| We finally planted our peach trees. At the time of their purchase I had great hopes, but digging holes to accommodate them revealed a potential problem. At a shallow depth (a foot in one case and 18 inches in the other) I encountered decomposed granite, through which I doubt the tree root system will be able to penetrate properly. But, given our limited options, we decided to stick them in the ground and hope for the best. |
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I also re-ran electricity to the shed. The previous electrical system supplied current, but the voltage drop was so great that tool motors barely turned. I have not spent much time using the new system, but a quick check at the end of the installation process suggested that the problem had been remedied. Just for the record, digging through solid rock isn't my idea of "fun." The hammer drill I purchased was some help, but it was still a chore. |
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Aging has some unexpected effects. Instead of just swinging the pick, I spent a fair amount of time calculating the most efficacious location and angle for the pick point to impact (and then muttering deprecations when it missed). In the old days, I could just bang away until the rock gave up from boredom (and in case you are wondering, it takes a lot to bore a rock [no pun intended]). Now that the number of blows I can deliver in a given time has been significantly reduced, the old saw of "work smarter--not harder" has taken on a whole new meaning. |
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| In the desert, spring is an elusive concept, but this may be a picture of it. Normally, spring occurs April 23rd at 2:37 p.m., and summer arrives immediately thereafter. This year we have had more precipitation than usual, which may explain the green hills with snow covered mountains in the background. |
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Saturday 3-6-10, I accomplished a feat that I had previously refused to seriously contemplate. I bicycled to and from Mammoth (and survived to bore you with the gruesome details). I took Highway 77 to Mammoth, then the back road to San Manuel. From there, I returned to Oracle via the route I mapped out in my letter dated 2-7-10. Technical details for those who might be inclined to skepticism are tabulated below. The elevations are from my GPS, which wandered up and down as I tried to read it. I estimate the accuracy to be within plus or minus 25 feet. |
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| The camera case strapped to my chest worked quite well, with one exception. Contrary to my expectations, it was not waterproof and perspiration condensed on the camera back. Another problem was that the camera battery failed after capturing about 25 images. Either it wasn't fully charged or is in its' death throes. |
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I find some of the geology around Mammoth to be fascinating. I would have expected dirt cliffs to be quite unstable, but these don't appear to have eroded much since road was constructed. |
| Barbara is convinced that I am going to be mugged by illegal aliens as I ride the back roads. I have yet to see any, but I did come across this evidence of their presence. |
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I also came across this "spring" gurgling to about 3 feet in the air. While I did not stop to investigate more closely, it appeared to be a designed fitting on a pipeline. How odd... |
| River Road runs parallel to tailings from the now non-existent Magma mill. The size of those dirt piles is impressive, and at some point in the future I would like to spend a little time calculating their volume. It wouldn't surprise me if that figure were in the cubic mile range. |
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This is where River Road crosses the mighty San Pedro River. I coasted through its' raging torrent without pedaling (but would not recommend that at flood stage...). |
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| No bicycle trip would be complete without my obligatory whining about the weather. Contrary to what NOAA may think and promulgate, they are not in charge. In the face of their assurances of unremittant sunshine, it rained on me not once, not twice, but three times during this trip. The precipitation amounts were small, and I suspect it was just Mother Nature's way of letting me know that she is aware of me and plans to remain interactive in future trips. What a caring entity... |