Occupation of Independence

The older I get, the more willing I am to admire people without wishing to emulate them.  The perfect example of this is all the trekkers on the Continental Divide Trail.  Congratulations to them for finding something they really like.  But it wouldn't work for me: it is too oxen-like.  And too warm. I was surprised to see a horsewoman coming down the trail, with a packhorse behind her.  Girls will be girls, and she had a stylish blanket under her saddle.  Alongside her ran a friendly, long-legged spaniel or pointer.  The dog had spiffy hiking boots on its fore-paws.  I said, "What a team!" to her.  We spoke a little bit and then she quickly disappeared.  A horse walks faster than you think.    But that "team" really made my day.  I not only admired it, but I did wish to emulate.  But of course, I won't -- for practical reasons.  If only my camera had been handy!   Today's team was my favorite since I ran i...

Seeking new books -- or novelty in general -- is quite a vice.  One can not praise the rereading of books, enough; especially if the book 'sort of' worked for you the first time around, while many years have passed, with changes in the world or in yourself. For instance, many years ago I read " The March of Folly ", by Barbara Tuchman .  She wrote:  "To qualify as folly for this inquiry, the policy adopted must [...]  have been perceived as counterproductive in its own time, not merely by hindsight." You'd think that European statesmen bumbling into World War One would be her best example, but it was not included in this book perhaps because of her more famous book, " The Guns of August ." She made examples of the Trojans accepting the gift of a wooden horse from the Greeks; Renaissance popes provoking the secession of protestants; Britain losing its American colonies; and the American debacle in Viet Nam . If she were writing this book today...

 It is wonderful to see yourself becoming more appreciative of solid, unspectacular things.  Maybe that happens more and more the older a person gets? Look at this nice -- but ordinary -- thing at the beginning of summer.  It made a great impression at the time, but I couldn't explain why it seemed like such a big deal:  Maybe it was the context and "set up."  It was early summer and I was driving from ID to OR.  Just before leaving ID, I saw people eating outdoors and driving around with their windows down in a way that made them look like they were celebrating the onset of summer.  I was deeply offended. Then on the OR side I saw people practicing predatory parking while looking for the tiny bits of shade available at the Walmart parking lot.  This seemed funny to me.  "Hey, these Oregonians are OK," I thought. As I have done a thousand times during my RV career, I escaped the (low altitude) heat of the 'big city' early that morning, by cli...

 Maybe being a 'trail angel' is worth looking into.  I did it today, accidentally, for the first time.  It was enjoyable. It was grocery and water day, so I was driving down the forest road to the town of [redacted], Idaho.   Ahead of me was a backpacker who really looked like a strong hiker.  I was only 1/4 mile from where the Continental Divide Trail crossed the forest road.   He was off the official trail and I asked him about that.  He said he was headed down to the highway where he would hitchhike 42 miles to town in order to buy food.   "Well, hop in if you don't mind a dog licking your face," I said.  It certainly made the drive to town faster and more enjoyable to have a personable fellow along.  I never pick up hitch hikers, but he didn't really seem like a hitch hiker. In town, he treated me to a baked good and a delicious coffee at the bakery. Maybe I should try this trail angel thing on purpose, rather than jus...