I love The Chief!

Thanks, Windom Earle.


My spirit animal is a c.1954 ice cream delivery bike modeled after a great white steam engine with a chicken head for the smokestack, and 2 deep olive painted metal trash cans riveted on the sides for panniers. It has a bench seat with red triangles painted on it, and in black script it says: I LOVE THE CHIEF. It was revealed to me in a dream, and after much adventuring in the wild, as all true spirit animals must be.

I had this dream on my second night sleeping in the dirt, as I'd forgotten a tarp. After 2 solid days of idly shuffling around the Arroyo Seco River, in what has become my summer retreat. After 2 days of biking and snorkeling and clambering over uneven terrain. After seeing turtles on the bottom and swimming down to pick them up like the low lying fruit that they are. (I totally could've eaten you, Turtle!) After losing my flip flop to the current, and regaining it by swimming into a scary eddy far up a slot canyon (YES! The rumors are true. The river does indeed narrow to as little as 4' between sheer limestone faces. For quite some ways.), and after losing my Goodwill scored mask/snorkel ($3.25!) in the same deep depths but decidedly not regaining it. After drunkenly mishearing the directions to "the Pit", and more drunkenly wandering all the way down the river to the parking area. After walking back that 2 miles to where we'd stashed the bikes in the bushes, with scraps of paper as moleskin to keep my flip flops from tearing holes deeper into my out steps. After all this...The Chief.

Here's some pictures:










































All the good pictures are stuck in my head, because I do not have a sweet waterproof camera that takes pictures underwater, etc. But that is a nice shot.

And, FYI, campfires are no longer allowed this season at Arroyo Seco. It's stoves only, and those with permit (they're free and you can get them from the entrance staff). Bummer, but totally understandable. I will henceforth abide by this sensible restriction.




Ideas for next time include more snorkel gear (the water is SO clear, you can see very many things. I myself found treasure to the tune of $6, a pair of cheap white sunglasses and many, many empty beer cans. Even a busted back pack to keep them in...) And rafts. RAFTS! It's very doable to float from the narrows to the parking lot. Ride up, float down, hike back up to camp....yeeeeeesssss. Other things.

O Chief, I will follow you where you lead me.