Sunday, April 27, 2008 - Albuquerque NM
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New Mexico hasn't seen the last of this guy
New Mexico has a firm hold on my heart - I'll be back come next fall. This is one beautiful, friendly state I want to spend more time exploring. Once I get my affairs in order back in Red Rock I'll be headed back to New Mexico for next winter, hopefully in time for the Albuquerque Balloon festival in October. A sizable contingent of Lazy Daze folks gather there each year and I'd like very much to join them.
First stop - the Apple Computer store in Albuquerque
My trusty iBook laptop is showing its age and I'm beginning to think about an upgrade. It works splendidly but with all the pictures I've been taking out here I'm running out of hard drive capacity. Plus it might be nice to have a faster chip and a bit more screen real estate. Unfortunately for my pocketbook I've discovered Apple has equipped its MacBook successors to the iBook with glossy screens. The screens offer a beautiful, crisp image but unless room lighting is carefully controlled reflected glare spoils it completely. Alas I fear that would be a big problem in the RV with it's big windows. I may be forced up to a MacBook Pro model where anti-glare screens are offered as an option - but, other than whacking my budget, that might not be a bad idea. The processors are faster, hard drives are bigger, and bigger screens are available too. We'll see....
Night camp
Wal-Mart Parking Lot in Albuquerque NM
Wal-Mart Supercenter in Albuquerque NM
Wal-Mart Supercenter Store #835, 400 Eubank Blvd Ne, Albuquerque, NM 87123 - (505) 293-8878
- Good level parking
- Verizon cell phone service- Very good
- Verizon EVDO Broadband service - Very good
- Find other Wal-Marts in the area
- Check the weather here
Rice Toss
After the dinner our hosts conducted us to the beach. Among the presents was a large supply rice for the fleet. It was put up in straw sacks or bales containing about 125 pounds each. By the pile stood a company of athletes or gymnasts chosen from the peasantry for their strength and size and trained for the service and entertainment of the court. At a signal from their leader, who was himself a giant of muscle and fat, a sort of human Jumbo, they began transporting the rice to the boats. It was more frolic than work. Some of thembore a bale on each hand above their heads, some would carry two laid crosswise on the shoulders and head, while others performed dextrous feats of tossing, catching, balancing them, or turning somersaults with them. I saw one nimble Titan fasten his talons in a sack, throw it down on the sand still keeping his hold, turn a somersault over it, throw it over him as he revolved, and come down sitting on the beach with the sack in his lap. Beat that who can. If you imagine it "as easy as preaching," try it the next time in a gymnasium. But let me advise you, first make your will.
The Logbook of the Captains Clerk, John J. Sewell, Lakeside Press, 1995 pg 256