Wednesday, June 10, 2020

Graduation, Bisti, and a Tournament Itch

Written on 5-22-2020.

It’s close to dusk here, and I can hear the a cricket chirping.  That’s not the only thing chirping, though.  The mama or papa bird is making a “chiirrup” sound, and it is in between feedings when it makes it.  Both parents have made a threatening sound, too, a kind of clicking noise, and they have dive-bombed Pikachu to protect their babies.  They don’t actually attack her, but they threaten and come close.  
Their babies are looking like normal birds now.  A lot less ugly, but I wonder how they all fit in there now that they are nearly full grown.  I hope we don’t see a dead bird soon down below, but I just don’t see how they are all fitting in there now.  I can imagine a sibling giving a little shove in frustration soon.   
Today was graduation day, but it was different, of course.  They hosted a “drive-through graduation” due to the coronavirus, and it turned out to be a huge parade winding its way through downtown, across the bridge, and ending at the middle school track and field.  We didn’t go, but I saw pictures and videos on FB.

Written on 5-23-2020.

We went to the Bisti Badlands today, and it was great!  I have wanted to go ever since I learned of the name due to the Bisti Writing Project.  I didn’t even know where they were located until years later.  I knew they were in the area, but I didn’t know where, or how close to Farmington.  
We did a little recon mission today to see where we could park the Alto and boondock.  We should go soon, possibly later this week, before it gets too hot.
B, Kody, and I packed a lunch, some water, his leash, and some entertainment if it was too windy, and we drove the truck out to the Bisti.  As we started on our hike, we didn’t understand why there weren’t walking paths.  Couldn’t we get lost?  Turns out we found...
some paths and also made some of our own.  The landscape is incredible, like nothing else we have ever seen, and we took about an hour hike through the surreal scenery.  Now, we can say we have been there, and it was a successful recon mission.  We saw a few places where we would feel comfortable bringing our Baker Street to spend just one night.  We know others who have camped there, and we saw a few signs that said Private Property, No Camping.      

Written on 5-24-2020.

I haven’t gotten to write about the golf yet, so here I go.  The second time we played at Hillcrest, C.J. and Shawn joined us. It was C.J.’s first time, but not Shawn’s.  He has played multiple times during the shut-down, and I was not surprised to hear that.  We decided to play best ball match play against them.  It was C.J.’s idea right before we teed off.
We held our own.  The first hole didn’t count for anything, since C.J. hadn’t played in such a long time, but I got the 2nd hole with a par.  I shot a 44 on the front to Shawn’s 43, but they were ahead one up at the turn.
We were two down after holes #10 and #11, but Eric was the only one to get a par on the thought par three over the water to get us back to just one down.  He got another par two hole late to get us back to one down again, and then another par on the next hole to keep us there.  That was about it.  They won the next hole with a par from Shawn, and it was all over.  We lost three down with one to play.  
I was basically a non-factor on the back nine.  I got a par on the last hole when it was all over, but I never got anything going or contributed on the second half of our round.  Oh well.
I had a memorable drive on the par four #14.  It was really gusting when we got to the teeing ground, but I used my “3-wood” driver, and I hit a straight shot towards the right side of the fairway that held the wind most of the way until it stopped blowing near the bottom, so it ended up on the left side of the fairway.  Once again, my short game failed me, so I ended up with a bogey.  
I just texted Shawn to see how he did in the tournament today.  He decided to play in the amateur tournament that Hillcrest hosted for the Memorial Day weekend.  He said he played badly, shooting a 99.  I told him to do better tomorrow.  
Speaking of 99’s, I wanted to better my score the second time we played at Hillcrest, and I did, but it was with my handicap score.  I shot a handicap 96, so that was better.  Eric and I tied this time with our gross scores of 100 each.
I’ve been itching to play in a tournament lately.  I considered seriously playing in the tournament at Hillcrest this weekend, but I don’t have my GHIN updated, and it would have cost $65.00 for the tournament entry fee, also.  It also takes courage, and I don’t have much of that.  I’m impressed with Shawn.  He doesn’t seem to care how it goes when he plays in tournaments.  My game is not in great shape right now, but it’s like having kids.  Nobody is ever really prepared for that experience.
I got a tee time for 4:15 for tomorrow at Pinon Hills, and I invited Eric.  I just got a text from Amanda that Eric can play.  I could only get a tee time for two people, so we won’t invite C.J. this time.  I also got a tee time for four players on Friday at 2:30, so I will invite Shawn and C.J. for that one.  I need to take advantage of my extended membership.  I have until June 5th to play as much as I can.  
There.  All caught up with the golf.  No birdies to report, but not a lot of opportunities either.  Maybe tomorrow?

Until next time…

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