Castle Gap Park (not accessible)

Castle Gap park is near Crane, TX, about an hour south of Midland, TX.  Google shows the park.  It's situated at a little pass in a mesa topped by windmills.  The area around Midland is quite flat, with some slight rolling, but no mesas.  The mesa near Castle Gap is the first mesa-like edifice south of Midland.  Sabkha and I drove down there, and we found Castle Gap road, and we drove it to a gate that said private property.  We couldn't go any farther.  As far as I could tell, this is the only access to the "park".

I wasn't really that surprised.  I couldn't find anything online describing this "park" besides a few junk websites, and one from Sibley Nature Center talking about the cool fossils in Castle Gap -- and thanking the landowners for access.

Where does one go to tromp in the desert around Midland?  In Arizona and New Mexico, there's always BLM or National Forest land not far away.  I don't favor government ownership of land, but it sure affords a lot more recreational opportunities.  Is there an alliance of landowners than will let you have access?  Maybe a hunting lease is the solution?  Or buying a piece of land.  The area to the south of the Mesa, around McCamey, TX, seemed pretty cool and had nice views to the south, where it seems the elevation drops off, giving the impression that you're up on a big rise.  FM 2463, heading north along the east side of the mesa, also had a nice rural feel.  Once north of the mesa again on the way home, the desert quickly gets pretty boring in terms of meso-topography.

Midland, Part Two: House Hunting

Stopped in Midland on the way out to Colorado to look at some houses.  Spent about five hours with Realtor while Sabkha cooled her heels in the Odessa Studio6.  Then a monumental thunderstorm came in.  Here are some Midland pics:

The "Duck Pond" along "A" Street in central Midland.  From here to the west along Harvard and Princeton is the nicest area I saw in Midland.  Lots of redone houses, many with architectural flair

Duck pond.

Subaru parked outside house for lease for $2300/mo.  But it has great view of downtown over duck pond.

Typical nicer fixed-up house in Duck Pond area.

Another fixed-up house.

A great big tree.

Downtown Midland, lots of deserted buildings with "For Lease" signs on them.  Cool buildings!

I like it.

Future blogs on the various buildings downtown Midland.  Several have been recently destroyed.

How I Spent my Summer Vacation

Colorado, I love thee.  I just returned from a nine-day trip in the direction of Colorado and New Mexico.  I'm glad to be home, but it's strange to be indoors.  I came home a day early so I'd have some decompression time before returning to work tomorrow.  The next two weeks are going to be Crazy Time because I need to move to Midland, TX to start a new assignment on July 19th.  This involves the processes of selling my old house, cleaning it, repairing it, packing stuff that I don't want the movers to take, supervising the mover packing, holding a bye-bye BBQ at my house, picking a new house in Midland and getting the closing process started, finding a temp place to live in Midland, etc. etc.  Oh yeah -- and finishing up the old job, leaving everyone happy, and starting up a new job and making a bunch of new people happy.  Or at least finding them oil.  Or, barring that, at least drilling some wells faster, cheaper and safer.  But in the reverse order, of course!

Soon, I will post my fav Colorado pics, probably on Facebook because it's about 1000 times easier to post batches of pics on FB than here on Blogger.  Speaking of, my mom has started a blog (hi mom!) called "Plants Amaze Me".  She and her sister (aka Aunt Marie) spend 1-2 days a week traveling around West Michigan looking for parks, nature preserves and public lands of all sorts.  They often discover some interesting and truly off-the-beaten-path places.  In those places they search for unique forms of plant and animal life, and they usually find it.  Mom and Aunt Marie seem to like to traipse around in marshy, muddy, swampy areas.  So, if you like my blog (and who doesn't?), then check out Plants Amaze Me, which is linked to over there on the right.

It will give you something to do while you wait for those pics from CO and NM.  Meantime, here is my general itinerary from the trip:

Sat: drive to Midland, TX; look at houses for five hours w/ Realtor

Sun: drive to Nat Forest outside Las Vegas, NM; hike and camp

Mon: drive to Taos Ski Valley, NM; hike to Williams Lake; get altitude sickness; camp at BLM place on the Rio Grande; hike to Red River

Tues: drive to Monte Vista, CO ranger office; get tons of info and maps; drive to Creede, CO, decided to hike 14er next day; camp in remote campground; hike partway to Wheeler Geologic Area.

Wed: hike San Luis Peak, 14014'.  My (and Sabkha's) first 14er.  Got terrible altitude sickness and barely made it back to the car.  Toughest physical challenge of my life.  Eat pizza in Creede.  Camp.

Thurs: Oil change in Monte Vista.  Drive to Crestone, CO.  Eat.  Short hike with Sabkha in horrid mosquito conditions.

Fri: Great Sand Dunes Natl Park; dune climb; burned feet and paws; Zapata Falls (cool!); BLM marsh (closed), ogling Blanca Peak from afar; chasing T-storms; return to dunes after big storm... wet sand!, back to Crestone.

Sat: Bfast in Alamosa (one of only three restaurant meals entire trip = bringing well-stocked cooler is worth it), drive through lovely Spanish Peaks -- amazing radial dikes "Great Dikes", hiked OHV trail, depart for home; drive to Amarillo, TX; see amazing frontal system on the way.

Sun: drive home to Houston, back ~7 PM.

