Day 3998

We debated about waiting until later to walk this morning. It was really cold. We decided it was better to wear warmer clothes than to change our plans. This meant that Dawn would have to wear two coats today. Janet and I wore two coats as well. Dot and Dash often wore two coats on cold days, but this was a first for Dawn. A black sweater goes on first. Then the red Ruffwear harness goes on top. Finally an insulated outer coat goes on top of the harness. Since Dawn is about the same size at Dot, everything fit well and she could still move freely. It took Dawn a little while to get used to the new gear, but it definitely kept her warmer. Northerners would think this was overkill, but like I've said many times, we're not Northerners.

It was a clear, sunny day and although the temperature was near freezing while we walked, it warmed up quickly as the day progressed. I think we had a high of around fifty-five degrees. I always turn the furnace up and change back to shorts and a t-shirt when we return home. There is a lot of glass in the house and we used to have problems with condensation in the Winter. The dehumidifier has taken care of that. As long as the dehumidifier and the furnace are running, Winter is banished from the house.

Today was uneventful. I made a quick trip to the bank after breakfast and spent the rest of the day puttering around on the computer. I'm still trying to improve my skills at processing the astrophotography pictures I took out at McDonald Observatory last October. There are lots of techniques you can use to improve the quality of the images while still keeping them looking natural. I know how to stack images now, but I still need to take dark, flat, and bias calibration frames to reduce noise and artifacts even further.   When you add these calibration frames to your stack and run the processing software, the images noticeably improve. I should have taken the calibration frames out at the observatory because your camera needs to be at the same temperature as when you are taking star images. Darks are taken with the lens cap on. Flats are taken with the camera pointed at an evenly lit white background or a blank patch of sky. Bias frames also have the lens cap on and are taken at the fastest shutter speed your camera has. Mix all this together with the right software and you reduce a lot of the noise that digital cameras can create. Since all this is technical and tedious, I just played around with Photoshop today.

I'm sure that the next time I go out to West Texas, my photos will be a lot better. I have no idea when that is going to happen though. Covid has gotten really bad in Marfa, Alpine and Fort Davis and the observatory has shut down again as a precaution. They say the primary reason for the surge in cases is the huge increase in traffic to the Big Bend area. When people couldn't fly or take cruise ships, they began to take road trips. Campgrounds and National Parks are full all over the country and a lot of rural areas have been overrun by city people. It's ironic and kind of sad that my friends at the observatory thought they were safe because they were so remote. The remoteness and beauty of places like Big Bend attracted all the city folks with cabin fever though and now the Davis Mountains have become one of the worst Covid hotspots in the country.

It's time to make a grocery list again. I also need to make sure that all my camera batteries are fully charged and that I have spare batteries and bulbs for my strobe equipment. The Santa Paws event is Sunday. We looked at the backdrop today and it appears that we already washed it last year after we were finished with our events. It least that's one thing I won't need to do. It looks like it is going to be very cold again tomorrow morning. We know what to do.

Camp is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 3948

What a long day. I wanted a little activity before starting the long drive to West Texas, so we took Dawn on a four mile walk before I left the house. I ate a light breakfast, finished packing my bags, and off I went. I wanted to be on the road before 9 AM, but it was closer to 10 before I was on my way. This always happens. It is next to impossible for me to get an early start.

I thought I"d remembered everything this time, but as the miles rolled along, I kept remembering little things that I'd forgotten. I forgot to take shampoo. I forgot a nail clipper. I forgot a ball point pen to take notes with. I'm sure I'll think of other things I forgot as I go to sleep tonight. Usually there is shampoo and pens at the hotel. Not this time. The little ranch cabin I'm staying in only has the bare necessities.

It's such a long drive to West Texas. Most of the drive is on I-20 which is always filled with large trucks. I find myself passing eighteen wheelers every few minutes. The highway between Midland and Odessa is filled with even larger oilfield trucks. There always seems to be construction too. Traffic really backs up quickly when the freeway becomes a one lave road. I wish there were scenic backroads I could take to the Davis Mountains, but basically the middle of Texas isn't very scenic and I-20 is the only choice you get.

I was making pretty good time today until I stopped for gas at a place where the pumps wouldn't accept my credit card. The logical thing to do would be to just drive on to the next station. Never mind. My tank was low and I wasn't sure I could make it to the next station. I finally got the station attendant to get the pumps working, but the whole process made me thirty minutes late. I need to fill up more often on the trip back.

