Public Policy

Our policy seems to have been "Praise the Lord and pass the ammunition."

We have taken little care of public health. We are taking scant care of public health.

We have been disgusted by the very idea of public welfare. We are careless of it now.

Our present policy seems to be "Take the key and lock them up."

What's Ours?

AM was ours.
FM was ours.
TV was ours.
All radio waves all air waves were ours. Have we abdicated?
Common carriers were ours. Telephone and railroad rights were ours to allocate.
Have we abdicated or what?

Lunar Power

We have begun to give better attention to harnessing solar power.

Now is the time to attend more to harnessing lunar power.

What is Moon Power????????

We have begun to think about doing a better job of harnessing solar power.

Now is the time to attend to harnessing lunar power

You Can Look

But these pictures are for Millie.

Paquime Ruins

I'm in Casas Grandes, Chihuahua. It is near the city, Old Casas Grandes which predates the railroad and is contingent to the important pre-Colombian ruins of Paquime. By some standards the high point of Paquime development, in about mid-1200 Ad, is fairly recent.
The area around Casas Grandes is ready for you to explore. There are enough adequate hotels in the area and the road and highway system is good, improving, and lightly traveled.
Work of some of the best traditional potters, recently difficult to get to, is now easily visited. There are developed hot springs in easy driving range. The well know "Copper Canyon" is not far by northern Mexico standards.

Posting times are a bit off.

Trip Miscellanious

Guess I spent only about $80 a day on this trip including vehicle expenses!

I suspect that the largest group of Mexican workers are probably earning about P50 a day! Not much. Of course there are many earning much more and of course some making less. I'd guess that 20% of Mexicans between the ages of 17 and 70 make less than $5 a day.

I have character defects which include compulsions related to eating, driving, travel. Other defects are resistance to exercise or appropriate physical activity and a tendency to isolate myself from others. Outside of those defects I am far from perfect.

Have I talked about Jimenez, Chihuahua yet? If not I'll talk about it and other bits of this last driving trip of mine from 29

A Student of Mine

In a mall parking lot in Ciudad Gomez-Palacio near Torreon I met a student of mine. He spotted me. I don't know how he recognized me. the last time we had seen each other must have been, at least, 15 years ago.

I am now headed for home. As I drive I am thinking that I might benefit from some more ACA meetings, but the closest ones to my place in 29 is in Palm Springs. A long drive. There was a couple of meetings in the DHS area. My old friend, Jerry S., attend one for a year or so. Now, If I want a meeting, I'll have to start one.

Is my idea of starting a 12 Step blog coincidental?

Maravatio, Age, and Compulsion

My drive from Maravatio started pleasant enough under the circumstances.
Not far from Maravatio I started into some hilly or mountainous country and drove through a bit of a town that reminded me a bit of Bisibee, Arizona and of a Tasco, Mexico of about forty or 50 years ago. It might have been Tlalpujahua.

It was on this drive from Maravatio that I came to see that I was quickly getting beyond the time I could enjoy solo driving trips and perhaps most solo trips. I also began to see that some of my travel often may have had a compulsive component that deserved consideration from me.

Morelia

Guess I forgot to mention Morelia.
From Patzcuaro I drove to that great capital, but did not stay. Did not even drive into the historic center. Noted that, like every large city these days, it had just a bit of air pollution.
In Patzcuzaro I had noted that a rear shock on the Astro was hanging loose and figured I'd have it repaired in Morelia. Spotted a likely place and pulled in. The shock was soon well taken care of at a cost of P100. The arbitrage person dealing with the mechanics was a woman in her late twenties or early thirties. Another woman of the same age range handled customers and billing. Between these two the place was well run with happy mechanics and customers.
Job might have cost me $60 in the States.
Drove my good shocks to Ciudad Hidalgo.