Magic Mystery Day

Today was a good day.  I slept in to a reasonable degree, but not enough to feel guilty: 8:15 am.  Then I went and met my friend at the dog park.  Sabkha got to play and frolic in the mud with her friend Mattie.  Mattie is tied with the other dog, Guiness, for being her Best Friend.  It's hot in Texas this time of year, but it was just cool enough to get the humans saying "it isn't too bad for this time of year".  Each time a cloud blocked the sun and a gust of breeze came through, it even felt good for a few moments.  We cling to our small pleasures here in the swamp in the summertime.  After hosing off Sabkha, we returned home and lounged a bit, awaiting the arrival of the Future Brother-in-Law (FBiL).  The FBiL was late and clearly groggy from sleeping in to an unreasonable degree.  We jumped in the car -- Subaru, it's too hot for the convertible -- and hit the local Starbucks for chemical fortification.  So armed, we headed for Macy's at the local mall.  I have a hard time shopping.  I definitely need moral support, or else I flame out in about 30 minutes.  Coffee helps, and so does summertime outside.  It makes the cool, dark interior of the mall that much more inviting, and I can tell myself that I don't really want to be outside anyway.  Macy's was a limited success, but prices were high.  We applied our Shopping Logic and realized we needed to strike out in the direction of the outlet mall off 290, northwest of town.  Said and done.  The outlet mall was flush with deals and shortly we both found ourselves with strings of bags as bracelets up our arms.  We just shopped, and enjoyed the pure pleasure of it -- and, dare I say, the sport of it.  Just after getting a second shot of cold creamy caffeine from the happy green sea-goddess, I got a call from the Fab Five, requesting an Obligatory Friendly Visit (OFV).  Apparently, I had forgetten to update my Outlook calendar and therefore became delinquent vis-à-vis my OFV schedule.  The FBiL got roped into this, and we headed for the Fab Five residence and had a nice visit with the trips.  Sabkha wasn't along, of course, so we dognapped GG (aka Guin-Guin, aka Guiness) for some doggie slumber party playtime with Sabkha back at the Sandfield ranch.  Back home, the FBiL and I decided to hit the local LA Fitness gym with some free passes we acquired online.  After nearly an hour on an elliptical and treadmill, I was about to barf, yet was strangely hungry, so we stepped next door to New York Pizza and had a delish slice.  After drinking six liters of water I began to feel better.  FBiL hit the road and I walked the hounds around the 1.7-mile loop in the gathering dusk.  Everyplace looks much better when you're about to leave it.  More packing, a quick trip to work, some blogging, and here I am.

Midland, Part One: Preliminaries

I'm moving to Midland, TX.  I applied for the transfer about three or four weeks ago.  It seemed unreal; it seemed like a long shot.  But suddenly it was real when my new supervisor called and offered me the job.  The wheels had been set in motion.  I couldn't safely say no, now.  I had thought it over when I applied and decided, yes, I will go if I'm offered.  So here I go!

The Company is moving me, so no trouble there.  They pay for closing costs for my house here and for a new on in Midland if I so choose.  They hand me some cash for inconveniences and I think they cover a month or so of housing, car and food expenses.  I'll have to drive my cars (2) out to Midland and pull my trailer with my various power toys, which they won't ship.  That's ok.

I start pretty soon, like in July.  I have a vacation scheduled for early July, and I'll probably pass through Midland on the way to northern New Mexico and southern Colorado.  The job is a good one.  It's worked from Midland because of company history issues.  The job itself is working assets in a northern area.  More details on that later.  It will involve a little bit of travel up north.  Also probably a few times to Houston.

I have mixed feelings about leaving Houston.  I don't love my house, but I love my neighborhood.  I love all the shops in Houston, and the highways and the business.  The humidity I've grown to tolerate, and the flowers and plants can't be beat.  Midland is in the middle of a flat, treeless, nearly featureless plain.  But the city has some surprises.  It has a downtown with skyscrapers, maybe in the 20-story range.  Around downtown are homes built beginning in the 1920s, then 30s, more in the 40s, lots in the 50s and so on.  There is a price inversion.  In Houston, you can get a nice new house in the suburbs in the mid to high $100ks.  If you want a 30s house in the Heights, you can now expect to pay well over $300k, probably more like $400k for redone places.  In Midland, you can get 40s and 50s houses in the high $100ks to $200k, and new homes begin around $300k.

Midland is near mountains.  I love mountains.  To the south (4.5 hours) is Big Bend National Park, and state park.  Three hours south are the Davis Mountains.  Three hours (and change) west are Carlsbad and the Guadalupe National Park.  Beyond that are the Lincoln National Forest (in New Mexico), a number of canyons and a wilderness area north of the Guadalupes.  Five hours west and you are atop the crest of the Sacramento Mountains, a range that tops out over 12,000' on Sierra Blanca Peak.  Here you will find quaint and cool vacation towns like Cloudcroft, NM.  To the north in the same range is Ruidoso, home to downhill skiing in winter and some fine hiking -- almost Arizona-class.  North of Midland is Lubbock and Amarillo.  Dallas-Fort Worth is 5-6 hours to the ENE.  The halfway point between Houston and Midland is Enchanted Rock State Park.  Houston to Midland is about 8.5 hours.  All the hill country of Texas is 4-5 hours east of Midland.  Farther afield, you have all of southern Arizona, with Tucson only 9 hours to the west.

Things to do in Midland?  Cycling seems popular, although roads are long, straight and windy.  There is a soaring club and a number of airfields, pointing to the popularity of aviation.  There are reservoirs to the east.  There are a handful of dirt bike areas nearby.  Everything else is a drive: hiking, skiing, mountain biking, canyoneering.

I got the job in Midland on Friday.  On Saturday I was freaking out, thinking of all the things I must do to move.  I went to Starbucks to clear the mind and, while sipping an iced mocha, made a prioritized list:

1. sell or donate unnecessary clothes, furniture and other items
2. pack books, papers, and extra things
3. tackle yard work projects (hire and/or DIY)
4. tackle house fix-up projects (hire and/or DIY)

First things first.  Took pictures of stuff and listed on Craigslist.  The company moves all my furniture, so no stress.  Still, nice to get rid of stuff I really don't need or want in Midland.  A change to clear out the life and the clutter and begin fresh.  Or fresher.

Second, packed boxes.  No idea I had 2,000 lbs worth of books.  But I do.  Tired of packing boxes.  Actually, much of my stuff is already in boxes or crates due to on-going organization efforts.  Papers from school, outdoor gear, files, camera stuff: all neatly packed in boxes.

What's next?  This week I guess I'll hear from the company HR about moving details.  They'll tell me what I need to pack up, when I'll move, and how much they'll give me for storage or an apartment at the other end.  Next weekend will be more packing and then preparing for my 10-day vacation coming up soon.  Then I'll come back and work another week or so before boxing up my office for the more to Midland.

The next few weeks are going to be a wild ride.  Here it goes!

