Found a Spring

Last month I met a fascinating East Indian man living out some purgatory in Kanab, Utah. His name is Adi and when I got curious about how he could toss out words like tumescent and bunberry he told me to look up California 250737. Well… now, Adi, WTF are you doing in Kanab?!

I do meet the most interesting characters.

Adi said his Wild West dream entails “guns, gold, and broads.” This is cute because he has never done anything outdoorsy in his life. He rarely ventures more than a block from his job at a motel. But Adi can recite classical poetry and quote Jim Morrison. His true love is the English language. He knows it better than I do. And if you need a really good lawyer…

So when he asked me my Wild West fantasy, I thought, “water, clean and flowing.” Adi wouldn’t get that. He turns on the tap!

Yesterday I had my first on-trail water crisis, ever. I usually just carry too much water and so it’s never been an issue. But yesterday’s gaff was due to bad route planning decisions, another embarrassing story and a life lesson. I went to bed thirsty after rationing all afternoon and evening, with 8 ounces of saline water left in my bottle. Thirst sucks! I woke up continuously through the night, and by morning had myself convinced I was NOT thirsty. The kicker?

I was camped two miles from the Colorado River. The Colorado! But I didn’t have my guidebook for that stretch and topo maps made it unclear if I’d be able to access the water (much of the Colorado has steep cliffs for walls). So I agonized, speculated.

And at sunrise I went to The River. I walked right to the shore. The water was gold. And I drank it. And it made the desert perfect again.

I made Moab perfect this evening by bottling 1.5L of Kane Spring water and walking it into town on my back.

Photo from October 25, when I found pristine piped spring water I wasn’t expecting to find (in the middle of nowhere, not on any map), and dreamed of getting in it. (I did not get in it. Etiquette is to scoop out what you need and move away to do washing/bathing.) I left with 7L and drank it for days…

My rain dance has become simply a water dance this fall.