Here we go again: Dry Heat, enervating sunshine, and relentless blue skies. As a veteran of the Southwest I assure you that the trick is to glory in noble suffering. [*] In five weeks, the monsoons start. And besides, there aren't even any wildfires raging right now.
Until then, we must use a little horse sense with the southwestern sun...
Many animal species use horse sense about the sun. Dogs are crepusculent at sunrise and sunset, and somnolent in mid-day.
Mexicans and other cultures of hot climates have a lot of sense. But homo sapiens (var. gringo) isn't so good at the game sometimes, especially when vanity about a suntan is involved. Now don't take this as a personal insult. Mal-adaptation to the sun is simply part of our Northern European and Protestant DNA. But we're not completely foolish either...
Years ago I imitated other gringos in wearing sandals during the Dry Heat. Big mistake. My heels would crack and bleed. I tried every possible unguent. None did much good. The only remedy was to wear sneakers with lots of mesh -- the heels stayed moist.
Single-digit relative humidity can cause nose-bleeds. I watch my fingernails spall off daily. My skin is so dessicated and un-supple that tiny mistakes cause cuts that bleed. The good news is that blood doesn't need to coagulate -- it dessicates first.
But at least in one department, victory has been achieved. Recall my advertisement for the Salsa "Anything" bottle cage for bicycles. I've put some rough miles on it by now, and it appears dependable. Just think, 2 liters of agua for me and the dawg.
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[*] Since I'm camping at 8300 feet under ponderosas, where it can barely crack 75 F in the afternoon, that does detract somewhat from my bona fides as a noble sufferer.
Until then, we must use a little horse sense with the southwestern sun...
Many animal species use horse sense about the sun. Dogs are crepusculent at sunrise and sunset, and somnolent in mid-day.
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| Don't think for a moment that I had to train the Little Poodle to do this. |
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| A parking garage for a miniature poodle. |
Mexicans and other cultures of hot climates have a lot of sense. But homo sapiens (var. gringo) isn't so good at the game sometimes, especially when vanity about a suntan is involved. Now don't take this as a personal insult. Mal-adaptation to the sun is simply part of our Northern European and Protestant DNA. But we're not completely foolish either...
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| Gringos knowing how to enjoy the free Blues festival in Silver City, NM. |
Years ago I imitated other gringos in wearing sandals during the Dry Heat. Big mistake. My heels would crack and bleed. I tried every possible unguent. None did much good. The only remedy was to wear sneakers with lots of mesh -- the heels stayed moist.
Single-digit relative humidity can cause nose-bleeds. I watch my fingernails spall off daily. My skin is so dessicated and un-supple that tiny mistakes cause cuts that bleed. The good news is that blood doesn't need to coagulate -- it dessicates first.
But at least in one department, victory has been achieved. Recall my advertisement for the Salsa "Anything" bottle cage for bicycles. I've put some rough miles on it by now, and it appears dependable. Just think, 2 liters of agua for me and the dawg.
_________________________________________
[*] Since I'm camping at 8300 feet under ponderosas, where it can barely crack 75 F in the afternoon, that does detract somewhat from my bona fides as a noble sufferer.
Comments
Another very good posting and a GREAT source for Scrabble words. HA
Nice to see that the 2 liter bottle is working well for you.
The consequence being that instead of 20 or 30 trees or so an acre... the population is as much as seven or eight times historical population average.
The end result being catastrophic over population.
Over population of Western forests in a desert environment equates to two things; 1. insect infestation of weakened/stressed trees and 2. Catastrophic fires amongst the dried out insect killed and debilitated forest.
What precipitation there is, that was eminently sufficient for the "Natural" population must now try to support 7 to 8 times that population in a badly interfered with forest. There simply isn't enough water to go around. The Sierra Clubites et. al. demonstrate once again, a lack of common sense.
I have little confidence the "Book learned" experts will overcome their learning disabilities, and actually see the world around them, rather than the world they want to pretend exists; before the entire forest is consumed by insects and fire.
Amazing. "Welfare" interference doesn't work in the woods either!
The real reason that the Green lobby has adopted their first commandment of "Thou shalt never cut a tree, for any reason", is that they wanted to kill off the resource industries, which were a lobby blocking the Green's establishment of complete hegemony over public lands.