Japanese Blues

Friday 3 July 2009

"Do you really want to travel?  Think twice.  More interesting things lie inside your mind.  What will you see?  It won't be as good as it looks in guidebooks.  Your main emotion is likely to be one of dissapointment.  It is difficult, hot, wet, dirty, and more expensive than you think.  If you want to see cities, travel is ok.  Cities are the only places you can easily get to.  If you want to get off the beaten track, stay in places where you can drive (i.e. your own country).  Since arriving in Japan I've wanted to go home.  Not homesickness, but a sense my time and money could be better spent.  All the sights I've seen so far are mediocre.  Nothing has been mind-expanding or inspiring.  Except maybe Nagasaki harbor.  I am very much looking forward to going home again.  How do people travel for months on end?  Years?  I don't know where I'm going now -- probably back toward Tokyo."

Hmm, I was clearly not having the greatest time on my second trip to Japan.  But looking back, I have many fond memories of that trip.  It was expensive, and I did cover a lot of the same ground I saw in 2005 in my previous trip.  Planning.  My planning was poor.  It was raining season, I was traveling alone, and I got a sour milk drink with my chocolate pastry.  I expected delicious fresh whole milk.

Gulf winds

Tonight I sat outside, facing east, and watched the clouds sailing by.  Clouds coming off the gulf.  The springtime on the Gulf brings south winds and south breezes, and these bring the humidity.  In the spring, the humidity is nice.  It only gets oppressive as the temperature climbs about 85F, then 90, topping out around 95F in high summer.  Lately, I have all the sliders open, wishing I had more screened windows, and wishing I had star jasmine growing in the yard.

"Now the clay of which you were shaped has dried and hardened, and naught in you will ever awaken the sleeping musician, the poet, the astronomer that possibly inhabited you in the beginning."

I've chosen for my red clay plot a delicate oolong.  It must be reserved for this one flavor.  The tea leaves come bunched up, little balls, and they open up into full leaves in the water.

Day off ramblings

I love Tuesdays off.  I took my 19/30 flex day today.  These days are normally consumed by vacations, because I try to stitch together holidays, vacation days and 19/30 days to maximize my trips per year.  Not doing so well this year on that.  Been taking half-days to go dirt biking.  It's worth it.  Only other trip this year will be driving to Colorado over the Independence Day holiday. 

Today I focused on rational hedonism.  I've lately realized I don't do much I enjoy.  I'm forever trying to get done the "things that need to get done" and finally, after 32 years, I realize that this list never ends.  It is an ever-flowing well; an endless spring.  Now, don't get the idea I'm giving up lists.  That would be crazy!  If I don't have three or four lists to update, cross off and throw away with a little squeak of glee, what would I do nights and weekends?  My new specialty is themed lists: home projects, shopping, places to consider visiting, things to look up online. 

Enough with lists, what do I really enjoy?  That needs to be mixed in, in a big helping.  If I'm to survive in Houston and stay sane, I realize, I need to change some things, and that's one of them.  What do I enjoy?  Last night, I made a list.  One: I enjoy driving my convertible. 

I strung together a list of "should-dos".  First I slept in.  Then I dropped off the cleaning and enjoyed the beautiful, dry, cool morning from the seat of the Mazda, which has 7200 miles, 95% with the top down.  Next was Pottery Barn to try out some leather chairs -- I decided I want a reading chair and lamp, to enjoy.  Nothing doing -- all the chairs are too long in the thigh, which means I sit in a slouched position.  Next Sears tool department -- a fun place to look at and touch shiny metal objects.  A shrine to male-ness, right at your local mall.  Maybe I should get a part-time job there, for the spiritual fuel it would provide, just smelling all those tools for a few hours a week.  I was looking for a better torque wrench but decided $80 was too much.  Next to Big Tex to pick up my real metal trailer license plate, then back down to Ikea, where I found nothing at all.  Their chairs are no good either.  Just north of Ikea in Houston is a neat, tidy little 1940s and 50s neighborhood.  This must have been a nice area then too, as these are big houses for that time period - 2500-sq-ft-ish.  I drove north up Antoine, amazed at how nice much of Houston is.  Big, gorgeous trees.  Lots of green everywhere.  Gnarly oaks.  The neighborhood then went downhill as I drove north -- it's amazing how one can pick up even slight changes in the "goodness" of the neighborhood, and how quickly they change laterally.  A few more cars parked outside, a little peeling paint. The $66k lot I went to check out was also in a 1940-50 neighborhood, but very simple small houses with carports.  Today, it has taken a dive.  Not the place for my new ideal house. 

Off to Java Coffee and Tea.  Through the villages, my favorite part of Houston.  Picked up a variety of odd teas -- none fruity -- and got a red-clay teapot, but not the one I thought I wanted.  Covered in Chinese characters, probably the Abbreviated Teachings of Mao, for all I know.  I'm like the Japanese Tourist with a T-shirt that says "Butt" in English.  A couple of tiny red clay cups with it.  These things bring me joy.  The ritual of making tea, and pouring it out, and feeling the grit of the sand and silty in the making of the clay cups.  Finally, the highlight of the day, I went to Happy Great Hand and Foot massage for -- you guessed it -- a "deep tissue" hand, foot and body massage.  I can't say I enjoyed it at the time, or that it felt good.  It was definitely deep tissue.  At times I was in severe pain.  I think I popped a lung.  But for an hour and a quarter of torture, I paid only $20.  Amazing!  E.R. Flesch, you need to try this place if you're in Houston.  If they can't break you, I don't know who will. 

After recovering from my "massage" with about twenty mini-clay-cups of whole-leaf oolong tea, to cap off the day, Sabkha and I went for an "adventure walk".  This is going for a walk someplace you haven't been before.  Today, it was really close to home.  We walked about 1/2 mile south to the Westside High School in Briar Forest, and walked the road around the school grounds.  Quite interesting.  Lots to see.  Stuff you don't see from the car, driving past 1,000 times.  Little wooded areas.  Puddles of water.  Cool trees.  On the way we smelled jasmine.  Some of the ritzy houses just south of me have jasmine climbing the fences.  In Tucson I had a huge spread of jasmine.  I need to plant some here.  The Eldridge corridor, where I live, is on the rise.  They recently finished a nice new LEED office tower near my house.  And a brand-new Hilton.  The landscaping is great.  The trees keep getting bigger every year.  It's good to be the cheap houses surrounded by much higher-end neighborhoods.

Here is a map of our adventure walking route.

White White Moutains

From a long time ago...