With the exception of the gas stop, I drove straight through. I was hoping to catch the Prude Ranch manager before she left work at 5 PM. Needless to say, that didn't happen. I arrived around 6 PM and the place seemed empty. I went from building to building until I found the office. The place was dark and empty, but a map of the facility and my room key were waiting for me on the front desk.

I'm glad I took a cooler with sandwiches and water. There definitely wasn't any place to eat as evening approached. I brought one beer with m so I could relax after the long drive and immediately wish I'd brought more. Janet made me an excellent ham and cheese sandwich, which I ate in my room. Actually, eating in my room was probably a lot smarter than trying to find a restaurant. The observatory will be serving us some sort of an outdoor dinner tomorrow evening, so all I've got to worry about is breakfast.

Hopefully, the skies will be clear tomorrow night. I drove through a major dust storm getting here. I couldn't even see the David Mountains until I was about thirty miles away. It was very windy today, so maybe the dust will blow away. I can't hear any wind now. It's so quiet out here that it is kind of spooky. There is no traffic noise. No planes overhead. No police sirens. And no barking dogs. It seems unnatural for it to be this quiet. I should sleep well tonight. On the other hand, if I do hear a noise, it will probably break me out. 

Lucky is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 3731

Today was basically a free day with no star parties or tours, so I decided to drive down to Marfa and look around. I drove south to Alpine and then West to Marfa, passing the Marfa Lights viewing center along the way. Marfa is a weird place. It's an old Texas ranch town turned into a hipster mecca, all because of Donald Judd. When this famous New York minimalist moved to town, it quickly became a destination for art aficionados around the world. I wanted to visit the old Army base that Judd acquired as his studio and gallery, but it was closed because of the coronavirus. I has to settle for wandering through the town's many small shops and galleries. They all smelled strongly of disinfectant. If this little town in the middle of nowhere is worried about the coronavirus, we're all in big trouble.

The entire loop from Fort Davis to Alpine to Marfa and back again is only 69 miles. It doesn't take long for the landscape to change from the volcanic Davis Mountains to the arid Chihuahuan desert. The landscape is majestic. If you like solitude and wide open spaces, this is where you need to be. It was nice to have a change of pace from my work duties, but I made sure I was back at the Astronomer's Lodge by dinner time. Nobody misses meals at the Astronomer's Lodge. The cook should start her own restaurant. She's from Mexico and speaks no English, but make the best Guacamole, Tacos, Enchiladas, and Fajitas I've ever had. Even the Tortillas and chips are made from scratch.

It started raining right after dinner and since the telescopes couldn't be used tonight, an astronomer I met at one of the star parties asked me if I would like to take a closer look at the huge 433 inch Hobby Eberly Telescope located at the top of Mount Fowlkes. This revolutionary telescope is the second largest in the world and doesn't use an eyepiece. Instead, it uses a sophisticated fiber optic network to send light from the mirror straight to a bank of virus spectrographs. No, this is a different kind of virus. The name is just an acronym for Visible Integral-Field Replicable Unit Spectrograph, whatever that means. This telescopes is used to look for the source of gravity waves, find planets orbiting distant stars, and to do fundamental research on black holes. Not only was I able to go inside the room where the telescope was housed, I was able to go inside the telescope itself. I don't think OSHA would approve, but it was amazing to climb through the huge structure and get so close to the enormous mirror that I could touch it. I didn't touch it of course. That's another thing that would have gotten me banned from the mountain.

Tomorrow it's back to work for the remainder of my stay. The weather is pretty bad now, but I hope we still have a few more clear star party nights. Sometimes I wonder if we'll have any more star party nights at all. We're far from the eye of the storm out here in West Texas, but news about the spread of the coronavirus keeps changing by the day. I wouldn't be surprised if the University of Texas decided to cancel the rest of the event. They're certainly canceling everything else.

I hope the event continues. I'm enjoying myself and have already had some amazing opportunities that few people who enjoy astronomy will ever experience. McDonald Observatory is a remarkable place. It is a world class research center located in the middle of nowhere. The place is completely self sufficient with it's own water and sewage system. There are enormous back up generators in case the power goes out. If there's ever a zombie apocalypse, this is the place to be.

It's going to be hard to get back on a daytime schedule. The astronomers here stay up really late and then sleep really late the next morning. Not a lot happens before noon. This is fine by me. I've always been a night owl anyway. I can see why people come here for a two week project and end up staying for twenty five years.

Lance is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 3678

Another 20,000 step Sunday. Before starting a long day on the move, I sat still for a while and watched the Space X Crew Dragon launch abort test on my computer. Everything went well on the test and it looks like the next time the Crew Dragon capsule launches, there'll be astronauts onboard.

