Joe Lawson, The Gumball King, Dead at 58

NOB HILL--Joe Lawson died last Thursday night. Saturday we had a wake. There are no words that can express the loss.

But I tried. I posted a piece about him on The Duke City Fix this morning.

Two Small Rains Equal 350 Gallons in the Barrels

NOB HILL--On the Duke City Fix one month ago I posted a story about my new rain barrel. It holds 100 gallons. I already had one that holds 55 gallons. And that covers the only 2 spouts I have on the entire house.

Well, here's an update. We have had two little rain events since they have been installed. Each one accounted for only about 1/2 inch of precipitation. From those I managed to harvest 350 gallons of water!

The smaller barrel filled up and I drained it during the storm into my small orchard. It has filled up twice since.

The 100 gallon barrel has filled up twice. Altogether that makes 350 gallons. Not bad for two tiny rain storms.

Ankle X-Ray Shows Nothing, MRI Next

NOB HILL--I wrote a piece for the Duke City Fix this morning detailing my visit to the Doctor's office. I went to Dr. Sotelo yesterday to get the second of my cortizone shots for the pain in the ball of my foot, a condition called neuroma. Anyway, Dr. Sotelo didn't bother with the shot, once he saw my ankle he sent me straight over to Anna Kaseman to get it x-rayed. I brought him the pictures this morning.

He couldn't find anything, but said he was going to schedule an MRI. I don't know whether this is a cause for celebration or not. "The only thing that is certain," he said, "is that you aren't going to need surgery."

I'm all packed. My trailer is boxed. My bag is ready. The clothes I'm wearing on the plane are sitting on top of the bag.

I can only wait for his phone call.

I Had a Short Conversation With a Man in Hip Boots Yesterday

CORRALES BRIDGE--A man playing in river water is enough to arouse the curiosity of most men...including Yours_Truly. The interview is posted on the Duke City Fix.

More on Sitting Bull Falls

CARLSBAD, NM--There is more information about the Falls and nearby camping posted on this morning's Duke City Fix. If you are thinking about going there, you might want to check it out.

The Passenger Who Ate Cold Pizza...and Other Stories from the Rails

ALVARADO STATION--The inaugural run of the New Mexico Rail Runner from Albuquerque to Belen was full of important people and those connected with some aspect of the rail project. But the real face of event has to be this UNM student waiting for the train at Alvarado Station downtown. I had seen her get on the RapidRide at UNM on her way downtown...and now here she was, unwrapping a slice of cold pizza while waiting for the southbound Rail Runner.

She lives in Los Chavez. Every morning her folks take her to the train station in Los Lunas. She rides up to ABQ...hops on the RapidRide to UNM...goes to class...and then takes the same bus downtown and the 12:32 train back to Los Lunas.

She is the future of Rail Runner: a real person whose needs are being met perfectly with mass transit systems. UNM is notorious for its lack of parking. This is the perfect solution.

In fact, UNM should consider subsidizing students who buy bus and train passes. After all, even their remote parking lots are filled to capacity. They should also do what they can for bicyclists, starting with a better connector to the Noreste bike path north of the campus.

I was touched at the ceremony when the train made its first stop in Belen. After the usual ribbon cutting ceremony I noticed a man in back of me had taken out his jack knife and was cutting up pieces of the ribbon and passing them out to his extended family. Yes, this train IS that important for this community.

And as the train backed up to start its return north to ABQ (remember the train runs 'backwards' going north), I couldn't help but think about how many stories and memories the Rail Runner service is going to generate...students, shoppers, adventurers, tourists, working commuters.

Here's to the New Riders of the Purple Sage!

Btw, in case you missed it, I wrote a companion piece about the Belen - ABQ Doodlebug for the Duke City Fix.

Might the School Board Election Be About Charter Schools? (Published in the DCF)

It would be helpful if all the Board candidates would have something to say about some kind of limit on the number of charter schools. Would 50 be enough for Albuquerque? 100? 200? How about even a moratorium? Just how many schools are the citizens of the Duke City willing to build? Read the whole story on the Duke City Fix.

Portrait of the Artist Going Door to Door (DCF)

NOB HILL--Sam Pillsbury and I set off to find Sam some wall space in that most ethereal of aesthetic meccas, Santa Fe. Read the whole story on the Duke City Fix.

Dealing With Being Lost...And Staying Alive (posted on the DCF)

NOB HILL--Now may not be the time you are thinking about going into the mountains...after all, it's 30 below zero in some parts of New Mexico at night. But yesterday's story about Carolyn Dorn makes me think about survival. She lived in the Gila Wilderness in the middle of winter for 5 weeks!

Getting lost in another matter. Today's post on the Duke City Fix tries to give some pointers for not getting lost in the first place. And then what to do if it does happen to you.

Even Daniel Boone wasn't sure of where he was all the time. So don't be too proud to read it.

An Archbishop, a Judge, & a Senator Walked into a Bar...

As if I wasn't enough of an idiot, I took on an Archbishop, a Chief Judge, and a popular Senator in this morning's post on the Duke City Fix. It's no joke, but I did make it all up.