"A few weekends ago I went up to the White Mountains, AZ, east of Show Low and north of Alpine. This is really in central AZ, not northern AZ. Arizona has some high country in the White Mountains, then elevations taper off a bit toward Utah and Colorado. It's still high country up there -- Colorado Plateau -- but flat red rock and desert. The White Mountains are largely volcanic, made up of several large volcanoes, lava flows and cinder cone fields. Does any state have more cinder cones than Arizona? I doubt it. They're easy to find here: big fields north of the San Francisco Peaks and north of the White Mountains proper. I drove up to Mt. Baldy, second highest peak in the state, but found the access road closed until December 31, 2006. I got a late start from Tucson, so I didn't get to Sunrise (ski area) until early afternoon. I browsed through the hiking guidebook and picked something down south of Baldy, turned the car around and headed toward Greer. That's when the blizzard hit..."

Huntsville State Park

Huntsville State Park, TX

Dirt biking killed the mountain bike star

Went out on the trails tonight -- the Anthills, nearly out my back door.  The rootiest trails around.  Riding a mountain bike is very different than riding a dirt bike, which I've been doing a lot of lately.  Years (almost decadeS) of mt biking definitely helped me get started with dirt biking.  The main carryover skill is choosing a line.  As you ride, you constantly scan the trail just ahead and choose a line you want to ride, hopefully avoiding bad roots, bumps, puddles, flaming logs, etc.  Yes there are flaming logs out there in the National Forest.  But go back to the mt bike and things are different.  Riding dirt bike has made me cautious.  You don't want to drop the dirt bike.  The mt bike, you can be more aggressive leaning into corners, and you don't have to worry about falling over -- the bike weighs 26 lbs versus 280 lbs for the dirt bike.  Dirt bike has longer wheelbase.  The handling is different, causing me to steer less than needed on the mt bike...  Roots: a problem with dirt bike.  You don't want to hit a root at the wrong angle, i.e. while turning at all.  Big knobby tire + mud + root + turn = slide!  Not the case on mt bike.  Tires are grippier and much, much softer, and weight of rider+bike system is far, far less.  This means on a mt bike you don't slide when going over roots at an angle.  Mt bike has no rear suspension and much less travel = much bumpier ride and more standing up when riding over obstacles.  Anyway, dirt biking has messed with my mt biking skills.  But that might not matter much since the trails here in Houston are getting overgrown -- it must be spring.  Soon the spiders will claim the trails, and I'll stick to the gym or the bike paths until late November (frost = spider death). 

In other news, I love my Klein.  Too bad no more Kleins.  The bike is perfect.  I don't want a new mt bike.  It has the original tires, chain, etc.  It needs some TLC but goes fine without it.  It's really light.  Probably time for a shock rebuild, but just need to give this bike major props, kudos, and boo-yahs.  Klein, I love you.  Now shopping for a used Klein road bike.  Yes, I love steel (Rivendell) but I like the stiff Al frames too.  And I want STI.  Down-tube shifters are a pain.  Their days are done, done.

Finally got around to some long-delayed tasks.  One was: refurb shoes.  I have a shoe "problem", it's true.  "So many shoes and so few days to wear them."  I got these AE cloggy things stitched up in four places, now for some laces.  Then I smeared the wondered Bissel.. Bizwax... (?) stuff with beeswax.  It's some oily stuff in a metal tube, smells like kerosene, rub it in with your fingers, ooooo!  After, the shoes look all dark and nourished and waterproofish.

 My Clarks got the same treatment.  Yummy shoe oil in a tube!

Today I rode the Anthills and got frustrated with my decayed skills.  So I crossed Buffalo Bayou at Dairy Ashford and rode the "high road" on the north side out to the Beltway.  I was hauling butt!  It was nice to crank, I normally ride at a la-de-da level, I realize upon reflection.  Hopefully this new intensity is back to stay.  The Klein is easier/more fun to ride fast.  Bike paths are not built for drop bars and down-tube shifters, and poor brakes to boot.  Too many evil, lurking Rabbits of Death.

The frontispiece photo is some Art I made in high school.  Normally all my attempts at art/craft are epic failures.  This one turned out pretty cool!  I have a T-shirt stamped with this image.  Can you figure out what it is? 

Free Music Floweth

About three years after my friend Sara recommended it, I gave Last.fm a real gosh-darn honest-to-goodness try.  And I love it.  My dilema is that I have no music-playing apparatus in my house.  I used to have a couple of old Sony speakers hooked up to my terribly slow HD-DVD player -- hit "open" about 15 minutes before you plan to start viewing a movie -- but it wasn't a satisfactory setup.  You've got to change CDs every 40-60 minutes, which means you have to pick a new album to listen to.  I'm not that decisive.  I can't decide what to listen to next.  Ok, how about an iPod dock?  In theory, that would be great.  You can create playlists and you don't have to wait for the HD-DVD tray to open, you don't have to change disks or be decisive.  Problem -- you either have to create playlists, which sounds a lot like being decisive -- or you can just push "random".  Problem there -- dwelling on my iPod are many things besides songs.  Chapters from Atlas Shrugged, a relationship self-help disk, and numerous sound clips recorded by me on various trips.  Also, you might want some upbeat cleaning music.  So you start with the Pixies, "Debaser".  Then the next song comes on, and it's Joni Mitchell's "Both Sides Now".  Last, I tried the FM radio.  Commercials, poor music, static.  You understand the problem.

Last.fm is the solution.  Type in the name of a band you like, hit play, and you're done.  Last will typically start with a song from the band you choose, and go from there, in ever-widening musical circles, while staying more or less in the same genre/mood level.  No commercials.  The only two slight annoyances: after an hour or so of inactivity, Last.fm stops playing and asks if anyone is home.  Problem #2, the playlists don't seem that dynamic: typing in, say, Guster, tends to give you the same list of songs in approximately the same order.  This may just be a fluke since the sample size is very small (only the second time I've tried "Guster" as a band seed).  On the ne plus ultra side, Last.fm doesn't seem to have the hiccups associated with streaming from, say, KXCI or other local/regional stations.

So hook up those Harmon-Kardon Soundsticks to your underutilized laptop, and you've got a cheap home stereo, ready to go.  No need to drop $800 on a new stereo.  Those HK's are pretty good, too, and will be perfectly adequate, even in a large room, if you're used to hearing your music on a 4-speaker Subaru system.

