Prognosis good

Dateline: Angel Fire NM ski area

Up & at it before kayakers showed life.

Into town to dr office appointment. 2 days ago I wrestled w/ insurance carriers and was assured that health care providers are covered.

Dr wiggled & twisted my right knee and was satisfied enough to give me a PT script. Also received a script for an antibiotic for sinus infection. resting pulse of 47. Body mass index approaching overweight. Index misses muscle mass.

Off to PT appointment. Therapist again wiggled & twisted w/ greater emphasis and concluded that i might have torn a meniscus but she couldn’t get the loose piece to flap over. She said that if I treat my knee kindly if there is a tear that it will knit. My hip problem could be a bursitis caused by my over enthusiastic stretch. She prescribed ice on hip and gentle stretch. Cool, I’m not grounded yet.

Drove out of Taos canyon down to Philmont Scout ranch in Cimarron, NM. Story: Back in 1964 as a 14 year old from Ohio I spent 12 days backbacking the trails, my first backpacking experience. I visited because it was 50 miles away and I wanted to touch something that so changed my life. I found the trading post which is now a total complete backpacking store. I visited w/ 2 staff members to learn more and to share my experience. Now costs $540, back then it was $140 for travel and camp fee. I struck on the idea of buying the red wool scout jacket and the Philmont badge. Unfortunately sort of that the jacket wasn’t in stock and that it costs about $100. I did buy the patch sticky for the van.

Much has changed since ’64: use camper supplied camp stoves, no tarp tent, and almost all trails have been remade to current standards. Decided that if I were to backpack Philmont it would not capture the experience of a 14 year old.

Checked out main street town and concluded that dirt bag camping would be too visible and I drove back West. I stopped @ Angel Fire ski area that was host to a UCI race meaning that there must be good riding here although a Single track review dissed it.

Camped tucked away by grocery store and bike shop mall.

Canyons on both sides of pass follow surging stream drainage, no roads lead out. Once you’re in, you’re in. Beautiful country: if there is h2o there is p-pine and doug fir, rugged.

Tomorrow is check out Angel Fire and then back thru Taos.

XM radio and have been listening to mariners games albeit announcers are based on home team.

Last night I rented The Wrestler from Red Box but could not finish it as to me it was too depressing, perhaps if I could have finished it, it might have put my mind right. I am also ready Ken Burn’s The War which is also stressful. What our fathers did fighting the war, well, words can’t capture the experience if they ever tried.

Wind picking up and rocking van. Mariners & Rangers in 11th inning.