Adventure 37: Enchanted Trails RV/Albuquerque, NM/Post D

The Secret to Being a Good Coach: Good Players

Our last day in Albuquerque was memorable on many levels. For the most part it centered around Angela Hartill, who was the main force on the Riverside Rams run to a third place finish in the AA state basketball championships in 2003-4. Angela had a standout career at The University of New Mexico, and now five years after graduating, one year playing professionally in Germany, she works as a loan officer or US Bank and continues in her love of basketball by coaching the varsity girls team at Sandia Prepatory in Northeast Albuquerque. We met for lunch, caught up a little bit, and then I got to go to practice. What fun! She has a couple of pretty good young players, although she's hampered a bit right now because the fall teams are playing in their post season. When the volleyball, soccer, and cross country players return, she'll have her full team together. They could be pretty good, and improve on their first appearance at state in many years. From practice, Judy and I rushed to Popejoy Hall on the campus of UNM to listen to Lyle Lovett and John Hiatt perform this wonderful two man acoustic show where they took turns playing songs, jibber-jabbered in between, and made us laugh more than once. They managed to work in some of their most popular songs, a few fresh songs from new albums, and a few seldom played songs to fit the mood, which went from hope all the way to hopeless and back.The whole thing was fresh, funny, real, and the acoustics of Popejoy Hall made it amazing. On a tournament note, I'm currently ahead in the Albuquerque Open 7-5. We haven't yet played this morning, but if the Bunny doesn't perform her usual come from behind miracles, I'm taking the shiny black plaque of Route 66 as a trophy, which will tie the overall series up. He shouldn't have counted his chickens because he's out there now spray painting a third six on the devilish route 66 sign because I've just skunked him back to back to not only win the Albuquerque Open, but also to  remain in the overall series lead. He should have known no lead is safe! Despite this sad turn of events, life is
good, especially today. 


 Bolstered by the energy of Lyle Lovett and John Hiatt, I took a final look and the memorabilia at the Enchanted Trails RV Prk

 I can just imagine people in the old days huddled around the radio tapping their feet to som Texas Swing.

 Maybe even a one man band would waltz through town.

 And who could forget the 45s and bubblegum.

 And on a more somber note, what music does this guy hear?

 Coach Hartill and me.

Since it is the second day, much conditioning is happening. I was impressed that the girls just dug in and got to work, much like their coach during her playing days. 

Who knows what adventures lie before us. Heading east today after an unexpected, but joyous week in Albuquerque.