Dirt Fever

It's been a long process, but I finally got a dirt bike, and rode it.  It all began in the summer of 2009 when I was pretty bummed out about Houston, and complaining about nothing to do.  I decided to look up dirt bike training, since I didn't know how to ride a motorcycle.  I knew how to shift and had some practice on my uncle's ATVs many years before, and about a quarter-mile on Erik's motorcycle, but that was it.  I signed up for a Honda riding school -- a "closed range exercise" -- designed to cover all the basics.  The school was in late October, and I eagerly awaited it.  Then it got postponed to November.  The course was fun.  I rode a Honda CRF150F, which is basically a teenager bike.  It seemed a fine size.  At the end of the class I hopped on the larger CRF230F and found it perfectly fine.  It looks big to a non-dirt biker, but once you're on it and moving, it's not too big at all.  After the Honda class, I was totally sold.  Now I just needed a hitch on the Subaru, wiring for trailer lights, a trailer and then... a dirt bike.  Months went by as I tried to find a place to install a hitch.  I was loathe to call U-Haul but finally I did.  They did not return my several calls.  I had almost given up when coworker Sam went to Master Hitch and had a hitch installed on his Audi.  He was impressed, so the next day -- sometime in December -- I went and got a hitch and the wiring.  Next came trailer shopping.  I couldn't find what I wanted -- a 5x8-ish, lightweight trailer but beefier than the basic "lawnmower" trailer.  Prices seemed too high at the local joints -- $750ish.  Finally I checked out Big Tex, which had exactly what I wanted for $599+ttl.  $720 out the door.  5x8', 12" wheels, easy to move around by hand.  A cinch to pull with the Subaru.  Now I scoured Craigslist.  The going rate for a beat-up Honda 230F was $2000-2500.  The better ones seemed to land around $2200.  Meanwhile, Honda West had a school-used 150F for $2600 out the door.  I agonized over this for a while and had decided on the 150 when I saw an ad for a lightly used 2005 Honda CRF230F with minor carb problems for $1800.  Woo hoo!  On a rainy March Saturday, I drove down nearly to Galveston to pick up my bike. Back home, a new spark plug and an overnight battery charging went a long way to fixing the no-start issue.  Next was carb cleaner in the air intake, an oil change and viola, a ready-to-ride dirt bike.  Now, where to ride?  The next weekend, the trails in Sam Houston National Forest were closed due to wetness from recent rain.  I had to ride.  I started up the bike and rode in circles: down my driveway and around the front yard.  Finally, this weekend came.  The weather looked good.  The trails were open.  We had Good Friday off work.  All the planets came into alignment.  I picked up friend Ben and his 1982 Honda 125 enduro.  We drove up to SHNF and met two other co-workers, one on a spanking-new Suzuki 400 enduro and the other on an ATV...

To be Continued...

Painting Complete

The painting is done.  It's far from perfect but it's pretty good.  Next comes granite countertops - probably.  Those will have to wait until after Christmas.  Countertops, sink, fixture, cooktop, vent hood.

Arizona, Nov 2009

Sat - Drive Houston, TX to City of Rocks State Park, NM

Sun - Silver City, NM, Drive to Tucson, U of A, Summit Hut, Fry’s, drive-by of the old homestead, Erik and Sara’s

Mon - Frank’s for bfast, Tanque Verde wash hike, Drive up Mt Lemmon, hike Sunset Trail, Drive to Gate’s Pass, hike Yetman Trail

Tues - Frank’s, Drive to Supes, hike Peralta Trail, Camp at Tortilla Flat on Canyon Lake

Wed - Walk and drive Globe, Set up camp at Oak Flat CG, Hike Haunted Canyon

Thurs - Drive back to Tucson via 77/Winkelman/Oracle (beautiful!), TG dinner

Fri - Hike Deception Mountain w Erik, Eat leftovers, play Scrabble, watch Golden Girls

Sat - Walk around U of A campus, Visit with Marcus and have lunch at his house, drive to Columbus, NM

Sun - attempt to collect xenos at Kilbourne Hole, drive back to Houston

Photos here

11/21/2009 -11/22/2009 Saturday-Sunday

Left home on Sandfield at 6:45 am.  Drove west on I-10.  Made a few brief stops for potty and fuel.  Darkness fell, made it to City of Rocks State Park, north of Deming, NM.  A decent place – towers of tuff.  A bit hard to navigate at night.  Had a small fire, read a bit of The Time Machine, then slept.  Cold but I wasn’t too cold – uppermost 30s F.  Got up a little after 6 am local time – 7 am Houston.  It was light.  Snapped some photos.  It was pretty.  Packed up quick and stopped off at the bathroom on the way out for a quick shower (gotta love NM state parks).  Drove into Silver City, NM.  A neatish hippyish town with lots of narrow one-way streets.  Found the “old town” and stopped at a GLBT coffee shop, they directed me to Vickie’s, where I went and had a good breakfast.  Wish I had more time to explore, seemed like a neat town and a good starting-out point for lots of adventures into the mountainous area just to the north.  Boogied down 90 to I-10.  Was sooo happy to be in Arizona.  Had huge smile on my face for hundreds of miles.  Familiar mountains, profiles.  Fascinated by old, dying, dead, decaying towns – e.g. Lordsville.  Why dead?  When hayday?  Didn’t seem too far from border into Tucson.  Was a little early so stopped at UA.  Then drove by old Weymouth house, then Fry’s for a bottle of Grey Goose vodka, then stopped at Summit Hut and got sun hat and Superstitions map.  Met guy (manager?) who knew Rivendell and had a Riv-built bike in back (I was wearing  a Riv shirt).  Erik and Sara’s – great to see them, Sabkha very happy to see Russ, amazed they remember each other and are instant best buddies.  We chatted for quite a while and drank some PBRs.  Erik and I then set out for a walk with the hounds.  Talked about our business ideas and risk analysis.  We saw a solitary javalina.  Nice to be in AZ and around the cacti, saguaro.  Feels like I never left.  Tucson seems a lot smaller compared to Houston – it doesn’t take long to get around, everything is closer than I remember.  After a nice dinner and more chat we all sit around dining table with our laptops type type typing.  I was planning to visit Globe, AZ, and see if I could live there.  I’m thinking if I don’t come out to AZ I should try to get a job in San Antonio or Dallas.  Useable water.  Closer to mountains.  

