Technically this cuddly little guy is called Echinocactus Texensis. But since trying to say that is a pain in the ass, most normal people, and some abnormals like maybe me, call it the Horse Crippler.
But this is an equal-opportunity kinda guy, so if you are going to go off-trail, on horse or on foot, here in South Llano, or anywhere else this lovable little gem hangs out, it might be a good idea to watch out!
Not that I would ever do that! Go off trail. Nooo. Not me - - -
Speaking of trails, because I'm such a sensible, intelligent sort of guy, after hobbling around on a bum foot for 6.5 miles the first day here, my second day's hike at South Llano was a masochistic followup of 8 miles, because
- well you know -
it seemed like a sensible thing to do at the time.
Right up until those last three miles that is - - -
But by that point my only viable option was to live with my stupidity and finish hiking on out to The Van.
The high point of that hike, in literal terms, as well as pastoral, was the line-shack and windmill on the imaginatively named Windmill Hill.
Here, in addition to the re-tinned line-shack, there's a large concrete tank below the windmill, a piece of which is just barely visible there beyond the shack, and a series of old livestock handling pens behind and to the right, and for some reason I always feel comfortably at home every time I come up here.
I can only peer in through the windows at the now empty space inside the shack, but I can't help but feel that I would find the rustic abode with its old door so dried out with time and weather that you can see light though the gaps, a very accommodating place.
A view across the canyon, a cot. a chair, a rustic table with a lamp on it, some shelves for essentials and a book or two, a couple of hooks for the few necessary bits of clothing, (In my opinion there is nothing more useless and socially harmful as the fashion industry. I'm not talking about the clothing industry. After all, of the three essentials of survival lack of shelter is the one that will kill you fastest and clothing is the first line of shelter. I'm talking about the fashion industry that preys upon and feeds people's insecurities, that fans the flames of "ooh, ooh! look at me! I'm special because some random person with a sewing machine yet no socially redeeming qualities says so".) a stove to stoke for heat and cooking, a fire-ring and a three-legged stool for when it's too hot for the stove, a bucket for filling from the tap at the well-head, and just generally living within the proper circadian ans seasonal rhythm of nature.
What more could a person ask for?!
Here's a place where a person could not only shelter but feel right with the world while doing so. Judiciously using resources while actively managing them rather than reverting to mindless conspicuous consumption and believing that an endless supply of water is only a tap-twist away, that flicking a switch is all it takes to negate the day-night cycle of the natural world, that cooking is done by pushing a button until the beep, that seasonal comfort is all about twisting a dial and sucking enormous amounts of resources, that - - - aaannnnd with that I've stomped my soapbox to the point of breaking once again - - - so let's move on.
The third day I recovered some of my common sense and limited myself to another 6.5 mile hike.
But not wanting to take this common-sense nonsense too far, I immediately jumped off with a climb
up the switch-backing Overlook Trail.
I like that little cabin near the windmill too. Your hikes are strenuous and beautiful, and your harmless cynical comments are entertaining :)
ReplyDeleteOh Crap! Have I become the class clown??
ReplyDelete...but, but, in order to stop our mindless conspicuous consumption, we'd have to *think!* And if we did that, we might even stop propogating...at least for a while. Our whole society would collapse!
ReplyDeleteWhat then, oh ridiculous clo...er, oh, wait, I mean, Oh Mighty Cynic?
Me Mudder sewed some fABulous, I say fABulous dahling, evening gowns. She looked quite fetching in the lowcut, shoulderless ones.
Humans are destined for extinction one way or another. The only question is what the journey is going to look like.
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