I thought that normalcy had returned, that I could get back to putting up posts and reading blogs and commenting on posts and responding to comments. Ha! The keys on my laptop went bad. So I jumped to my backup computer. Bad decision. It crashed. Not just crashed, mind you, but crashed with two long posts I had just written about the 1908 22,000 mile automobile race from New York to Paris. It was a doozy. The race started in February— and no one had ever driven across the US in winter. Then the cars were transferred to Siberia by ship for the next leg! I became interested in the race when I found the actual vehicle that won, a 1907 Thomas Flyer, in the National Auto Museum in Reno when I was traveling down Highway 395.
Meanwhile, back at the ranch, the clock was ticking. Peggy and I are taking off on a one month trip through Arizona and New Mexico and it looked like I would be computer-less. Horror of horrors! So I went out and bought a new MacBook Pro. It arrived yesterday. We leave tomorrow. I couldn’t have cut it much closer.
It’a a beauty. The screen features a sand dune that adjusts to ambient light. Makes me want to head back to Death Valley. It’s so fast, I’ve named it Jack, as in jack rabbit. I have another Jack name for it when it misbehaves…
I’ll rewrite my auto race stories but I just wanted to give you an update on why I am still playing hooky from the web. Here are a few recent photos…
Wandering through Time and Place 
I was just thinking today of how I hadn’t read a Curt post for a while- congrats on adding “Jack” to the family, and I’ll look forward to the auto race article when you return!
Thanks, Ann. I think the auto race post will be your kind of history. 🙂
Loved this controlled burn.
Laughing. They look a lot better from about 20 miles away, Bojana! –Curt
Live long and prosper.
Jack says thank you, Cindy. I told him that he’d better outlive his predecessor. 🙂 –Curt
Good luck to Jack surviving the Curt and Peggy wanderings! How could you head off without a computer?! Congratulations on what must be one of the longest book club and great all five couples are still part of it! Peggy looks in her element! Phew … that fire seems awfully close. Take care and great to see you back here. 😀😀
Thanks, Anika. Jack will be on the road tomorrow, and he is excited. We are heading into the Southwest where a lot of his long-eared cousins ramble. 🙂 The fire got even closer yesterday. We are glad to be leaving town!
How awful to have to have a new Macbook! Controlled burn, eh? Phew. Have a great trip.
I know, really bad. 🙂 They keep controlling it closer to our house. But in the long run, it makes us safer. Our timing on the trip is pretty good, however. We will escape some of the smoke and when we return they will be done, at least around here. Thanks, AC. –Curt
Best of luck with your new computer and have a wonderful trip!!
Thanks, G!
Eeeek. Sounds frustrating with all the computer stuff. And that fire!
Computer stuff has frustration built into it, I am sure, MB! 🙂 At least my 37 years of using them seems to suggest. And they are still burning out there. –Curt
Frustration built into it. I totally agree. You know what else is frustrating? APPS. I hate them. Lol!
They too, come with bugs! 🙂
Yikes. That would be intimidating to see out your window! And please don’t stop posting photos of the deer! 🙂
The deer will continue to slip into my posts, I’m sure, Sylvia. 🙂 And Peggy and I are glad to get on the road this morning and leave our controlled burn behind!
Thanks for the quick update Curt. Love the deer. And my MacBook Pro – can’t imagine life without it. You’ll get that way too 🙂 Oh and what good news about hemp!
Alison
(Actually this is MacBook number 4 for me, Alison. And I have grown quite attached.) The only drawback on the hemp is the smell. It is one heck of an odiferous plant. 🙂 I’ve been teaching myself to like it, however. If you can’t beat them, join them, as the old saying goes. –Curt
You must learn to love it Curt! It is so much better for the environment for making paper than cutting down forests 😦
Oh and have a great trip! And safe travels.
A.
🙂 Hard not to, Alison. Thanks.
I would love all “burns” to be controlled. Too many fires in the past years, it certainly can be disconcerting..
Have a wonderful trip!
Christie
Thanks, Christie. And the burns help control future fires. We appreciate the effort that the forest service is making. –Curt
You’re well on your way by now — or at least on your way. Even though I’ve been around enough controlled burns to know how carefully they’re planned and tended, they’re stressful as well as helpful — and that smoke is no fun. I’d be happy to be out of the neighborhood, too.
Enjoy your travels!
They had to bring in their helicopters and put out a controlled burn behind our house because it got out of control! That didn’t make us any less nervous, Linda. And yes we are on our way. We spent the night in Tonopah, Nevada, which is pretty much in the middle of nowhere. 🙂 –Curt
Happy and safe travels to you and Peggy! When both of my MacBooks got stolen las spring, I thought life might have ended … 🙂 I did lose some stuff, but not as much as I feared. I’m a sucker for the deer pics – keep ’em coming!
Ooh ouch! Hopefully, everything was backed up. And the deer pictures will keep coming. 🙂
Happy trails! I was having keyboard trouble on my laptop for a while, but I eventually figured out it was because the battery had swollen a bit – things were structurally out of true. After replacing the battery the problem went away.
Sounds like you found a more powerful solution.
First time I have heard of that one, Dave. Sort of like a swelling brain, I guess! –Curt
Hard to believe it’s been over 30 years for the book club. Congrats!
How time passes when you are having fun, eh. How old were you then? 13? 🙂 –Curt
You said you’re still playing hooky from the web, then showed us a photo of hemp. Is there more you should be telling us, Curt? I can’t imagine seeing a fire burning so close to my home. I know you’ve dealt with it before and will likely deal with it again, but it still must be frightening every time. SO glad you have a computer with you for your trip. TRUST ME I know how important it is to blog while travelling, or at least have a way to collect photos and organize and maybe even jot notes down while traveling.
More to tell? 🙂 My lips are sealed. The fire was worrisome, even controlled. It hadn’t rained enough from our perspective. I’m loving my new computer. So much faster! Only 3,000 photos so far on they trip. (grin) –Curt
“only”
Well, there are a few more now. (Grin) We have been hanging out in the Georgia O’Keefe, Ansel Adams section of New Mexico taking photographs of what they painted and photographed. What a kick! Also, yesterday we spent out day scrambling over the volcanic cliffs of Petroglyph National Monument in Albuquerque communing with the ancients. 🙂