Occupation of Independence

Who would have ever thought that this scene would even be noticed: Idaho school boys running on a playground, without masks, and closer than 6' from each other. But I did notice it, and it looked wonderful. Nor were there any supervising adults nearby, perhaps with uniforms and emergency radios. I saw no medi-vac helicopters idling their engines at a heli-pad next to the school. from timeout.com   It left a comforting impression on me and all the other drivers on the road, no doubt. Earlier in the day, just the opposite thing occurred. I was driving down a residential street at 20-25 mph. About a block ahead of me two boys were waiting to cross the street. There was no crosswalk painted, but I stopped for them.  The boy ran across the street with such exaggerated nervousness, and his bodily movements were almost feminine. I am used to younger American males talking in almost feminine tones, but how could they walk or run girly-style? That is one way to look at the hysterical over-

There are days when the goodies of life fall to you, like ripe fruit from trees. Yesterday was one of those days. Although the goodies were certainly noticed, something was holding me back from appreciating them to the fullest. But first, let's dwell on these goodies. Autumn brings cooler nights and good sleeping weather. There is nothing like twisting and turning in bed for a couple summer months to revive your appreciation of "Hypnos" or "Morpheus", the classical gods of sleep and dreams. On a mountain bike ride I enjoyed dirt on the trail, instead of the usual rubble. Enough rides in the Southwest or in Colorado will make it easy for a rider to see dirt as one of the best and  most under-rated things in nature. Mid-day is still too warm and sunny. My dog had no difficulty worshiping "Santa Sombra" after the ride. I like how the pavilion throws a shadow with a pointed church steeple on the right side of the photo. The immediate foreground of the rid

'Be careful what you wish for...' is a wonderful old saying. On the last post I was yearning for the end of summer. And I got what I deserved...good and hard! To make this even better, I am camped just a few feet from Lewis & Clark's old trail over the continental divide; then down they went to the Salmon River, and out to the Pacific Ocean. Even though they would consider a modern adventurer to be little better than an earthworm, I am enjoying the idea of going below freezing tonight, on Labor Day. It is the kind of camping experience that ennobles and purifies the soul.

Challis, ID. I drove across Idaho yesterday and saw liquid water flowing through the dry washes (arroyos) the entire way. What is an ex-Southwesterner to think! How can such a situation be "natural." I saw the Sawtooth Mountains for the first time. They were impressive but I know enough about the tourism industry to drive through as quickly as possible. To the north and east, while still following the mighty Salmon River, the land became harshly lunar (that is, like the Southwest.) But I was still over 5000 feet high, and it wasn't that hot. Does this area sit in a rain shadow of the Sawtooth Mountains? For the first time in a long time, I experienced "vibes" in a town. I am rendezvousing with a coastal critter who uses that term. Perhaps I need to consult the Urban Dictionary. But I have never gone into a Feed & Tack, True Value hardware, or grocery store and asked to buy 3 pounds of "vibes." I don't even know what aisle they are in.   Do you