Another day out.

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My friend did not want to go shooting or fishing. Beside fear of rain for him, I think it was too cold. We stopped at a store and I bought some more bullets for the .45, though just 50 to shoot out the oil. I also bought a few more types of lures on my list and some snells fishing hooks, and a few smaller treble hooks. They had no red fish egg baits, so I skipped that. He picked up a 50 pack of .45 bullets as well, and a fishing lure holder in which to put the original parts for his .45.

We then headed to a park and the local zoo. The area was packed, it seems there is a rodeo going on. It started today, so I doubt if they had more than opening ceremonies tonight, though I could be wrong. I have not seen a rodeo in years so I would like to go. I have other things planned though. As well, I do not want to fight the crowds and mess with that after my last and future city travels. Instead, I wanted to drive up Providence Canyon. He had only been up it to about two blocks in. We ended up going about 4 miles or more up the canyon. It was quite a ride. There were places where I had to use low/low to get through. I got as far as I was confident going and then went another half a mile! There were some spots that were quite spooky. I could see my neighbor was not comfortable, and I was beyond my sure comfort level by a goodly bit, so I turned around. He did not think the road went further either (he says things like that when he is at his limits, rather than just asking if we could turn back, or that he is tired, or cold, or such).

I actually stopped there, got out, and did a bit of hiking to check the trail ahead. It does keep going, though there is a bit of a better path. Then again, it was harder in a different way to get to what later turned into the better path. The Xterra did very well. But it tested everything I know about driving and what the Xterra, that I know of, can offer. I would like to go up again with others who go all the way and see how they tackle some of the more difficult terrain. I really want to get to the top, and maybe camp. It was a lot cooler in that canyon, as it was tighter, much steeper and closer walls kept the sun out and channeled wind through it, as well as a much quicker ascent so higher altitude by far than what Logan Canyon ever attains.

After that, a stop at the Golden Coral was the ticket. I have only, usually, been eating small amounts and infrequently. But today I was hungry. I usually stop at one plate, or at most just get a small second serving. Today I ate two good sized platefuls, enough tea that they ran out, but I could not contemplate deserts. Cooked meats, and a variety of them, was my main hunger. Though, as I think back on it, some vegetables did land on my plate somehow. My neighbor, usually a much lighter eater than even I, loaded up two big plates. He might have rivaled me! It was a good day for a buffet. Though, I would think we ate lighter than most hungry men who enter their place of business, if I drank tea for three of them.

Tomorrow, it seems, we will be going shooting. I checked my church. Their services are in the early morning, not at 17:00 as I had thought. Yeah no. I simply cannot be awake by 9:00, let alone be to Church by then. It just does not work, no matter how hard I try or what I do, except once in a while for no reason I understand. So, shooting it is. And, I will be taking swimming trunks and a towel. My neighbor had thought I was joking about that. I assured him that, cold or even very cold, in I will go. The nice thing about this place we are going is that there are enough trees for cover that I will not need to take a change tent. If a critter sees my dinkydoo, too bad. Though I refuse to pay psychology sessions for wild game with penis envy or infatuations if female. Ha! "No, little beaver, that is not a rifle. No, little muskrat, I will not drain the waters with it." Ha!

Some shooting, a drive, and some swimming, and I should be good and tired tomorrow night. I want to swim more so since I was not able to be out in any rain. If it rained here, I did not see it.

My neighbor wants to look at my .45. He is not sure, exactly, how it works. He has shot one. He has an idea of how they work. But he has not looked at the parts schematic or seen one taken down. He used to do parts machining and works on his own pistols, so curiosity has gotten the best of him. After that, I will either be napping or outright sleeping. I am getting tired. A big meal, the interesting drive, and the high altitude seems to have drained me.