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 durable these family-friendly rigs are?

In addition there was this magical rock.

A Canyon in the San Rafael Reef

I chanced upon whilst perusing MAPS (see jrnl for loc). 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