11/23/09 Monday

Got up and out of the house early.  Went to Frank’s for Geoff’s special bfast.  Then off to Tanque Verde Canyon.  No one around.  Unseasonably warm around here, about 10 degrees above normal, touching the high 70s daytimes.  Sab and I hiked down the familiar trail into TV Canyon.  Today I wanted to do all those hikes I daydream about.  TV was what I remember, but it was a bit disappointing.  It seemed small and bland and full of gravel.  Maybe it is more full of gravel.  It was a bit dry too – I guess a weak monsoon this year.  We went to the pool at the almost-end.  Why do I always go to the same place over and over?  Human nature.  There are many canyons nearby, or even downcanyon which I’ve never done, although I’ve visited TV probably 20 times.  We didn’t see anyone.  Back at the car turned and headed up Catalina Highway.  Everything seemed pretty and friendly.  Stopped at grocery store to get snack and cash back for the Catalina fee.  Everyone seems more relaxed on the road and off.  There is a lot more space.   Things are a bit more ramshackle and naturalistic and it’s tolerated and liked.  People line their driveways with stone; they let the desert run wild in their yards.  In Houston if you let the jungle run wild – well, you don’t.  Up Catalina, I had the same sensation of smallness and “so what”.  It was just as beautiful as I always remember, but it all seemed compressed.  A result of Europe, Japan, Houston?  It didn’t seem as far up; it didn’t seem as scary.  Up top we stopped at the Sunset trailhead – I’d never hiked it before.  A half-mile or so in a weird little deserted cabin community, all brown with green metal roofs, it must be a Forest Service regulation.  The trail itself was pretty but suffered the same trouble as many Catalina hikes – steep oddness.  You’re up on top of a rather pointy mountain range.  All the trails are up and down or on a steep hillside, which makes them all a bit uncomfortable.  I didn’t really realize until this trip that much of the Cats doesn’t make really good hiking.  It only seems good in the summer when it’s 100 degrees down in the city below.  On the trail we saw a family from Houston.  We stopped on a broad rock above a trickling stream, which was partially covered in ice.  Up and walking again, another 100 steps and we were quite surprised to find ourselves at Marshall Gulch, where I’ve been many times.  Didn’t recognize it “from the other side”.  Got back to car around 3 PM, and had the feeling that we should do another hike, or drive up to Summerhaven, or something.  But it’s all burned and desolate, which really does reduce the appeal.  We headed back down the mountain, listening to NPR the whole way.  NPR has become a good companion on this trip – stimulates the brain a bit, especially the daytime programming which doesn’t seem as lefty as the prime time news.  Drove across town to Gate’s Pass and did a short hike up to Yetman saddle.  Sabkha could barely walk due to tenderpaw, and she didn’t seem too keen on even getting out of the Subaru.  But we did it, and again it felt small and short and not as pretty as I remember it.  The view to the south along the backside of the Tucson Mts was really beautiful, as was the evening light which gave everything a somber feeling.  I forgot how nighty it feels at 4 PM in the winter in AZ or NM.  If you’re in a canyon, 3:30 feels like near twilight.  Back to Erik and Sara’s the back way, over Picture Rocks Road.  I want to live here, I keep thinking.

11/24/2009 Tuesday

Left not as early, maybe 8 am from the Fleshes.  Detoured to Frank’s – a loooong detour – and had bfast and made some notes.  Unplanned phone call to potential employer.  Then reverted to original plan and headed up 79 to near Apache Junction, and out to Peralta Trailhead.  It was later than I had planned to start – maybe around 1:30.  Off we went up Peralta trail, which was steep and a bit rocky, def a bit challenging.  Saw several other parties.  Approached saddle at ~2.2 miles, at top of saddle was startled by a sudden, amazing view of Weaver’s Needle!  Almost breath-taking moment.  See photos – neat rock jointing and weathering pattern.  Back down and scampered off through Apache Junction to 88 up toward the lakes.  Set up camp at Tortilla Flat CG – just in time, since you need to buy a permit at the shop across the street and it closes at 6.  Then headed back toward town to pick up a cell signal since I was expecting a call from B.M., who lives in PHX and whose mom was visiting.  There was no message and since I was halfway back to Apache Junction, I kept going and got Taco Bell and firewood at Fry’s.  Back at camp had a smoky fire and read part of The Time Machine.

11/25/2009 Wednesday

Up fairly early, tossed camp in car.  Hemmed on which way to go, decided to go back to AJ.  A hike left from the marina nearby that I’ve done before with Erin Gleeson.  Back to AJ and toward Globe.  Really pretty.  Stopped at a mexi-café in Superior with all the cop cars out from – it was excellent.  Chorizo, eggs, hash browns… even Kirkland Signature green tea.  Up the road to Globe-Miami: absolutely beautiful.  Rocky canyons, volcanic rocks but granite too.  Windy road – would be super-fun with the Mazda.  Would be super-fun period.  So many trails, canyons, lakes… in Globe we parked at the bottom of Broad St, the main historic drag, and walked the street.  It needs some sprucing up, to say the least.  It could use more.  Then we drove around Globe looking for the good neighborhood but failing to find any.  Stopped at Chamber of Commerce and got a huge helping of literature and info that there is no good neighborhoods.  Managed to insult the lady there at the same time, I think.  Poor planning creeped in here – drove back out toward Miami, overshot turn-off for the Haunted Canyon hike I wanted to do, pushed on to Oak Flat Campground, set up camp, drove back and found HC road through BHP mine dumps.  Once past the dumps a really neat, very remote-feeling area.  Saw no one on the mine roads or forest roads.  It was getting late-in-the-day spooky.  Found trailhead and started off with low expectations.  The trail was awesome.  Vegatated and close down low, it opened up the higher we got into a delightful grassy saddle.  Views into the next canyon – no roads, no nothing.  Felt very remote.  Footprints but no other signs of anyone else.  Got a couple of mt lion scares on the trail – but nothing real that I actually saw.  Poor planning again, we drove out back to Globe area to hit the Safeway for some food and beer, then back to Oak Flat.  Note: big Safeway cheese bagel and a fifth-pound of sliced turkey make an excellent post-hike meal.  Yum.  The big bottle of Guinness was good too but the sandwich really took it.  Had a nice hot campfire with wood collected in Haunted Canyon.  Read more of The Time Machine and slept pretty good, although it was gusty windy.

