Monsoon has a usual pattern. Sun in the morning, apocalyptic storm in the afternoon, breeze in the evening. There are variations, sure, because nothing is ever sure or completely to be depended on. But that’s the usual.
But now it’s more like rain, followed by more rain, with scattered patches of Apocalypse. It’s really very tiresome. Neighbor L claims to be fading away from Seasonal Affective Disorder which seems unlikely since this has only been going on for a few days. But I do admit that when I woke up to the sound of even more rain the thought of wrists and razor blades did briefly occur.
Going to meet my ride yesterday morning the Jeep’s windows were half-fogged, so at one point I didn’t see the lake of mud I dove into and barely made it out of. The wash crossings weren’t running at that moment, but they were on the way back. Not enough to stop someone in a 4X4, just enough to need strategy. I had to fight the Jeep sideways as often as front-on, and it occurred to me that a hermit’s life is really rather sheltered: I usually just hide in the cabin when it’s like this, but most people have to be out and about. It’s like driving on ice, only with thick mud and wash-outs hidden under flowing water. It took forever to get back to the Lair yesterday, and by the time I did I was a nervous wreck.
Now it’s not raining at the moment but the sky is thick clouds. I’ll post this if I ever get a connection, but I don’t expect there’ll be much in the way of Internet today. I should go feed the chickens while it isn’t raining and the road is half-passable.
I really hate mud.
Do you hate mud more than the cold of winter?
No.
A little mud
http://youtu.be/ARkBJdsZw4w
with stones and bits o steel mixed in.
I guess that diffrent locations bring on diffrent weather hates. You feel the same way about mud as I do about snow… I hate snow.
I’ve been there and the mud at Joel’s Gulch is truly cosmic. It has sucked people’s shoes off and swallowed them. Even with 4WD, there are places on the road to Joel’s where the mud is so slick you go downhill sideways even with a vehicle designed for off-roading, even when you’re going only 2 or 3 mph.
Winter … just freezes your backside.
Well, until the snow starts to melt and turns the roads to … guess what?
Sure hope you’re staying safe and dry and just don’t have an internet connection. Wish you hadn’t sent all that nasty rain up here to Colorado. Causing havoc up here.
I’m with coloradohermit. (Well, not with her exactly; I don’t want to risk being washed away.) Miss your posts, Joel, and hope your silence is due to nothing more than a wonky ‘Net connection.
And all you folks in Colorado, take care!
Is it just me, or does anyone else get the creepy feeling that this might be a wild winter?
Hope you and your neighbors are OK, Joel. Sending you positive energy.
I’ve been to many states and I have to agree, there’s nothing anywhere else like the weird dirt-dust-sand-whatever it is that’s in Nevada. Spent some time in the northern parts, not quite in Black Rock but close enough. First time in my life I could actually turn the “dirt” into a stronger than cement thing. Any water added and it becomes a total nightmare. When the cable guy came to hook things up, and discovered we were newbies to the area, he said watch this and threw his screwdriver down in the backyard dirt. It instantly was covered with dirt clinging to it (magnetically.) Couldn’t shake it off, had to actually scrape it by hand.
Anyway, hope things are ok at the Gulch. And the silence is only internet related.
I just broke down and called Joel. He’s fine. As everybody hoped and figured, his silence is due only to a bad ‘Net connection. The satellite service he’s been grousing about for months totally lost it three or four days ago.
Today he had a service call and against all odds, the repairman showed up exactly on time and with a good attitude. Then as Joel was leading him into the wilds where the Secret Lair is, the sky let go. Joel got out of his Jeep and explained to the guy that, while he could get him TO the Lair, he probably wouldn’t be able to get out again after the rain. The guy took the wiser course and went home without fixing the problem.
Joel doesn’t know when he’ll be back online. But at least he’s not lying dead in a ditch somewhere.
Thanks for the update, Claire. 🙂
Isn’t that just the luck, a service call done right and then Murphys Weather steps in.
Thanks so much, Claire.
Thanks for the word, Claire. I figured someone was approving the recent comments – hard to do that while caught on a snag in some crevice in a deep wash…
Thanks Claire
Joel, Glad you are ok, I’ve been checking in daily and was starting to get concerned.
Thanks, Claire. Figured that was the case but you never know. Good to hear that all is well.