Some Quotes

Marquis De Vauvenargues 1715-1747, French Moralist

Most people grow old within a small circle of ideas, which they have not discovered for themselves. There are perhaps less wrong-minded people than thoughtless.

Lazy people are always anxious to be doing something.

Cuba 1997

2/27/97

Wreck & Salvation

After countless hours on the web and phone calls to Air Mexicana in Mexico City, the tickets were bought & reservations made. Eight hours to flight time, I invited my nephew to go out for a farewell beer – checked my documents one last time – no passport.

Looked everywhere, crescendo of panic, disbelieve, anger. Overturned furniture, upended drawers – nothing.

Call to Glenn – we aren’t going. How about Mexico City for two weeks. Now there’s a good idea. Forget it, the whole deal is down the crapper.

1:30am. An angel of mercy (copy shop manager) and a miraculous discovery, another call, we’re on our way to Cuba. Fucking heart-attack & rebirth.

Camping Checklist

Documents

Cash, travelers checks
Campsites WWTA Reservation  
Maps & charts

Flatpik’s Amazing Kindling Machine

A guy on Craigslist had a huge pile of old lath for free – excellent kindling!  But the stuff was full of sharp little nails.  I could try pulling them – stupid time consuming.  Or just hammer them flat – sloppy and I’d wind up with ashes full of bent nails.  I needed to break the 4 foot lengths of lath into shorter pieces anyway – I figured there must be a smarter way.