Snake holes
The Nevada / Utah travelers returned today and given the fact that the Frog Hopper was getting blown around on the I94 18-wheel Clogway on the way to Daytwa Metro, I wasn’t surprised to hear that their landing had been interesting. I noticed that airplanes were taking off, well “differently” is the only way I can describe it. Different direction and a steeper climb. I figured it was because of the wind. In some dusty cobwebby old part of my brain a few little thoughts about the physics of aviation tried desperately to surface. From flying in little Cessnas with my dad when I was a kid? Or from 4th grade science. I wish I could remember. Ailerons anyone?
I had no problem with the GG and Mouse flying out to Vegas and driving over to Zion to hike / camp. Fine. Go. They are both adults. Mouse will be 25 tomorrow. This was a birthday present for her. Actually I was thinking *she* might keep track of the GG… I was looking forward to being spacified for the weekend. It was all cool. Then somebody commented about snakebite kits on one of Mouse’s facebook posts. Oh, yeah, that’s right. They are not going to be in the Great Lake State. Where we really don’t have rattle snakes except for the Massasauga rattlesnake and those are really rare so we don’t really think about snakes much around here. So, I went [silently, mostly] into full-tilt-boogie moom mode. What if somebody gets bitten by a snake?
What usually happens with me is that I drop somebody off at Metro and I see that planes are flying in and out with no problem and airport workers are being shuttled from their far-flung parking lots to their jobs and the police are either standing around blowing whistles and harassing people or ignoring the long line of cars “standing” in the “no standing” zone. People like me. I sat there and “played” zen-style Bejeweled on my phone until the GG finally texted that they had retrieved their baggage and were on the curb somewhere.
I got derailed there somewhere. After I dropped my travelers off at Metro at 5:00 AM last Thursday, I drove home and a bit later, when I was taking my walk, I saw a couple of west-bound planes go over my neighborhood and I figgered one of those was carrying Mouse and the GG. And I knew that they would be okay and would have a good time. I was still a bit worried snakes but I did my best to squelch that.
Anyway, they landed in Las Vegas and drove over to Zion National Park in Utah and it wasn’t until tonight that I finally figured out the geography of that trip. They saw many lizards but they did not see any snakes and a post-trip google by the GG on the way back to the Planet Ann Arbor seemed to reveal that snakes are not a particular problem.
Mouse took the photooo. She took a lot of really good pics (so did the GG). Mouse has posted some of them on facebook. She wore a dress (or skirt maybe) for a lot of these hiking adventures. I usually don’t hike in a skirt but I love to wear skirts and I think I will try that in the near future. Lots of feminists out there might not agree with this but that is a whole ‘nother blahg entry and I am not going there tonight.
Love you all,
KW
April 23rd, 2012 at 7:24 pm
If there are snakes, or other critters that bite, pants are usually a better bet. 😉 Skirts look nice, but aren’t so great in certain conditions. Utah is a lovely place in spots; we’ve been through Zion and Bryce Canyon–but in the very hot summer. Glad they are back safely!
April 23rd, 2012 at 8:04 pm
Nothing is cooler (temperature) than a skirt!
April 23rd, 2012 at 9:28 pm
I’ve backpacked for years wearing skirts. They are cool, protect from the sun, and are generally cheery. They can be quite convenient coverage for certain off trail activities too. Good for Mouse for choosing her own brand of outdoor wear.
April 24th, 2012 at 7:15 am
I don’t think feminists would object to wearing a skirt. What I (as a feminist) would object to would be if women (or men in kilts!) were heckled and harassed b/c they were wearing skirts.
April 24th, 2012 at 9:08 am
it occurred to me after the first pic of Mouse in a skirt that it wasn’t surprising at all. it’s just standard ‘Mouse’.
25? what the heck?!?!? will there be cake? bubbly? skirts? 😉