Field Notes - Dispatch 25 The Red
Rocks of Moab, Utah
Friday October 9, 2015
Greetings Fellow Adventurers!
I find that each day of safari life
brings new things to learn, that is what makes adventuring so
interesting and worthwhile. Yesterday while hiking out of a slick
rock canyon that empties into the Colorado River I learned that when
selecting a spot to heed the call of nature is better to select a
point along the trail that provides seclusion rather than a panoramic
vista.
Unfortunately I chose the vista. As I
was taking care of business I glanced up the trail and there was a
lady jetting down the track with the speed and determination of a
locomotive. She appeared to be the kind of person who could hike from
any point A to any point B in an afternoon even if those points were
in different states. I could see an awkward situation in my near
future. Thinking fast I starting gathering the horses back into the
barn as quickly as possible, all the while hopping up and down trying
to get everything under control. Not easily done on a cliff edge
while under tremendous pressure if you get my drift. I was is a
tight spot.
A few moments later, after the lady
had passed, I looked like I had a lost a squirt gun fight with two
ten year old marksmen, but I had learned a lot about trail etiquette.
By the time I had caught up with MR, who was waiting for me much
further down the trail, my embarrassment had subsided. MR asked me
that had happened to my clothes; I told her the cap to the canteen
had come off and spilled all over me. I thought that was pretty
quick thinking. She looked at me a moment and then pointed out that
as usual she was carrying the knapsack that contained the canteen.
Yikes, another tight spot.
So I did what any skilled outdoors man
would do. I simply took off like a jackrabbit down the trail while
pointing out to her that the sun was setting fast and we had better
get back to town before all the hot water in the aquatic center's
showers was gone. Not brilliant but the best I could come up with on
such short notice.
Speaking of camp I built a new folding
table before we left home that is just the ticket for the five gallon
water reservoir we use. Here in Utah we are so far out in the hills
that we have to haul water from the local native village to cook
with. This table is a nice one and had I managed to made all four
legs the same length (or even any two), it might have become a family
heirloom. Well, there are plenty of rocks around here to level it
up. No harm done. I asked MR if she did not find having a handyman
around camp a real asset. She said she would let me know if the
situation ever arose. What a droll gal she is.
I just noticed the moon is coming up
and I can hear the coyotes beginning to yap across the western sage.
Time to extinguish the kerosene lantern, turn in, and dream of
tomorrow's adventures. I wonder what I will learn.
We will be back to the cottage some
time next week and I hope this missive reaches you before I do.
Communications are a bit spotty down here in the the land of
sandstone arches.
Over and out.
