abandoned minivan
Posted by Zonie on February 05, 2024 at 01:26:56
At work we've had two resignations in a row. Pablo resigned for the ironic reason that he was overworked because we're short-staffed. Then Enrique gave notice. He's been having chiropractic issues. Even my faithful assistant Julio was talking about wanting to quit because he wanted a job with less heat, dirt and heavy lifting.
I don't care for the heat myself, but it's a necessary evil of running a furnace room. As for dirt, I wouldn't be posting here if I weren't partial to it. I did tell him that heavy lifting is helpful for maintaining good health in old age, but he disagrees.
Our boss hasn't said anything about recruiting new people, but I took the initiative and asked a customer if he knew anybody who needed a job. He said his son did but warned me that his son was an id*ot. I said "Id*ots have worked here before."
Several years ago the assistant manager complained that a new hire couldn't grasp simple concepts like reporting decimals on Rockwell test readings. I said, "Low IQ people have to work somewhere."
When an atmospheric river is aimed at California, it usually arrives here as a relatively minor creek, thanks to the Coast Ranges. That's why we have a subtropical desert climate rather than a Mediterranean climate. We got about ¾" of rain Thursday night. That improved the mud situation at the west segment of Reach 11. I went there Saturday morning.
It was definitely brisk in the morning, so I initially contented myself with a puddle stomping hike, and there were plenty of opportunities there. I got as far as the middle soccer field before heading back. After crossing under Highway 51 a second time and stomping around in the road runoff underpass mud, I took the more northerly route through the mesquite thicket and towards the trail that ran towards the equestrian center.
As I progressed towards the east, I saw an extraordinary sight. There was a minivan, about ¾ mile from the trailhead, not even on the trail, but by an arroyo next to it. There was damage to the hood, and part of the engine was exposed. I could only speculate that some juvenile delinquent took it joyriding.
I was considering reporting it. I don't carry my mobile phone on mud hikes, so I couldn't do it immediately, and it wasn't really an emergency, so I'm not sure 911 would have been appropriate. As I hiked further east, however, I saw a truck with flashing yellow lights traversing a trail normally closed to motor vehicles, so I assume that was dispatched to deal with the situation.
I finally found a secluded creamy mud puddle that seemed fit for a wallow and indulged in that. I then stomped in a few other puddles near the equestrian center. The wind seemed rather keen, but I kept warm as I kept moving, and I knew that it was drying me. At the trailhead, I washed my hands and forearms in a puddle. Shortly after that two other hikers offered me a water bottle. I told them I had plenty of drinking water. It certainly wasn't enough for complete bathing.
I saw from my car clock that I had been out for seven hours. I then drove to Pete's Fish and Chips. The cashier asked if I had just come off work. I told him I had been hiking. As I awaited my order I was surprised that I started shivering. It was odd, because I didn't feel cold. Indeed I was conscious of the warm afternoon sunshine hitting me. Still I knew this process was triggered automatically when the core temperature drops below 95°F. I had heard that some old people get hypothermia because they lose the ability to tell when they're cold. Maybe that's happening to me. In any case, wolfing down about 1000 calories ended my shivering.
I then drove home. My mother and our neighbor Norma were sitting on lawn chairs talking. My mother felt the need to point out that I often get very muddy on hikes, even though Norma didn't say anything about it. I refilled my canteen, bade them farewell and headed to my date with the garden hose in back yard. Interestingly this didn't restart the shivering response, so I must have been getting more use out of that Triple Monsterburger. After finishing with the jungle boots, wool socks, work shirt and overalls, I hosed down my legs, but my undershorts had to be done inside in the lavatory sink, as the back yard was exposed to view from the canal.
Laundry seemed to go rather better than usual, as I washed only those clothes worn on this hike rather than all my laundry. We've had this modern washing machine only a few years and are getting used to it. I think it self-regulates water amount and some other things in response to the laundry.