It was after Labor Day and all the Texans had gone home. When I arrived at the parking lot, I was all alone. There was no one on the trail. As hot as it was (90 °F), at least the air was dry, and I even had a breeze. Low humidity plus moving air means [...]
Nature
Taos Valley Overlook (of course) on a recent evening
No, we’re not exactly underwater here, although Albuquerque got hit with a monster storm the other day. But there hasn’t been a summer like this for a few years. The way it works (when it does work) in the desert southwest is, humid air sweeps up from Mexico and we have thunderstorms in the afternoon [...]
Comin’ through!
There’s the second one (in front)! I’m still reeling from the experience I had Monday, when I was able to sit down and be a part of this scene. There’s so much that’s right about this, I hardly know where to start. First, that it happened at all. Second, that it happened to me: a [...]
How old is the feeling, how old?
At the turnaround point of a walk in the terrible high desert, with the sun in my face and the air blowing cool in a great soaring sky, I lifted my water bottle to take a drink. It had already been an astonishing day. My eyes made a casual sweep of the small valley beyond [...]
You can see the Pedernal up there. It’s 70 miles away in a straight line!
The only place I seem to go these days is Taos Valley Overlook. I can’t help it. Just look at this: I can be here in 10 minutes from where we live. There’s nobody else around. I can do whatever I want. Wipe my ass. Pee in the sage. Walk off and die. And check [...]
.png)