The Adventures of Fric and Frac: Adventure 334: Kartchner Caverns State Park/Post A

Redux

Buoyed by the positive waves of the Cafe Little One's owner Kathryn Wilde and the genuine affection we feel for our friends, the Krals', we set out this morning on a new chapter of our adventure. We camped at Kartchner Caverns State Park a couple of years back, so the return is like putting on a well-worn sweater. We love the wide open spaces, the view of the several mountain ranges in the distance, and the quietness of the desert. It's a quieting change after the bustle of Tucson. Since it's a short fifty mile ride just East and a little South of Tucson, we arrived with most of the afternoon in front of us. So we donned our hiking boots and traversed the 3 mile loop trail around the caverns. My only disappointment (And it's a little one, is that we've left the altitude where the Saguaros grow). None the less, all of the remaining desert wonders exist. We're on our way to Bisbee (New ground for us) in a couple of days, and we may swing by Tombstone and its famous OK corral. Looking out at this country, I can't help but wonder at the strength and tenacity of the first European men and women who came to this country in wagons, on horseback, and most likely on foot in hopes of finding a brave new world. And if I look beyond them, I see the Native Americans who carved an existence in this harsh land. I know that in my current state of soft indulgence, I'd last about two days on the trail. But not to worry, we're not suffering in the wilds. We have power, water, WiFi, and at least three dozen fellow travelers, many of whom run around like us in aluminum tents. We've seen license plates from Washington, Colorado, Massachusetts, Wyoming, Arizona, New Mexico, and of course, any number of Canadian Provinces. We're all happy, I'm sure, to not be traveling by horseback, even though sleeping out under the stars keeping warm by a mesquite camp fire has a romantic appeal. I've always enjoyed, much like Thoreau when he would drift fishing for perch and shiners in his boat at night on Walden Pond, the idea of contemplating "cosmogonal realities". He observed that the stars and night air were so close and rich, it was almost as if he could cast his line upward, only to be caught by God who would pull him up into the rarified atmosphere choking like any of the fish he would pull from the pond. It appeals to me to examinine the question of my own significance in the grand scheme of things. I find it interesting that we still view the stars as named according to ancient Greek mythology (And some Arabic). What gave them the license to name the universe? For instance, why can't I use my own alternative facts? Why can't I call Orion Tim, for example? I'm a noble warrior, after all. I've fought as many battles as any Greek hero. I guess maybe its because the Greeks were among the first who recorded the questions of Who am I? What am I here for? etc. Or, maybe we humans just like the consistency and comfort of our inherited culture. I don't know, but I do know that I'm fortunate to enjoy this good life, especially today, even if I don't really get to name a constellation after myself..