I Know Where You Live

I know where you live - in those in-between spaces, between the roads, those rocky middle grounds where masses of shrubs hide your presence from the wheelriders who pass by. But then someone built a trail, one that passes close by, and you on your front porch where you like to sit in the evening watching the sun set. It was paradise until someone called it that. Now when the wheelriders pass by they see you, if they raise their eyes from the ground; you have to run, you have to find another place to hide.

"... Yeah you climb to the top of the pile

Enjoy the view

Stay for a while

Hard to get by on your own

When you're never alone..."

I have long wondered where Coyote and the coyoteros live out there; it is a big expanse of open with a lot of room to hide. But then three evenings last week, consecutive, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday there you were, same exact spot. So that's your home, I thought. I even mentioned it to pick ax guy, I think he's got his den over there somewhere. I checked it out today; you weren't home when I knocked, but I shuffled around the patio a bit, saw where you had scratched around at the dirt, a trail leading away - to where? Remains of some past meal of deer - a skull, a jaw bone, and a leg, maybe. I am pretty sure I know where you live, but will you come back now that I have worn my shoes in the house? Or will you find a new home? 

"So go out

Make your amends

Plant you a garden

Get you some friends

Troubles still just what you get

In this life of regret

Chosen by God

Well whether you like it or not

You've been chosen by God..."

(Alejandro Rose-garcia, ie. Shakey Graves)

I really should stop with the exploring. I go out with every intention of doing a long ride, but then distraction and off I go in search of some little thing; a couple hours pass by and I realize the ride has turned in to a hike. Again.

Today there were more water control works to document (from 1928, of course), wild flowers coloring the grey foggy morn, and hey, I did make it up and over the dam. There was that distance at least. Once again I owe some thanks to the deer; the problem with that is that when you follow a deer trail, you're likely to find deer ticks. Today I discovered two, not the little black kind that are hard to see, but the big brown kind, one on the top of my knee cap, the other on my glove. Maybe that is reason enough to forego the cross country, bush whacking, hike-a-bike adventuring for a while - just focus on the miles. Ah, who am I kidding; if an opportunity to discover something I haven't seen before presents itself, I will take it every time.

There is stuff to see out there, get out and see it!