Not Always Beautiful

From the beautiful setting of Erendira with its beautiful skys and pure air I moved on to the interesting city of Maravatio by way of Ucareao and a rather winding path. All pleasant except for a brush with employees of the wide-spread hydro-electric facilities. Brush was so close that it snapped back one of my outside mirrors.
In Maravatio I took a room in an attractive hotel with an interesting woman manager. Paid only P200, but after a nice meal across the street in was driven out of that nice room within about 3 hours by the repeated, and I believe malicious, slamming of the metal door of the room across from mine. The young woman occupant of that room and I had been laying on my bed trying unsuccessfully to connect my laptop to the hotel wireless. Because we hadn't been introduced and because I found the situation a bit amusing, I said, "Who are you anyway?" I guess my young helper took it badly because shortly began the slamming. My nerves were soon in bad shape.
Left and began a marathon drive of about 35 hours! Drove all of two nights and a good part of two days. Was troubled by an intestinal upset during that time. Still am somewhat troubled by it.

Blog Thoughts

I have been thinking about my blogs. Might begin to redo them. Might get some help.

As I may engage in no more solo travel, travel may take up much less of my blogging.

I'll probably continue my History blog and improve my Affirmations blog a bit.

I'm thinking of starting a blog dealing with the 12 Steps.

May start a separate blog dealing with "The Perennial Philosophy," the ancient wisdom, contemplative religion, and the like.

Thought of one dealing with political philosophy and sociology and of one dealing with health and nutrition, but not too seriously.

Also thought of getting as private domain and perhaps taking a class related to site design or techie stuff.

Thinking isn't doing, is it?

"Writing Without Teachers

Peter Elbow in his book, "Writing Without Teachers," not only instructs me, but entertains me to the point of laughter.

I haven't actually followed his instructions, but I might.

Oyamel, Springs, and Electricity

If you want a nice new and probably quiet place to stay near Erendira the Posada Los Azufres might be the ticket. It is just a bit up the road from Erendida, and though it has no thermal waters of its own, right next door is an older spa with waters nicer than those of Erendida. Erendira waters contain enough algae to put some off and even discolor a white bathing costume a bit. If you have a vehicle all the spas in the area are in easy striking distance. In fact the butterfly sanctuaries aren't that far away.
All of these places are at about the 10,000 ft level with beautiful skies and pure, pure air. The hills and mountainsides are cover with pine and Oyamel, Mexican sacred fir.
Above Laguna Larga you can check out an extensive modern hydrothermal electric complex.

Erendira

Erendira is, touristically speaking, on the Ruta de la Salud (Route of Health) in the Pais de la Monarca (Country of the Monarch Butterfly). Speaking in more normal language, it is in the state of Michoacan on the road between Ciudad Hidalgo and the town of Ucareo on Mex highway 15. On that road, the health route, are many hot water spas and Erendida does not have the best of those waters, but I think it has the most beautiful location among many very pretty locations. Still there are thoes who find the Laguna Larga area at the northern end of the route just as beautiful.
Between Erendidra and Laguna Larga you will find several spas with a variety of services and amenities. The ugliest of them is Los Azufres. The waters and mud of Los Azufres are reputed to be the most curative.
I took a "cabin" at Erendira. The cabin was an architectural delight and nicely furnished and decorated. It had two big bedrooms, one with a king size bed and the other with two full size beds. There was also a day bed in the living room. There was no TV but there was a large screen DVD player. There was no kitchen but there was a nice refrigerator and micro wave. There was also a lovely central fireplace. I got all this for P300 with the peso at about 13 everything taken into account. You might have to pay P500 for it especially on a weekend or holiday. However, if you don't have a reservation on those days you probably won't get it at all.
Food at the restaurant is decent, but a bit expensive for me at $5 - $6 dollars for a complete meal.
By the way there is always someone to get a fire roaring in the fire place and to start your chosen movie for you.

More info.:
http://www.turismomichoacan.bob.mx/
http://www.michoacan-travel.com/