Thoughts From a Bar Stool in Socorro

Thoughts From A Bar Stool In Socorro

I would be remiss to consider myself a cowboy or a poet, but to deny the desire to be both would be an equal disservice to the stark beauty of this ground.

I feel like I owe it to the people I knew and left on the east coast, to live and love life to repay the debit of guilt. I need to let you know that life isn't all soccer games HOA meetings. I want to let people know that America doesn't speak English and that a burger isn't as good as fast food gets. The rest of the world starts at the Mississippi river and it's different. A world where your shoes matter less than your hat and both better be dirty, a world that began before your Irish grandmother knew it existed and has been just fine without your stress, your lifestyle and beliefs. A world where a good neighbor helps but has no bearing over whats in your front yard, be it a plant or a Ford. Things are slow here and slow can be good. A place where who's your daddy matters but not as much as who you are.....Be White, Be Red, Be Technicolor, Be gay, Be foreign, Be weird, Be Christian, Jew, Straight or none of the above.....but be true to yourself and stand up straight, take what's given and give what you owe....It's a land of honesty because the rocks don't have time for lies and can't bend to accommodate your needs.....the desert is indifferent and the sky rules by example.

Albuquerque tries harder than it should to be a big city, as if there's a pride in that. The rest of New Mexico lives day by day....drought, fire or flood. It happens as nature intended and we adapt not because we have to, but because it's the right thing to do. Life is happening here, now, in this small dusty town, in one of two bars open past 9 PM.  People are dancing, dancing here happens in boots, blue jeans, and under a hat.

Outside, one can't separate himself here from the ground, its stark beauty appears barren but has fueled the soul of countless dreams while the sky, the blue within blue sky, holding clouds without rain, full of beautiful purpose.....commands attention. Enjoy the sky, enjoy the red rocks, the sparse green sage and pinion, live your life here not because someone else does but because it gives you the space to be the you, you always needed to be, in a world that almost doesn't care who you were but knows who you are.

So do come west, life is different here, plan to spend time outdoors. Drink the local beer and eat the local food.  Learn what true Chile is and know that Denver doesn’t have it.  Understand what a 5 hour drive at 80 MPH feels like without traffic.  Learn how blessed you are to have a Wawa, and how sad it is to eat at Chipotle or Taco Bell. Begin to understand just how diverse this country is socially, racially and geographically.  Come west to practice your Spanish and experience what a truly open space is......

It seems a lot of my friends have taken the plunge and are traveling west.  I have found myself writing the same bits of advice more than once and thought perhaps others might be interested.......

Sunscreen: year round, you will be closer to the sun and less atmosphere above you it makes a difference, also there less humidity to diffract sun light. Hat and sunglasses are the rule. Good sunglasses that are polarized make the blue sky pop and the red rocks glow.

Water: you will sweet less but the water just gets sucked out of you.  Be militant about having water on hand and drinking it.  You will need salt.  Gatorade works but has a lot of sugar.  Lays chips work but have a lot of fat, when we hike we take pickles along.  When you feel weak and tired, a bite of pickle is an instant cure. If you get a mild hangover like you were drinking last night, your dehydrated. Watch the kids, if they get cranky, they are likely dehydrated.

Don’t count on your cell for navigation: lots of places out here have no reception or its limited. Have a map.  Also don’t count on every cross roads to have a gas station or convenience shop. However after you cross the Mississippi, the travel times in google are accurate.  If it says 5 hours drive it means 5 hours, traffic isn’t a thing unless you’re in a City.

The hottest part of the day is about 4PM to 6PM……avoid being outside then.  The mornings are great.  This is especially true at the Grand Canyon, Painted Desert, Petrified Forest, Bryce and Arches. Nights will be in the 60’s to 70’s at low elevation in the 40’s to 50’s at high elevation.  For example today's high in ABQ heights was 95 we achieved that temp at 4:30…..tonight will be in the 60’s with a low of 58 right around sun up. My house in ABQ is at about 6000 feet.

If you are standing still, be in the shade.

Boots don’t need to be water proof, just makes you hotter, feet need to breath.  Things dry so fast here waterproof doesn’t matter.

Monsoon starts in early July, afternoon T-storms happen.  Seek cover.  Hail hurts and is common at elevation, lightning is for real something to be afraid of and so are lightning caused fires afterward.

Buy the national parks pass if you’re doing the canyon and at least one more park.  Its worth it and makes a great souvenir. National park rangers are cool, but will check your sight each night.  Be able to pack your food and cooking stuff away in the van each night, some parks require it.

Baby wipes are your friend when your camping.

Time is relative, let it slow down while you’re visiting.  Folks here are much less worried about being on time, than being polite…..and its not really all that rude to be late.