Did I Leave the Stove On? And Other Insidious Thoughts

A few notes before I explore the beautiful green spine, and some dusty brown back hairs, of the American West.

• Every 4th of July and New Year's Eve I rant and rave about guns going off in the South Valley. I posted about it last New Year's, and said something about Darwin awards and physics. Well, this 4th o' July the wife and I stood outside placating horses and goats (we're up to two goats now, perhaps more about that later), and didn't notice hearing any fully automatic weapons fire. Now it's tough to discern fireworks from weapons fire, especially as the neighborhood did have that Gaza Strip atmosphere for about four hours, but we didn't hear any distinctive 50 round clips that we recognize. And we have years of experience here in the SV listening to them. So...tentatively, I say "good show" South Valley drunken gun enthusiasts! Hopefully you're not just saving up bullets for next New Year's.

• We in ABQ missed this afternoon's deluge and really need one or two more Jonestown flood-level downpours tonight or tomorrow before things go all drought and obscurely named fire stories again. Meanwhile, as a dedicated Weather Underground radar watcher, I can attest that it has rained approximately 150 inches in Socorro since Monday. I have no "data" to support this, but everything from Los Lunas south through Socorro County has shown various shades of green and red on the NEXRAD since I got back in town some days ago. Here's what it looks like as I write....

• Like a golfer trying to body lean a wayward iron shot back to the green, I am leaning and head-lifting these storms to go North and slightly East ("get legs....get legs"). Sorry non-golfers for the arcane and idiotic analogy.

• I want to thank all again all the people who have sent me information on water issues in ABQ/NM. Intriguingly interesting and deliciously dense. Today, the plan for my next graduate degree is in Hydrogeology. I then hope to corner the water market, Lex Luthor style, like Bill Turner. Maybe I'll even have a secret lair like Dr. Evil. And a scar. Bald would be good, as well as some Steve Lacy/Chairman Mao-esque leisure suits. Bwahahahahahaha!

• I would, of course, need some ill-tempered sea bass. Naturally.

• Okay, I promise to stop making arcane references to Austin Powers, jazz soprano saxophone players, Chinese dictators and locally controversial professionally trained hydrogeologists. I also promise to stop using the word arcane.

• In further attempts to inadequately train for my upcoming participation in Tour de Wyoming, I biked to the summit of Pajarito hill yesterday. It's the home of the "Southwest Landfill", a delightful view annihilated by plentiful dumptrucks and overstuffed pickups losing soon-to-be-officially discarded ugly-ass sofas and such. Given the large smelly trucks, unsightly home furninshings and bumpy, hilly road surface it's quite the recreational ride. But my dedication knows no bounds, as long as that boundlessness does not exceed 90 minutes in length. Unfortunately, there are days of the Tour de Wyoming in which I am supposed to ride OVER 90 MILES, at times while cresting mountain passes of over 9,000 in elevation. Thank God/Goddess/Probability for SAG wagons...and defibrillators.
  

This graphic is too small to make any sense, but basically it depicts Day 2 of "Tour de Wyoming"
in which riders are supposed to climb 5,000 feet while covering 65 miles. Gulp.

Now time to do some packing (where is that home defibrillator?), as I bid a fond adieu to Burque Babble for a bit. During my travels I may geek out and post from an Internet Cafe in Pinedale, Wyoming or some such, but generally speaking Babble will be gloriously silent for the next couple of weeks. Regular readers are encouraged to seek psychiatric care..just kidding! Seriously, those great, and very, very few folks who make Burque Babble a part of their day are encouraged to get outside, climb a mountain and/or breathe deep the wonderful fresh air of our more remote outdoors. Yes, leave the laptop at home. Yes, you will actually be offline during this time. No, you do not need psychatric counseling in order to be prepared for your time offline. Really. Calm down.

Whatever it is you're doing until next time...have fun! I'll have a full report upon my return, possibly including what it feels like to be brought back to life with a defibrillation unit.