When I went to the gym a few hours later, things didn't go quite so well on the basketball court. I was terrible today. I can't figure out why I'm not completely consistent by now. I've been shooting free throws on this court for years. Some days I sink baskets routinely and other days I can't seem to hit anything. I'm not very consistent about sleep either. You'd think I'd be able to sleep eight hours every night. My days aren't very stressful and I have no reason to get up early. Sleep is very inconsistent though. Some days are good and other days aren't for reasons that are still unknown to me. Have I mentioned that I like consistency?

I definitely wish that cars were consistently reliable. It doesn't matter what kind of car you have. Things always break when you least expect it. I still can't decide whether to take my own car to the Davis Mountains this Spring. It would be more convenient and less expensive than renting a car as long as nothing breaks. If something does go wrong, it will be a nightmare. There is no Land Rover service for hundreds of miles. I thought that there might be some independent garages in the area who could work on my car. A Google search today didn't do much to fill me with confidence. Mostly what I found were horror stories from people who had car problems while on vacation in Big Bend. I guess there's a reason I saw very few imported cars while Janet and I were out at the observatory last Fall.

I think everyone in town was walking their dog today. There must have been hundreds of dogs in the park this afternoon. It was still chilly outside, but it was a perfect day for a walk. Most of the dogs were very well behaved. I think they appreciated the chance to be outside on a crisp, clear January afternoon. I can remember so many times when the weather was much worse than this in January. It's kind of nice to have a mild winter.

I did go to REI today but wasn't very impressed by the stuff on clearance. I guess there's a reason why things wind up on the clearance racks. Coats just aren't as well made as they used to be. I think my best bet is just to have my old Eddie Bauer Alaska coat dry cleaned and wear that on the mountain. I could wear that coat at the South Pole. I might not be able to move, but I definitely will be warm.

Tomorrow we visit the Dalmatians again. When I was working, I always used to hate Mondays. Now, this has turned out to be my favorite day of the week. These are all such great dogs. It's nice to have a chance to get to know each of them a little better.

Daisy is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 3538

I walked ten miles today. I walked on the treadmill at the gym for a while. I walked along the lake. And I walked up on the roof clearing away rain water. Needless to say, accumulating my 22,000 steps didn't leave a lot of time for anything else. Sundays have become a time for physical activity. I give my brain a rest.

Of course I give my brain a rest on other days as well. I don't know why I still like to think of myself as a thoughtful person, because I can go for hours without thinking of anything at all. Occasionally at the gym I wonder if the other members know something I don't. Almost everyone else follows a completely different exercise routine. Maybe I should copy them. I'm a creature of habit though and still follow a simple routine a physical therapist recommended years ago when I was being treated for a dislocated shoulder.

I was discouraged to find some new areas than need repair while I was up on the roof today. The roofer still hasn't brought over the silicon material he promised. I could always go buy some of the stuff myself, but I am reluctant to do so. The material is very expensive, only comes in large containers that are too heavy for me to lift to the roof, and it quite messy. I hate to carry this stuff in my car. If the drum tipped over and spilled, my car is ruined.

I took one long walk today instead of the two shorter ones I usually take. There are plusses and minuses to a five mile walk. On the plus side, when I am finished I don't have to go outside again. On the minus side, my feet start to swell after a while and my feet hurt. My shoes fit properly, but I have a really high arch and it's always been hard to find a shoe that will go the distance. I don't remember having these problems when I was younger, but then a lot of things were easier when I was younger.

I'm enjoying reading about West Texas history. The only thing I knew about Marfa was that Donald Judd lived there. There was an episode of Trackdown about Alpine once. I sometimes watch that show on Saturday mornings. I never knew much about Fort Davis. I wasn't even aware that the confederacy extended that far West. The observatory itself has quite a colorful history. Mount Locke, where the telescopes sits, was initially won in a poker game on a transcontinental train. The Davis Mountain have become one of my new favorite places. I'm definitely going back someday.

Tomorrow is a holiday which means it is exactly like any other day for me. We usually visit the Dalmatians on Monday's, but I think the kennel is closed for the holiday. I won't be going to the post office or the bank either. Even my gym is closed tomorrow. I guess I'll need to continue reading.

Spot is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 3537

As we were driving between Midland and Odessa on Monday, it never crossed my mind that this long, flat stretch of highway would become the site of a mass shooting. What a difference a few days makes. Of course, when I was at Kennedy Space Center earlier this Summer I wasn't thinking about being in the path of a hurricane either. You never know what is going to happen these days. Maybe this is why I seldom listen to the local news. It is just too alarming.