11/26/09 Thursday

Up and out of camp, into Globe.  Took 77 N instead of 80 toward TR Lake as planned.  Whoops.  But 77 toward Show Low is really, really lovely and beautiful terrain.  Wow.  Wow.  Maybe my favorite place in the world.  Turned around a little shy of Salt River Canyon, back to Globe then on toward Tucson on 77 S via Winkelman and Oracle.  I never remember this route being so beautiful, with the rock and cacti and the mines and ramshackle homesteads.  I continue to fall in love with Arizona.  Daydreaming about [a job] in [an AZ town] the entire way back, building up my future potential life in my mind.  Tucson around 11 AM, to the Flesches.  They were around, prepping for the Tgiving dinner.  I ran to store to get wine and cider.  People began to show up close to 6 PM.  The main crowd was Erik, Sara, Sebastian, and Jen, his GF.  Me and the dogs.  Later, Jennifer (new entymology PhD) and Mary T showed up.  Good times were had by all.  Food was good.  After much food and drinking Erik started a fire outside.  We stood around talking and dodging smoke for many hours.  Eventually Seb and Jen left and then other Jen left, around 2 am.  Erik and I stayed out there until 3:30 am.

11/27/2009 Friday

Slept in a bit, got up and cleaned up a bit around the Flesch palace and did some dishes.  Around noon Erik and I set off for a hill/mountain near his house – Deception Mountain.  It looked much closer and lower than it turned out to be.  We set out cross-country – first in a wash and later across the hillside toward the peak.  After several stops to rest and enjoy the views of Tucson we made it to the base of the cliffs that led to the top of the mountain.  We poked around and found a scramble route that brought us nearly to the top.  There was no going further without some serious fall exposure, so we called it good enough.  After enjoying the peak a bit we headed down the trail that skirted the base of the cliffs.  This trail eventually deposited us at an interesting little open-to-the-public chapel complex near the end of Scenic Drive.  As the sun set we hiked back “home” through the desert.

11/28/2009 Saturday

Said our goodbyes and rolled from Erik and Sara’s around 9 am.  Headed down to the U of A campus and walked all around.  A beautiful place, lots of neat plants and pretty buildings.  The desert-ness of the place makes it very unlike Houston, even when you’re in the city.  Got coffee for the Fabs at the Chocolate Iguana and went to visit Dr. O at his rented house on the west side of town.  Had a lunch of leftovers and chatted for a couple hours.  Seriously considered staying another night.  The early afternoon weather was wonderful, breezy and in the mid 70s, absolutely perfect.  Finally I reluctantly got in the car and onto I-10, heading east.  It seemed like it would never get dark but I new dusk was only a few hours away.  I decided to skip to Chirichuas and head straight for Kilbourne Hole.  Cut off I-10 to drive NM 9 through the beautiful, empty quarter of extreme southern NM.  Came across a little state park (Pancho Villa) in Columbus, NM, which isn’t even a town, really.  It rained most of the night.  Next morning was remarkable as the rain let up but the clouds hung low draped across the plains and the isolated mountains.  Some mountains surprising big, and make to look bigger as they were enshrouded in cloud.  Lovely territory, at least right after a rainstorm.

11/19/2009 Sunday

Found Kilbourne Hole but couldn’t find the xenolith locality.  Poor planning!  Walked around a bit with Sabkha and tried a few places, but got anxious to leave and finally set off almost empty-handed.  Back via El Paso… a long drive, arrived home at 11:30 PM.  Felt good to be back in Houston.

Kitchen Refurb, Day Two

Kitchen Refurb, Day One

The Workers arrived at noon today.  At first I just wanted the cabinets repainted white.  But I also want new countertops at some time in the near future.  Countertop removal can ruin paint job, so countertops had to go, along with store, vent hood, and sink.  Quite a change in only five hours!

A Swamp Adventure

A cold, rainy Sunday afternoon is a rare treat in Houston.  After a day full of chores and other work -- like working on the final paper to come forth from my PhD dissertation -- Sabkha and I frolicked over to the Barker-Clodine parking lot.  It was in the upper 40s with intermittent light rain.  We set off from the deserted parking area north through a flooded stretch of woods.  Luckily I was wearing my waterproof hiking boots as we waded through about 3" of dark, spooky water.  After 100 feet the woods opened up into a large field dotted with clumps of trees here and there.  The field is occasionally mowed by the park service -- but lord only knows why.  Occasionally in the past I've seen equestrians riding their equines around this field, but it certainly isn't set up as a track or anything.  Regardless, it's a nice area to romp around.  Due to the recent rains (and snows), the field was dotted with puddly areas a few inches deep.  Sabkha ran around sniffing.  I like the open field as a Sabkha play area because I can keep an eye on her and give her a zap if needed to bring her back in line.  She tends to get into trouble when we're in thick woods where I can't see her.  If she spots something and runs after it, I often catch this too late to halt her chase.

 

Without this in mind, we entered the thin woods at the edge of the field and struck out roughly to the north, in the direction of Buffalo Bayou, which snakes across the reservoir.  The woods became increasingly thick as we weaved our way deeper among the branches.  Sabkha bounced around ahead of me, sniffing everything and generally excited.  This was her first time out and about since our trip last week to Arizona.  She needed to let off some steam.

We came upon a drainage ditch that was filled with water and clearly drained into the bayou, although there was no discernible flow.  As I examined the ditch and considered how to cross it, Sabkha saw something interesting in the woods on the other side.  In a single leap she bounded over the ditch and was off at full speed.  A few crucial seconds passed as I realized what was happening.  I grabbed for the shock remote but it was too little, too late.  Sabkha quickly passed out of audible range in pursuit of who-knows-what.  I was left standing in the woods, suddenly quiet, alongside the drainage ditch.  The dark, tannic waters magnified the submerged, rotting leaves and suddenly looked sinister.  I was all alone in these woods -- this swamp -- where I've seen hoards of wild boars, coyotes, a huge bobcat and countless snakes.  The rain began to fall harder and then came in cold sheets, and every breeze stirred the almost-bare trees, causing them to send a tinkling cascade of droplets to splash onto the wet ground.  This sounded very much like an approaching dog pushing through the brush, but I waited in vain.  Suddenly it seemed to be growing dark as I stood in place, calling over and over for Sabkha.  "Sab!"  "Sabkha!"  "Sabber, come!".  There was no sound apart from the wind and the falling rain.  I checked my watch and decided to give her another quarter-hour: until 5 PM.  Then I would start the trudge back to the field and back to the car.  Maybe she would follow my trail back; maybe she would be waiting at the car; maybe she would be found the next day by a bicyclist along the path through the park.  I continued to call, and just as the minute hand of my watch moved to point straight up and indicate 5:00, I heard the far-off but unmistakable sound of the jingling of dog tags.  I caught the sound then lost it, doubting myself.  Then I heard it again and was sure this time.  Sabkha emerged from the brush, slinking, head down, pretending to be ashamed of herself for disregarding my commands.  I scolded her but found my anger alloyed with relief at having her back alive and well.

