Making the Best

I've been making the best of the trails that are open after the Las Conchas Fire.   It's been very hot except for the last few days (thank you, God!) and the trails that are open are hot, dusty and shadeless.   But I figure it's good heat conditioning for the next time I run a marathon in Death Valley - NOT EVER!!

The monsoon has been happening more reliably in Los Alamos lately.  Not so much at our house since we're further from the mountains but at least it's been cooler inside the past two evenings.  I love the cloud cover!  It's odd, though, that so far there hasn't been much lightning with the rain. But that's good because we don't need another wildfire!

I noticed on Kwage Mesa that the drought has stunted the New Mexico locusts which is welcome.    That's the only good feature but can think of tremendously long list of bad!  No wonder the ancient puebloan Indians moved to the Rio Grande when drought struck the Pajarito Plateau during their time!  Living in the Pacific Northwest is sounding better to me all the time!

This is what's open:  White Rock Canyon Rim Trail, Bayo Canyon, Pueblo Canyon, Kwage Mesa, Canyon Rim Trail, Pueblo Canyon Rim Trail, Quemazon Nature Trail, section of North Perimeter Trail from Mitchell trailhead to just north of Quemazon Community, the trails behind the Walkup Center, Tsankawi, Burnt Mesa and Tyuonyi Overlook (the latter 3 in Bandelier National Monument).  It's good that these are open but I viscerally miss hiking Pajarito Mountain!

Stultified

Thoughts I had the whilst walking on Canyon Road one weekend night, listening to South by Southwest's Deep in the West, a magical waltz song, on their Deep in the West CD:  Wouldn't it be lovely to have a man to waltz with under the full moon?  I once was very interested in learning how to dance, both ballroom and folk dance.  I enjoyed the music and movement immensely although I never became an expert.  Somehow, that weekend night, it just seemed like a wonderful idea to waltz under the moonlight.  As it was, just walking while listening to the beautiful music of South by Southwest intoxicated me and, yes, I shamelessly sang along!  Then, to top off all my longing, as I approached home, I saw a man and dog slip across the Main Hill Road to walk the Canyon Rim Trail in the moonlight and I wished so much then that at least if I didn't have a man who would waltz with me in the moonlight that I'd have one who'd walk with me in the moonlight!