Picto Diary - 02 June 2016 - Three States - Three Monoliths

Above: The Bishop and Bling. Albuquerque, NM 02 June 2016.

After breakfast at Owls Cafe.

Bling, who owned a jewelry manufacturing business in Albuquerque for fifteen years, knows breakfast places.

Bling is also a car guy. He's owned a string of 911's and now, in sedate semi retirement (he still is an active CPA for select clients) he drives a vintage, 20 year old, smooooooooth, Merc S-class sedan. Wife Pampa is a bicycle rider and a well known Albuquerque real estate agent.

As a college student, I knew Bling as a little kid. Now, we're more or less in the same cohort... 10 years apart. It's a lot of fun watching Bling and his siblings move forward in life... then kids... now responsible adults. Dean and Jacque would be (are?) very proud.

Above: Shiprock. US 491, Shiprock, NM. 02 June 2016.

Back on the 'rez. On the first leg of this trip some four weeks ago, Mr Z 3 and Mwah (sic) rode the 'rez south, on US 191, from Kayenta, passing Canyon de Chelly, through Many Farms and Hubble Trading Post, meeting up with Elk at Sanders, AZ, junction of US 191 and I-40. Elk had ridden south, from Norwood, CO, mostly on US 491, to Gallup, NM, where he veered southwest on I-40 to meet us at Sanders, AZ.

US 191 is about 50 miles east, looking beyond Shiprock in the image, of US 491, where I am riding now. Years back, Elk, Charles Atlas and Mwah (sic) rode remote the high country 'rez dirt roads between Shiprock and Canyon de Chelly, due west of this point.

Today, I would stay on macadam and head north to Monticello, UT where US 191 and US 491 merge and ride another 50 miles, north, to Moab, UT where I would spend the night.

Aside: US 491, 10 years ago, was US 666. Somebody complained that "666" was the mark of the devil so the road designation was changed to US 491.

The 'rez. To my mind, the US Bureau of Indian Affairs fronts for one of the worst outcomes of multiculturalism possible. Rather than encouraging, with incentives, American Indians to assimilate into the broader American culture, the "bureau", out of a sense "do goodism," which is actually a pernicious form of institutionalized racism, entices the Indians to stay within the boundaries of remote, waterless, infertile territories.... reservations, not always part of their original homelands. US government dole payments bribe American Indian leadership to remain quiescent.

I didn't stop to refuel in Shiprock today. I avoided the usual experience of being approached outside the convenience store by a 65 something Navajo wearing a veterans cap asking for a handout. Of course, the vet always says that his dad was a WWII Code Talker. Don't get me wrong.... I'd always give them a buck or two. Did so in Kayenta, four weeks ago.

The "vet" experience described above is indicative of the perniciousness of the reservation system. These young soldiers go out on fight on our behalf, then return to subsidized lands where there is no opportunity.

Perhaps Americans should feel some guilt about taking the Black Hills away from Crazy Horse after gold was discovered. "Indian givers," indeed. But, more shame should be put on the reservation system and the debilitating effect it has on the people who live there.

If Dr. G reads this, I may get hammered. Not all American Indians are constrained within "the system." Many break out and thrive. Its just, it seems to me, that incentives are geared to prevent "thriving."

Above: Lone Cone. From Cortez, CO. 02 June 2016.

Elk lives within site of Lone Cone, Norwood, CO.

I called too late to see if he wanted to reunite with me somewhere along this route.

Rivers along the way today... Rio Grand, Animus, and San Juan... have been full to the brim. Not flooding... but, full. Slightly above average snow pack will buy time, but three or four years of above average snow fall will be necessary to get the reservoirs (Mead, Powell etc.) back up.

Above: Flag. US 481. Cortez, CO. 02 June 2016.

I pledge allegiance to the flag of the Colorado state of Pot. And, to the Republic for which it stands, one state, suffused with pot, indivisible, with hemp and hash for all.

Just over two weeks ago, at a dinner concert at Palais Paravicini, Vienna, Austria, I sat next to a Colorado resident. Born in Colorado Springs, she had lived in Colorado all her life. She was married to an attorney seated across from us, and she and her husband now divided their time between Vail, CO and Carmel, CA. Both were regular, avid skiers.

On hearing I was from Park City, the conversation turned to Vail Corporation (now the 800 pound gorilla in Park City), the ski industry and our respective observations about skiing.

The woman said, to the effect, "Utah is lucky. They will never legalize pot." She said, Vail (the resort) is suffering greatly. Families, she said, won't go there any more. In Vail, she said, Pot used openly by people, who otherwise make no contribution to the community, rendering the atmosphere, literally and figuratively, toxic.

OK. One person's view. Just sayin'. I'm sure there's another side to the story.

Mickey?

Pope?

Teeth?

Tom?

Wells?

Stockli?

Above: Selfie. Maverick. US 491. Cortez, CO. 02 June 2016.

Above: Monolith. US 191 Mile Marker 87. Grand County, UT. 02 June 2016.

Starting to warm up. 90 degrees. Started out this AM, in Albuquerque, at 60 degrees.

90 degrees is not a bad temperature at which to ride. Wind creates a swamp cooler like effect 'neath the riding gear that allows the rider to be fairly comfortable.

Keyless start, repaired by PJ's in Albuquerque, with a new hands free unit and new key fob is working perfectly so far. By reinitializing the engine management software, PJ's also eliminated the engine surge and the iffy starts..... so far.

Riding nice. Vistas. Churning mind. I have written before how my brain, sorry brain though it is, works better when I'm on the bike.

Addendum:


and the venerable and reliable BMW GS 1200????

mickey,
Chicago, IL/Aspen CO


I have a beemer F800 GS and have no reliability complaints. Dunno. I get the point. I've had key fob problems on three Ducs so far. They are just so fun to ride. I had a GS 1100 for 12 years and loved it. With the F800 I was looking for something a little more utilitarian for the back country. Downside of F800 for me is tube tires.


Steve,

Sorry about the Breaking Bad vortex but even sorrier that you did not make it to Santa Fe, we would have loved seeing you. Hopefully next time. We just had a large cocktail party at our house this evening including a former Salomon Smith Barney alumni who was regaling us on how he made a fortune on Silicon Valley, Sandhill Road, and how Jack Lew knew nothing about what he was doing after having spent a 10-hour day with him. Maybe Jack still does not know anything(?)

Your Picto Diary is amazing. I do not know how you and TIMDT find the time and energy.

Kindest wishes to you both,

Tom,
Santa Fe, NM


Definitely will call next time through. NM is a great place to explore on a bike.

"..laundered through the car wash.."---very good Steve:)

Brand,
Ventura, CA


Well.... not really me. More, "Breaking Bad" writers?

By the way, completed watching, for the second time, all ten episodes of "Better Call Saul," filmed, like "Breaking Bad," in Albuquerque. You get a lot, believe it or more, the second time through. There is some great streaming television today. "Game of Thrones" is amazing. They were filming when we were in Dubrovnik a couple of years ago. I went home, started watching an got hooked.