

The Moore Cutoff

Touted as possessing all the wonders of the Utah National Parks and more, we set out. There was one arroyo crossing where we spent time choosing "the line" and I spotted for her. It's a 5L engine so no problem with power, but I wonder about how much the transmission can take.

The video is not of the crossing that benefited from my spotting. Still, neither of us is familiar enough with what this vehicle is capable of. The camper is a lightweight model designed for rodeoing. But even with naught mor'n the bare necessities, pulling it up -- time after time -- out of even these little arroyos, is enough to make one wonder how much are these vehicles really capable of?

In addition there was this magical rock.

A Canyon in the San Rafael Reef

I chanced upon whilst perusing MAPS. There's no signage on the highway and MAP's directions are just plain wrong. But people manage to find it, just as I did.

I've no idea how far it goes; my limit is about a mile round trip.

Looking up through these huge walls, the sky transmutes to a solid.

Takin' Care of Bidness (TMI WARNING!!)

With the increasing cost of food & gas I looked around for ways to save. The bidet was a real discovery but setting it up proved to be too much trouble. 

But what led me to it, the bidet, that is, besides The Millionairess having had one, was reading about the Mideastern disgust at our method, of smearing it around. So, it finally dawned on me the reason they shake hands with their left is cuz they use the other to wipe themselves and maybe they don't have so much soap und wasser.

It's taken a bit of doing to overcome the aversion and some innovation to substitute for the bidet, but I'm proud to say that, on average, I'm now saving about ten dollars a month on toilet paper.

Through the use of a two-liter bottle as the main reservoir and an enema bottle in lieu of the bidet, nearly all residual material is eliminated; a few swipes of the fingers augmented with a steady stream from the nozzle-bottle and...voila! (The bidet was truly revelatory. It is astonishing how nearly all just rinses off if you don't "smear it around.")

A bowl of water and soap at camp to wash up afterward and we're good as new.

There is, of course, the need for a larger area since the spritzing (that's a German word) and swiping, when done properly, involve a bit more body action and "spray" than mere sitting. Thus, it behooves one to have some elbow room...and, at least in some places, to keep in mind that we all do it (no self-consciouseness).

Elbow Room &

Phoebe

Photo by She-of-the-Capri

She Of the Capri

I had a long day driving to Green River from Grand Junction, but it was worth it. It's been eight months since we've been together.

The Light of Green River

 

Advance Scout - Swazey's Beach

 

141 Overlook South of Grand Junction

I wish I felt more generous toward my fellow man, but my leanings are decidedly hetero. Thus, I rarely share the results of my gift to find my way home each evening.

Denizens of Grand Junction may recognize the view but the lack of traffic inclines me to think there won't be many. The road is rough in places, not real bad, just enough to keep the light-weights at bay.

The traffic noise floating up from the highway does, I admit, detract from the overall ambience.

Knowles Overlook - McInnis Canyons

Peoples' capacity to ignore the noise is, for me, a continuing source of amazement.

The campsites are spaced similar to the average campground, wherever that is. Regardless, the quiet is such that the yammerings of the young men camped a ways away easily carries to where I'm standing. And watch out for the children on motorcycles. 

The road is such that smaller vehicles do better - but some manage to get their trailers through.

There're (there's for the rest of you) several strategically placed signs warning camping is allowed only in designated sites. And those are only in the campground. Fortunately, I enjoy driving both ways...in and out.

Here They Come 

Ford 350 w 4wd

Friendly Folks Too!

Antelope

Somehow, things got serious. Part of it was not feeling the ground as I walked to the library...I was sloating: sliding & floating. Bizarre (it wasn't an LSD day).

Then, there was a gorgeous Black woman, a bit older (within my age range, but in beautiful condition) at the park. She was washing some clothes at the spigot when I came up. We said hello and I went back for the other jugs. When she finished she went to her car, opened the doors, put on some music and started dancing. She was wearing tight, turquoise short shorts and a white top with spaghetti straps that came just below her breasts. One of the straps languished on a bicep.

I can only heft one jug at a time so was making several trips. On one of my runs she turned her back toward me and moved her derrière in a most pleasing manner. I've hired help in the past so knew I couldn't afford her; it was enough to make an old man cry.

Youngsters keeping a safe distsnce

After being involved with Western Watersheds Project it's impossible not to notice the (lack of) available forage. There's so little I began composing my letter to BLM and everyone else. In it I thought how I'd mention all the other animals we could have if we got rid of the cows: antelope, bison, badgers, prairie dogs, snakes, hawks, innumerable rodents, owls.

This morning when I sat up to look at the light there was a "herd," seven or eight, nearby. They're known for being curious and over the next half hour they all, except two youngsters, kept moving closer. I lapsed into mythos and imagined they came to let me know that even though I'm too poor to hire help, they're here.

It heard the click of the camera as I turned the video on and off.

San Rafael River

I'd just arrived Cleveland when the Cuyahoga caught fire. After passing through the Han Ranch this looks like it could dissolve anything. If you stretch the tape measure it might be fifteen feet wide.

Art is Where You Find It

At the underpass beneath I-70 on the east side of the San Rafael Reef.

Bon Vivant

Somebody Farted

Limp Tit

(your choice)

Moab

(editing on the phone doesn't work so well)

Desperate for reading matter, I joined the streaming hordes on highway 191. Speed limit is 65 with most doing 70. Phoebe's comfortable top speed is 62, but with everyone equally desperate, one takes one's life in hand when people are forced to pass. So we streamed along.

The Friends of the Library occupies the lobby area; the collection is superbly curated, organized and hardbacks are $1.00. Special books are $3.00 - $5.00 and it's self-pay so even the indigent, if they were willing to compromise their integrity, could partake.

Afterward, I visited Moonflower co-op where a small roll of paté, several cheeses and some breads cost a little over $77.00. It wasn't until I was settled in for the night I noticed the sourdough was $12.85.

Having recently read Michael Pollan's, Cooked, in which he waxes eloquent about the alchemy of bread-baking and the good-for-what-ails-yuh elements in sourdough, I just tossed it in the basket.

While reading his book I looked up a couple of the bread companies who cater to those in need. Prices were fairly consistent at around $35.00 for two loaves, not including postage...which, for Albuquerque brought the total to over 75.00.

I never expected to find such quality on "the street." But after tasting it, I stand corrected, Moonflower is NOT "the street."

Crystal Geyser

A link to the details.

Several days later I came back for another visit. A woman who'd been there a number of times over the decades said when she'd arrived a few hours earlier the ground was dry. The activity in the video supposedly presages an expulsion. I've yet to meet anyone who's seen it spout anywhere near the 80' mentioned on the internet.

Green River

There's magic in the parking lot of Green River's grocery. Squeejiing MAPS to make it give forth, Swasey's Beach leaped out. 

At Swasey's Beach Campground

One afternoon

For Those Who Just Want the "Take-away"

And the road went on, far beyond. The offshoot canyons looked enticing on Garmin.

North of Swasey's Beach

Usual attire

An LSD day

Swasey's Beach