Sunday was a big day, pancake breakfast benefit for the El Rito Library. That is 13 miles from my house and I decided to run there. I knew it would not be pretty, and it wasn’t. I would be running from 6000 up to 7000 feet of elevation in those 13 miles, I would also be in direct sunlight at 80 some degrees. Three weeks ago I ran a half marathon in 1:44 at sea level, based on how my running has been going at altitude, I figured I would be happy to run this in 2 hours. I did, I ran in 2:01 but the steady upward climb was killing me to the point that in the last 1.5 miles I had to give myself walk breaks. It was hot, I had no water and it felt like pulling a tire behind me. I can’t say I was tired because that is not accurate, I was just done; there was no gas in the tank. I arrived at the church where the benefit was held and was welcomed with a pile of pancakes, bacon and fresh real maple syrup. yummmmmmmm. I got a ride home.
Other news. The footing on my studio is complete. What a beautiful fulfilling process. Fernando, a 20 year old neighbor from Mexico and I dug the footing, 3′ deep and 15″ wide with a pick and a shovel. The footprint is 26′ x 24′. The next day we went to the arroyo, a dry riverbed, and pulled out 4-monster truck loads of big rocks. On the third day, Fernando, Felipe (whose stone house I bought), Mario and I poured the foundation. We worked really fast. A thin layer of cement about 6′ long is poured into the trench, we layer the biggest rocks first then put small ones in the corners, repeating this until the trench is filled. It takes 3 to 4 layers, and then we go onto the next 6′ section. At one point we ran out of gravel to mix the mortar and had to drive over to another arroyo to dig gravel. Obviously most building materials come from the earth but it is a far different experience digging it out of the land yourself rather than going to Home Depot or Lowes to it. It is far more fun and physical.
I continue to make small 6″ x 9″ drawings. I have 7 complete and at some point will have paper shipped out here to work on. But the way I feel so far, I never want to leave.
Just a little p.s. I still have no dsl or cell service which today is driving me wild but the mud and shit covered dogs are happy.
No water? You’re kidding me. You could DIE in the desert.
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Is that Homer or Conrad? Too funny! Your building your own studio is just amazing-and yes, get water!:)
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