Rolling Around Mount Wichita Pondering Long Elsie Hotpepper Road Trip

Overnight the heat of summer retreated whilst the cool of fall moved in.

Barely 60 degrees when I first saw the temperature at first light this morning.

This past summer, if I remember correctly, I only rolled my bike's wheels a couple times to Mount Wichita.

But, today, with the sun glaring through a clear blue sky I rolled around Mount Wichita. And stayed cool.

The forest fire which had ravaged the slopes of Mount Wichita, early last summer, has mostly healed, returned to green, for the most part.

Soon winter will arrive, well, in a couple months. And with winter snow may cap the summit of Mount Wichita. But, I dunno, what with this ongoing global warming, the Mount Wichita ice cap may not form this upcoming ski season.

Changing the subject to something else.

During the course of this current week Elsie Hotpepper has been negotiating with me about going on a road trip. With Elsie Hotpepper behind the wheel, a couple thousand miles to the northwest, to Washington.

I have some reservations regarding a long road trip with Elsie Hotpepper. For one thing, I am a reticent, quiet sort who can drive 450 miles before finally saying something, such as "Time to fill up the tank". Which might either mean the car needs gas, or I am hungry.

While I am one who uses few words, Elsie Hotpepper is one of those non-stop talker types. And while Elsie Hotpepper is absolutely fascinating to listen to, particularly when she is lubricated with an adult libation, it can be exhausting following the complicated plot lines of Elsie Hotpepper's ongoing long monologue.

So, I have not yet decided if I am on board with the Elsie Hotpepper long road trip concept...

The Queen Of Wink Is Tempting Me To Fly To Midland & Drive To Taos

To the left you are looking at the Lumina Sculpture Garden, near the Mabel Dodge home, in Taos, New Mexico.

Taos is one of my favorite places I have ever visited. The Taos Pueblo, alone, would have made this one of my favorite places I have ever visited. Add the actual Taos town to the Taos Pueblo and you have a magical location on the planet.

I have only been to Taos once. A planned one day stay turned in to three, because I was having myself such a mighty fine time.

Last night I got myself a very tempting invitation from the Queen of Wink to fly to Midland, where the Queen would meet me and then we'd proceed to take a Roadtrip to Taos.

It is widely known that there are few things I like better than a Durango Roadtrip.

Hence the feeling tempted.

The Queen of Wink is planning on roughing it in her personal version of an RV. Electricity will be required to run the essentially needed Keurig coffee maker.

Apparently a lack of water has the bears in the Taos zone a bit riled up and aggressively visiting potential sources of that which they need.

My one and only time in Taos I stayed at a motel about a block south of the Taos downtown. It has been at least 2 decades since I have camped.

The closest I have come to camping in the past 2 decades were two Lake Powell Houseboat floats. The houseboats have beds with thin mattresses, but that still felt like roughing it.

I just remembered. I have gone camping since I have been in Texas. There was a weekend at my former Texas abode where I felt the need to escape. So, I drove to Dinosaur Valley State Park and camped for 3 or 4 days. I had a thick mattress on the floor of the van, so I had none of the aching experiences I had on a Lake Powell Houseboat or the last time I went tent camping. That being at Alta State Park in Eastern Washington, where I learned I was no longer able to sleep on the ground with only a sleeping bag as a cushion.

Now, I am off to see if there are any planes available flying to Midland.....