There is an ad for something on TV these days portraying children asking the the question that probably was first heard on the Mayflower, and has been voiced by every child (and many adults) on every trip since.
Being the gifted philosopher/linguist (English only) that I am, I can answer the question: No. Not only are we not "there yet," we will never be "there." Ever. You see, where ever we are, is "here." When the destination is reached, the leader of the expedition (driver, father, whoever) gleefully announces "We're here!"
"There" is someplace else. "Here" is where we are.
The paradox, of course, is that of perspective. I am here. But, you, are there. You think of yourself as here. And you think of me as there. We are both (all) correct.
And you thought time travel presented problems. (It does, or did, or will.)
On another topic, I have started to read J.K. Rowling's first adult targeted novel, "The Casual Vacancy." She says it was a story she felt the need to tell. That's how the wealthiest author in history explains why she is still motivated to "work." So far, this is a story that I might soon give up on, except that it is written by Rowling, so I will "muggle" through and try to finish it. Maybe.
Saturday, September 29, 2012
Friday, September 21, 2012
Arizona has this place...
...called the Grand Canyon.
Margie's husband, Dave, along with his sister and brother took a hike into this place on Monday. They were due out at noon on Thursday. Five miles from where they went in. So, they knew that when they got out, they would be too tired, hot, blistered, worn out, to hike five miles back where they left their van. So I went with Margie to ferry the van to the take out point. For both of us, it was just an excuse to go to the Grand Canyon. You see, even thought we live in Arizona, it is a BIG state, and we don't just drop in on the Canyon as often as one might think.
We arrived right on time. We were to allow three hours beyond the due time in case they were more tired, hot, blistered, worn out than expected, and took longer. After all, it is all uphill from the Colorado River to anywhere on the rim. Margie and I enjoyed the absolutely gorgeous day finding various vantage points to sit and look at the Canyon. The Creator of the Canyon did a fine job of selecting a wide range of complementary colors with which to decorate the walls. He even allowed them to mix in random ways to create even more colors, then threw in some plants to soften the whole effect with shades of green that were somehow not present in the rocks, themselves. Turkey vultures, ravens, and hawks played on the updrafts for our further entertainment.
When the hikers finally emerged, more than four hours late, tired, hot, blistered, worn out, we found a Mexican food restaurant, had dinner, and drove home in the dark. But first, we were treated to an up close viewing of elk who wanted to cross our road.
Any day out is a success when you combine great views with wildlife.
The hikers were at the bottom of this canyon in the foreground, but we couldn't see them.
Margie took these photos with her phone. If I had known, I would have sucked in my gut and smiled.
Margie's husband, Dave, along with his sister and brother took a hike into this place on Monday. They were due out at noon on Thursday. Five miles from where they went in. So, they knew that when they got out, they would be too tired, hot, blistered, worn out, to hike five miles back where they left their van. So I went with Margie to ferry the van to the take out point. For both of us, it was just an excuse to go to the Grand Canyon. You see, even thought we live in Arizona, it is a BIG state, and we don't just drop in on the Canyon as often as one might think.
We arrived right on time. We were to allow three hours beyond the due time in case they were more tired, hot, blistered, worn out than expected, and took longer. After all, it is all uphill from the Colorado River to anywhere on the rim. Margie and I enjoyed the absolutely gorgeous day finding various vantage points to sit and look at the Canyon. The Creator of the Canyon did a fine job of selecting a wide range of complementary colors with which to decorate the walls. He even allowed them to mix in random ways to create even more colors, then threw in some plants to soften the whole effect with shades of green that were somehow not present in the rocks, themselves. Turkey vultures, ravens, and hawks played on the updrafts for our further entertainment.
When the hikers finally emerged, more than four hours late, tired, hot, blistered, worn out, we found a Mexican food restaurant, had dinner, and drove home in the dark. But first, we were treated to an up close viewing of elk who wanted to cross our road.
Any day out is a success when you combine great views with wildlife.
Thursday, September 13, 2012
The drive home
Going home the long way was worth every extra minute.
If you haven't driven The Coronado Trail, aka US 191, from Alpine to Morenci lately, you should.
Right now there are wildflowers in more profusion than one can imagine. Virtually every open space created by the Wallow Fire, highway cuts, or natural are filled with yellow. Daisies, sage, sun flowers, brittlebush, etc. Also, Indian paintbrush, bluebells, penstemon, and lots I don't know. But, one surprise I know well: fireweed! I did not know fireweed grew here, having never seen it before. It is smaller than the Giant Fireweed in Yukon, and larger than Dwarf Fireweed in Alaska, so, is it Regular Fireweed? It is later in the year than fireweed season in Yukon. By now all those have gone to cotton and the leaves are showing red-orange. Here, in Arizona's high country they are in full magenta bloom.
