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Well, the weekend of the great hunting trip came and went. Reviving the old trailer seemed like a good idea, so we bought a set of tires (the old ones being having seen little service, but many winters). The thriving black market in South Tucson furnished us used ones for $25 a copy (cash only, no taxes, no receipts, and no questions asked). Replacing the tires seemed like a reasonable idea, but there was a shock when the time came to renew the license. No longer does the state collect $15 for one year's use of their roads, but rather $75 for the life of the trailer. For a shiny new one, that is probably a great deal, but given my trailers age and the ratio of ferrous metal to ferric oxide (iron to rust) in the pieces that comprise it, that probably wasn't a particularly good investment. Still, there wasn't a lot of choice if we wanted to get on the road again... Nathen and I also rewired the lights, a job that took the better part of a day. Eventually we made all the globes glow in the dark (and the daylight too), at least until it came time to use them. At that point, the dark side of the force kicked in, and amid smoke and burning electrical components, Nathen lost the tail (and dash) lights in his Bronco. Based on my study of electricity and magnetism, I concluded (while I was still in college) that electrical devices are actually magic. All things considered, Nathen's choice to study mechanical (and not electrical) engineering was probably a wise one.
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In 1971, I bought my first automobile. I had just returned from Brazil, and landed my first real job (as a food scientist with Carnation Company). I borrowed a car from my father, moved my meager possessions (stored stuff tends to shrink) to Van Nuyes, California, and returned the vehicle a couple of weeks later (in the process performing major repairs on a hot engine by the side of the freeway, as the sun was setting, using only a screwdriver and a pair of pliers [but that is another story for another day]). Having saved my nickels and dimes from the first few paychecks, I felt ready buy a vehicle, and began frequenting used car lots within bicycle riding radius. Being young and foolish, I was attracted to a shiny blue MG Midget with a price tag of about $600 (at the time, slightly less than a months take home pay for a chemist). The deal was consummated on Dec 30, and after work on Dec 31 (the start of a three day weekend) I departed, bound for Salt Lake City. About 80 miles south of Provo (at about 0200 hours), my engine decided to change careers and become a boat anchor. A four hour/eleven mile walk through the frozen snow by the light of a full moon (actually one of the most beautiful scenes I have witnessed), brought me to a town with a phone, and I called my Grandfather's brother (Uncle Elmer), who rescued me and towed my (somewhat wilted) prized possession to his house in Springville. The story goes on, but the point of this somewhat convoluted tale is that, based on previous experience, I should have known better than to attempt what we did on this trip. Relying on newly acquired equipment without first performing a thorough shakedown run is somewhat less than brilliant (as illustrated above). I think of myself as a prudent individual, and seeing a sign like this one as you head into wild country (particularly when you do not know exact distance to your destination) should have caused a prudent individual to take stock of available resources and perhaps procure a little extra in case of emergency. But somehow, I failed to make the connection.
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We camped near an old corral, in a relatively secluded spot (that a week hence during deer season will undoubtedly house at least 50 people). About 120 yards away was a small pond, the temporary home of five ducks.
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There was some rough country in this area, but we only viewed it from a distance. It would be fun to spend some time there and become more intimately acquainted with the terrain.
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There was not much cactus around our campsite (no area in Arizona is completely barren of cactus), but the cat claw was ferocious. This claw is actually a modified leaf, but I would be willing to bet it does not perform photosynthesis very efficiently.
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Sabrina thinks she is the reigning bad mitten champion, so she bought equipment to prove her point. Nathen gave he a run for her money, and AJ ran all over everywhere. He was only out done by the dogs.
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The summer rains were supposed to be at least six weeks past, and the autumn days have been really quite nice so I gave little thought to the possibility of rain. Yahoo put the probability at 20% with scattered thundershowers. But I had forgotten that my presence in the outdoors is a powerful catalyst for precipitation. Nathen counted eight times when water started falling out of the sky. Some were inconsequential, but we retired to our vehicles and/or tent on four occasions during the daylight hours, the longest period lasting for about 20 minutes. The ground was such that there was little mud, and when the sky cleared (as the storm cell moved through) it was almost as if it had never rained at all.
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Breakfast was moved back a bit because of these enforced timeouts, but lunch was the only casualty. When I eat biscuits and gravy at 1030, I am not quite ready for Navajo Tacos at noon. The rain did prevent me from posting the menu, and consequently, I forgot what went into each meal. We neglected the cantaloupe for breakfast, and I used three cans of tomato sauce in the lasagna (making it soupy and leaving none for pizza the next day). These were relatively minor inconveniences and I, at least, did not suffer from want of food.
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Even in the midst of the rain, there was sufficient sunshine that those of us who desired, were able to obtain a sunburn. Barbara, Terre, Braxton, and Kyle probably led the list of those who excelled in this category.
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The Ramsay's joined us Saturday, somewhat later than projected. It seems they encountered some difficulties following my directions (go south until you smell it, then east until you step in it). The hair style that Ameilia selected for her daughter is wild, to say the least. When the child becomes a teenager, and looks at these photos... Well, let's just say that things could get interesting. I can't help but wonder what kind of reception she gets with those antenna. |
 
At any rate, we were glad they finally made it. It would have been frustrating to miss a day of work, and not have any exciting stories to tell about it. From her reaction, I suspect that Erica had never seen a noodle maker in action. Further, judging from her expressions, I suspect she didn't believe that any good would come from it. I can't vouch for her liking it, but I do have proof she at least partook. |
I often wonder what impression experiences like this camping trip make on a two-year-old. The earliest vague memory that I can place in time is of daddy and mother getting married (actually of me being left with a babysitter) and I was four when that occured. Still, values (i.e. a sense of right and wrong, and "fair play") are based on experiences, and may be retained even when the memory is not. For example, I cannot remember a time when I didn't know my mother cared for me, but my early memories simply don't contain any basis for that conclusion. Maybe that is the "self-worth," "sense-of-security" thing that psychologist are so fond of babbling about. Ethan has gained some proficiency in the use of the English language, and his current favorite is, "What doing?" If you don't explain your actions in words understandable to him, he listens thoughtfully, then repeats, "What doing?" I can hardly wait until the "Why?" stage. |
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No trip would be complete without a group picture and Sabrina volunteered to be the photographer. She did well on this assignment, but later her pride got the better of her. I followed Nathen all the way home, keeping my lights on the reflectors associated with his tail lamps, hoping to disguise the fact that his were non-functional. Apparently it worked, as no member of the law enforcement community requested that we stop and converse. We dropped Sabrina off at her home, where she assured us she had a key. In fact, she did have a key, but Braxton (who was still in Safford) was holding it for her. After I left, Nathen took her to Karren's house, where she procured the key she had given Symantha. If she would have fessed up at the time, she would have learned that AJ had a key to her house in his pocket. Oh well...
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