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Re: gear testing


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Posted by Zonie on January 02, 2022 at 17:31:04

In Reply to: Re: gear testing posted by LeviLovR on January 02, 2022 at 14:55:17:

Years ago I was reading an account in the Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society in which a meteorologist in Portland said, "I don't want to hear any more about global warming unless Bar Harbor's underwater." This caused me to contemplate the way someone from Maine would say, "Bar Harbor's underwater," which would probably be very distinct from the way anyone else in the USA would say that. Still, I don't think I could have done the accent justice.
I suppose I could have told Jeremy that my boots were muddy because I went out at low tide to check my lobster traps.

The lack of rain on the 31st was a disappointment, but there was some light rain after dark. I didn't go out in it because there were a lot of explosive sounds. One hopes most of them were fireworks, but one disagreeable aspect of Southwestern culture is celebratory gunfire. A lot of people around here don't seem to understand that what goes up must come down.

The drover coat had been advertised online as "Australian." The fine print was that it was of Australian design but made in India. That explains why it was only $100. Still India has a much stronger monsoonal circulation than we do, and I figure those people also know how to make wet weather gear. Some people would want to protect an elegant looking coat like that, but I was utilitarian and wore it often in rain and mud. I thought having mud splashed on the lower part of it made it look even better. I wore it to that Apache Junction rodeo I photographed in 2018 and to a rodeo I attended in Gilbert in 2014 where I was disappointed because the bull riders went on strike, refusing to be bucked off into the thick mud of the arena.

I got in one last muddy hike yesterday. By examining data from the rain gauge network I found that the rain New Year's Eve had been heavier over the state trust land in far northeast Phoenix than it had been in most of the area, and I found that some of the mud holes there were almost swimming holes. I did find some suitable for stomping. It was a bright sunny day but with a north wind that was almost gale force and which caused me to appreciate the concept of "wind chill" of which I sometimes hear Yankees speak. It clearly wasn't warm enough for wallowing, but I still had a good time stomping. I did notice one agreeable aspect of the cool weather. I started to worry that I wasn't hitting the canteen enough, but when I relieved myself my urine was pale. I clearly wasn't dehydrated at all. One nice aspect of cool weather hiking is I don't need to bring nearly as much water. Well I had morning mountain climbing today, so it was time to kick off those muddy boots, launder and shower. Tomorrow it's back to overalls, work boots, and the furnace room, but I did have quite a fun vacation.




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