Aside from that, we saw a pretty little doe with extremely cute fawns. The two fawns appear to be way too young for this time of year. We saw several hawks soaring on the thermals or perched in trees. And we got a truly SPECTACULAR view from Blue Vista. This is probably the best-located view point on any highway, anywhere.You can see forever in a 300degree sweep. And nowhere can you see the imprint of man. Mountains and canyons one after another until the farthest literally fade into the sky. Thunderheads rising 30,000 feet from the bases above the mountain tops.
The living forest is as beautiful as ever, the fire ravaged forest is hauntingly beautiful in its own right, the flowers are breathtaking, the mountains and canyons beyond description. Even the open-pit Morenci mine exposes more colors in the rock than could otherwise be seen. After several hours of driving on the nearly deserted highway, encountering the mine and the town of Morenci is like entering an ant hill. Vehicles moving helter skelter but in a carefully choreographed dance with purpose in every turn.
I should point out that we were driving south. Of the times we have driven this road, we could only remember having gone south once before. We always go north. South is the better way. North is good. It will take your breath away. But south is exponentially better. You can forget about breathing. Except you have to take a breath periodically so you can keep saying "Oh My God!!"
If you haven't driven The Coronado Trail, aka US 191, from Alpine to Morenci lately, you should.
Right now there are wildflowers in more profusion than one can imagine. Virtually every open space created by the Wallow Fire, highway cuts, or natural are filled with yellow. Daisies, sage, sun flowers, brittlebush, etc. Also, Indian paintbrush, bluebells, penstemon, and lots I don't know. But, one surprise I know well: fireweed! I did not know fireweed grew here, having never seen it before. It is smaller than the Giant Fireweed in Yukon, and larger than Dwarf Fireweed in Alaska, so, is it Regular Fireweed? It is later in the year than fireweed season in Yukon. By now all those have gone to cotton and the leaves are showing red-orange. Here, in Arizona's high country they are in full magenta bloom.
Aside from that, we saw a pretty little doe with extremely cute fawns. The two fawns appear to be way too young for this time of year. We saw several hawks soaring on the thermals or perched in trees. And we got a truly SPECTACULAR view from Blue Vista. This is probably the best-located view point on any highway, anywhere.You can see forever in a 300degree sweep. And nowhere can you see the imprint of man. Mountains and canyons one after another until the farthest literally fade into the sky. Thunderheads rising 30,000 feet from the bases above the mountain tops.
The living forest is as beautiful as ever, the fire ravaged forest is hauntingly beautiful in its own right, the flowers are breathtaking, the mountains and canyons beyond description. Even the open-pit Morenci mine exposes more colors in the rock than could otherwise be seen. After several hours of driving on the nearly deserted highway, encountering the mine and the town of Morenci is like entering an ant hill. Vehicles moving helter skelter but in a carefully choreographed dance with purpose in every turn.
I should point out that we were driving south. Of the times we have driven this road, we could only remember having gone south once before. We always go north. South is the better way. North is good. It will take your breath away. But south is exponentially better. You can forget about breathing. Except you have to take a breath periodically so you can keep saying "Oh My God!!"
Tuesday, September 11, 2012
Caught up
Tuesday, Sept 11, 2012
Last evening, as I was preparing to grill meat for dinner, Peggie asked me to go to the truck and check the temperature. When I walked over there, I happened to look across the meadow to the east. The tree line of aspens there is about 3/4 of a mile away across the grass and slightly uphill. In the time we have been parked here, I have looked that way a lot. There was something different. I checked through binoculars and saw a bull elk with two cows and two calves. We had previously heard keening from that direction after dark, but had not seen elk until now. We have walked over there twice and driven once. The forest behind the aspens is impenetrable due to dead fall. But apparently the elk don't find it to be.
All evening until bedtime, we heard keening from at least four bulls off to the east and south both near and far. We also heard the coyotes again, and thought the wolves howled at least once.
It was a nice way to end our adventures in these mountains this summer.
There are now several posts with today's date. They were written while we were in the woods with no web access. So we are now caught up.
We are headed back to Tucson tomorrow. We intend to take the scenic route down US 191 to I-10.
We are leaving the trailer here in Eagar until we decide we need it again. We may get a chance to come up here when fall colors are blazing.
Last evening, as I was preparing to grill meat for dinner, Peggie asked me to go to the truck and check the temperature. When I walked over there, I happened to look across the meadow to the east. The tree line of aspens there is about 3/4 of a mile away across the grass and slightly uphill. In the time we have been parked here, I have looked that way a lot. There was something different. I checked through binoculars and saw a bull elk with two cows and two calves. We had previously heard keening from that direction after dark, but had not seen elk until now. We have walked over there twice and driven once. The forest behind the aspens is impenetrable due to dead fall. But apparently the elk don't find it to be.