I find enough uncertainty just dealing with the weather. It's a good thing I didn't bother to clear the water off the roof yesterday because we got some more heavy rain this morning. I waited for a break in the rain to do my Saturday grocery shopping and then the rain started again. So much for my forecasting skills. At least the pumps on the roof were working today. I think the water needs to reach a certain depth to prime them.

The good thing about today's rain was that it really cooled things down. When I took my walk after I finished shopping today it was only seventy five degrees. It was still very humid, but I'll take what I can get. Since it was much cooler today, I just kept walking after my first three miles. I wanted to see how far I could go before I got tired. After five miles I wasn't all that tired but I had other things to do. Five miles is plenty for one day.

I had to go to the bank today and ended up standing in line behind an older lady who clearly had no idea what was in her account. She seemed apprehensive and confused despite the teller's best attempts to help her. When she eventually walked away with an envelope full of cash, I hoped she was doing the right thing. Maybe she was just giving money to a granddaughter but maybe she was the victim of a scam. It happened to my Dad. I sincerely hope I never become senile. It's a sad thing when the mind begins to go.

I'm hoping that reading and writing will keep my mind functioning. That's my plan anyway. I bought some books on local history when we were out in West Texas and I started reading one today. It's a sure sign you are getting older when you become interested in history. I was never interested in history when I was younger which might explain why I am interested today. Reading about the past helps me fill in some gaps in my own history. I read a lot about the Apollo program during the Fiftieth Anniversary moon landing celebrations and was surprised at how much I'd forgotten or never knew in the first place. When we were visiting the The National Museum of the Pacific War I realized that I actually knew very few details about World War II. I certainly wasn't thinking about little towns in West Texas when I was younger but their story is fascinating. I guess I'll keep reading.

It's hard to believe that it's almost September. Where has this Summer gone? I'll go to the gym and try to get my 20,000 steps. If I can bring myself to go up on the roof I might get a few more. No wonder reading seems appealing at times. You just lie in bed and take the steps in your mind.

Domino is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 3535

We're home. Texas has a little bit of everything. We traveled from some of the most congested areas of the country to some of the most remote. While we were in Fort Davis I kept wondering why people keep retiring there. The entire population seems to be retirees. As we navigated lunch hour traffic in Austin and a little later the evening rush hour on our return to Dallas, I had my answer. West Texas offers the antithesis of city life. People willingly deal with wells that occasionally run dry, problematic septic tanks, bears, forest fires, 40 mile drives to the supermarket, and a dearth of entertainment just to get some peace and quiet. The Davis Mountains were one of the most peaceful places I've been in my life. I'm sure the people who live there have plenty of problems, but they aren't city problems.

Fredericksburg is charming, but it definitely is not remote. The place is almost a suburb of Austin. We couldn't figure out whether the place was growing or shrinking. A lot of businesses were boarded up and we saw plenty of vacant buildings, but there was also a lot of new construction going on. The place reminded me of Gatlinburg without the Smokey Mountains. The main reason to return would be the museum. If you are a history buff, The National Museum of the Pacific War is like going to The Louvre. Before leaving town this morning, we returned to see some of the areas we failed to see yesterday. Someday we might return to see the rest.

I doubt that we'll return to Luckenbach any time soon. You almost have to go there though. If you live here you've heard the song a million times. It's one of those earworm songs. Willie, Waylon, and Kenny Chesney all sang it. I think Alvin and the Chipmunks did too. We wandered around the general store looking at tourist junk, thought about having a beer, but didn't, and then headed for home. We also stopped in West, Texas to pick up some Kolaches at one of the town's many Czech bakeries. That's also something you do if you live in Texas.

While we were in West, I used my phone to turn on the air conditioning at our house. We usually leave it off while we are away. By the time we got home, the place was nice and cool again. Even though I'm an old school analog kind of guy, I'll be the first to admit that today's technology is kind of amazing. I'm hooked. I would never travel without GPS anymore. I can write the blog from anywhere in the world. Having a watch that can take an electrocardiogram is pretty cool. So is being able to control your appliances from your phone.

Life is complex. Everything involves some sort of a trade off. I'd like to have all my advanced gadgets, but still live in an isolated place like Fort Davis that is so remote that some of these gadgets won't even work. One thing about a long road trip through Texas is that you realize you have a lot of options. Texas is huge and if there is something you like, I suspect you can find it here. I've found my place walking around a little lake in Dallas. I might start spending a little more time seeing other places though. Why not?

Duke is today's Dalmatian of the Day

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