With a close eye on Sabkha, we marched back through the woods to the open field.  Now my jeans were drenched and sticking to my legs, making it difficult to walk.  The rain continued and one got a sense that the water was rising, all around -- after all, this is a reservoir, it's designed to flood, I thought.  We explored the perimeter of the giant tree-dotted field, then struck off at a diagonal back to the path and followed it back to the parking lot, where a single silver Subaru sat parked, still looking like brand-new from a few hundred feet away.

Travel Advice

Planning is key.  Sounds backwards but isn't.  If you don't plan ahead you don't know how to get around, when things are open, or how much things will cost.  Once in Egypt we missed the "last bus of the day" by 10 minutes and had to wait 24 hours by the side of the road for the next bus.  Dumb!  A little planning and we could have saved 24 hours of sightseeing time.  Don't need minute-by-min plan but a general idea, especially of how to get around (train? car? bicycle? when is the next train, and the one after that?) and where you are going to stay.  My #1 rule of travel is: always figure out where you're going to stay in advance or at least by morning.  If you don't have a place to stay that night you tend to have it on your mind all day, can't enjoy what you're doing.  After having spent a few nights on the streets I always have sleeping plans nailed down ASAP for the following night.

The best way to travel cheap is probably to go by bicycle.  Actually walking is probably cheaper but it is much, much slower.  In Europe you can bike around and stay in campgrounds.  Probably overall cost half or one third the cost of typical train and hotel/hostel travel.  Plus you might tend to meet more people in campground vs. cooped up in hotel.

I've never done extreme cheap travelling.. except in Egypt.  In fact, the top rule of cheap traveling to avoid developed countries.  You can live and eat well in Egypt or Thailand or Vietnam for a few dollars a day, room and board.  If you really want to see a lot of the world, and new things, I would stick to places like that.  Get your vaccines!

Skills for traveling.  Rick Steves has a lot of good stuff, but his audience is frugal Lutheran middle-aged types.  Also his focus is almost entirely on Europe, an expensive destination no matter what.  So you have to take the advice that applies to you and ignore the other stuff.  He is not a "shoestring" travel expert, and not an expert on the third world.

Other "rules": always get the best map you can, as soon as you can (Tourist office, usually at train stations); if you're lost, immediately ask for help (in friendly countries, at least); don't be afraid to ask a million questions about anything (like the food you're ordering) -- get good at acting things out, like chicken or fish; use a money belt; carry as little as possible (Rick Steves has a good list).

Travel can be pretty stressful sometimes.  I don't know how you do it, but it's nice to have "break" days were you don't have pressure to go, go, go and see, see, see.  Also it's best to stay at hotels for at least two nights at a time.  Otherwise you only set your backpack down for 8 or 10 hours, which gets to be a drag.

Hmm, I think that's plenty for now.  Stick to 3rd world and your money will last.  Europe or Japan will cost you at least $50 a day, probably more like $75+ if you use trains and go for the sights. 

Asia... I'd get a guidebook for each place you want to go.  I guess Lonely Planet has the best coverage.  It's worth the $20 or so per country - best purchase you'll ever make.  Get the newest copies you can find.

Mostly if you stay "on the beaten track" you shouldn't have too much trouble.  For example: If you fly into some main city, and you want to go to some temple, it will probably be in your guide.  It will say "buses for the Umbagawa Temple leave from the east side of the city square, about once per hour.  Most have a large blue sign.".  Mostly if you show up in approximately the correct area, the locals will recognize you as a foreigner and guide you in the right direction, assuming you must be there because you want to get to Umbagawa Temple.  Also, this is where it's very useful to know a few words of the local language.  Even if you are nowhere near conversant, knowing "please", "thank you", etc, is very useful and pays dividends.  So the night before your trek to Umbagawa Temple, learn the local word for Umbagawa, how to pronounce it, and maybe learn the local word for bus.  Put the two words together and you will eventually get on the right bus.  When you do, if you have even the slightest doubt as to whether it's the correct bus, be sure to ask the driver "Umbagawa Temple?" and open your guidebook and show him a picture of the temple. 

Everywhere you go, you will find some English speakers.  In places where not much English is spoken, they will often approach you, either to practice their English, because they like foreigners, or just for the novelty of speaking to you.  Many people the world over know a few words of English.  Once you know a few words of their language you won't have much trouble getting around. 

If you're really worried about not being able to communicate some key piece of information, like "I cannot eat chicken", or "I'm allergic to peanuts", then take the time on the plane or in the evening in the hotel/hostel to write it out in local language, by referring to the language section in the back of your guidebook.  Even better, most hotel front desk people in touristy hotels will speak some English.  Have them write your question/concern in the local language, and you can flash the paper the next day when you need to find the bus or when you're ordering and want to avoid the fried monkey brain.

Finally, a relaxed attitude helps.  If you can't find the bus to Umbagawa, don't get too worked up -- maybe explore the town instead, or head into the hills, or whatever.  Backup plans are nice, even if just a vague idea.  When my plans to rent a car in Fussen, Germany fell through, I was annoyed for about 15 minutes, but then I adjusted by attitude and wandered the lovely little riverside town, following a walking tour outlined in my guidebook.  I ended up at a hilltop castle overlooking the city and listened to bells toll as the sun set.  It was one of the highlights of my trip.

Lastly, wherever you go you will likely meet a lot of other travelers, especially Germans (they're everywhere) and Americans, Aussies, etc.  Hostels are great places to share info in the evening.  Whatever they did today can be what you do tomorrow -- except now you're armed with all their tips, how to get there, how much it cost, watch out for the monkeys they will pull your beard and steal all your food.