Field
Notes - Dispatch 29 – Desert Outpost, Palm Desert, California
Sunday,
March 27, 2016
Greetings
Fellow Adventurers!
Okay,
I am not going to beat around the bush about this. I just found out
yesterday that this valley in which I am doing important culinary
ethnological field work is going to get smacked with an earthquake
that will make falling off my bike, an unfortunately frequent
occurrence, seem like child’s play. It is time to pack the
saddlebags and gallop back to Idaho where we only have to worry about
timber wolves and Republican extremists.
This
is what happened. Mary and I went to a science lecture yesterday at
the local National Monument hot-spot where we often go birding and
scouting for interesting wildflowers. The speaker was excellent, if
one is willing to discount the fact that the content of his talk
scared the socks off me and that there were no refreshments.
Apparently, according to the knowledgeable professor, the Coachella
Valley here in sunny California sits dead center on the focal point
of most geological faults that fracture this part of the world. It
does not matter from where the quake originates, North or South, this
valley’s goose is cooked. The video computer simulations of what is
going to happen here made me sea sick. I find myself in the
uncomfortable position of sitting on a plate tectonic time bomb the
fuse of which was lit hundreds of years ago and is expected to go off
at any moment. ANY MOMENT!
Understandably,
I rushed home from the lecture and instantly began stuffing equipment
into my old sea chest in preparation for an immediate departure
North. Cooler heads prevailed (MR’s to be exact) and she pointed
out to me that if I left in my usual state of panic, the Easter Bunny
would not be able to find me and I would not get a basket this year.
Obviously, that stopped me in my tracks. The Easter Bunny is a pretty
big deal in my world and I took a moment to reconsider on my tenuous
position and options.
Upon
reflection, I have decided to stay until Friday morning so I will not
miss the Easter celebration or the two supper parties we are invited
to in the coming days. I am once again going to be courageous, while
being surrounded by danger, in order to achieve the objectives of my
mission. Those objectives being good things to eat prepared by
excellent cooks. I suppose you could say it is the way of the True
Adventurer. Mary says it is the way of the True Mooch. But don’t
listen to her!
As
things stand now the pack train will head back to Idaho, and it’s
stable geology, about sunup on April 1st. I just hope this valley
will hold together until then. We will do some exploring and
prospecting along the trail and should reach the homestead on the
afternoon of the 3rd. That is assuming there are no earthquakes or
Indian attacks along the way. I sure have a hankering to see our old
cabin and my buckaroo pals.
Over
and out for now. If you need to, you can reach me via the wireless
device in our cook tent.