All evening until bedtime, we heard keening from at least four bulls off to the east and south both near and far. We also heard the coyotes again, and thought the wolves howled at least once.
It was a nice way to end our adventures in these mountains this summer.
There are now several posts with today's date. They were written while we were in the woods with no web access. So we are now caught up.
We are headed back to Tucson tomorrow. We intend to take the scenic route down US 191 to I-10.
We are leaving the trailer here in Eagar until we decide we need it again. We may get a chance to come up here when fall colors are blazing.
Glow in the dark
Mon. Sept. 10, 2012
We heard the elk keening again after dark last night. The sound was coming from the meadow to our south. So we got in the truck and drove that way trying to see them in our headlights. No luck. They must have been farther away.
But we discovered that the blue needles on blue spruce glow in the headlights like a white shirt in black light.
Who knew?
We heard the elk keening again after dark last night. The sound was coming from the meadow to our south. So we got in the truck and drove that way trying to see them in our headlights. No luck. They must have been farther away.
But we discovered that the blue needles on blue spruce glow in the headlights like a white shirt in black light.
Who knew?
Popcorn rain tm
I hereby officially coin the term "popcorn rain."
You all know what I mean. The rain starts with a DROP then another DROP. Then two DROP...DROP............DROP.......DROP DROP DROP........DROPDROP. ..DROPDROPDROPDROPOPOPDROPOPOPOPOPPPPPPPPP. Maybe you get some hail, then the whole thing is gone with everything in reverse order like it is time to dump the popper pan.
We didn't have that today. Oh, it started like that, but it went on and on and on until water couldn't get off the road fast enough. We were on a drive on some of the almost roads that run through the forest all around us. We had just gone through our third gate when Peggie said to look at the clouds. She predicted we were in for a downpour. She was right. Luckily, during the height of it, when we could barely see far enough to continue driving, the next fence we came to had a cattle guard instead of a gate.
The drive took two hours, and we covered exactly ten miles. That's what I mean by almost roads.
You all know what I mean. The rain starts with a DROP then another DROP. Then two DROP...DROP............DROP.......DROP DROP DROP........DROPDROP. ..DROPDROPDROPDROPOPOPDROPOPOPOPOPPPPPPPPP. Maybe you get some hail, then the whole thing is gone with everything in reverse order like it is time to dump the popper pan.
We didn't have that today. Oh, it started like that, but it went on and on and on until water couldn't get off the road fast enough. We were on a drive on some of the almost roads that run through the forest all around us. We had just gone through our third gate when Peggie said to look at the clouds. She predicted we were in for a downpour. She was right. Luckily, during the height of it, when we could barely see far enough to continue driving, the next fence we came to had a cattle guard instead of a gate.
The drive took two hours, and we covered exactly ten miles. That's what I mean by almost roads.
You turkeys!
Sat. Sept. 8, 2012
Last night I had to once again crawl out of my nice warm bed, get dressed and go into the cold, dark night. This time it was to tighten the awning that was being snapped by the wind. Now, understand that we heard coyotes yipping nearby when we were going to bed, and those re-introduced wolves are around somewhere, but I didn't mind. I am so brave!
This morning when it was actually time to get up, the rain and wind had stopped, but it was still overcast. When I stepped outside with my hands full of breakfast fixin's (we find it is less messy if we fry bacon outside) I spotted a flock of turkeys in what we call our front yard. They saw me, or heard me, and began heading for the tree line. By the time Peggie responded to my call, they were well on their way and disappeared pretty quickly. We estimated twenty or so, with about a third of them juveniles.
So here's a big THANK YOU to all you from-the-cities noise makers who have left our woods so we can enjoy the natural wildlife.
Last night I had to once again crawl out of my nice warm bed, get dressed and go into the cold, dark night. This time it was to tighten the awning that was being snapped by the wind. Now, understand that we heard coyotes yipping nearby when we were going to bed, and those re-introduced wolves are around somewhere, but I didn't mind. I am so brave!
This morning when it was actually time to get up, the rain and wind had stopped, but it was still overcast. When I stepped outside with my hands full of breakfast fixin's (we find it is less messy if we fry bacon outside) I spotted a flock of turkeys in what we call our front yard. They saw me, or heard me, and began heading for the tree line. By the time Peggie responded to my call, they were well on their way and disappeared pretty quickly. We estimated twenty or so, with about a third of them juveniles.
So here's a big THANK YOU to all you from-the-cities noise makers who have left our woods so we can enjoy the natural wildlife.
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