El glorioso ejército de la República del plátano de Nuevo Mexorado…

"A simple question" - Mile Post 283

Starting out with a pile of work on my desk which accumulated during my absence during the earlier trip to Chama, it progressively turned into an interesting week resulting in another quick decision to make the now seemingly weekly trip to Chama.  This 2,200 round trip taking four days is now becoming as familiar, but not as routine or inexpensive, as G’s nearly daily 36 mile round trip to Jerseyville.  If we could figure a way to get one of our Ford Fiesta’s out there I suspect it would become a lot more common.

A Simple Question…

Before we came home I understood the issues that came up in my training sessions had to be addressed.  There is a huge knowledge gap between what I need to know, what I think I know and what I really know.  It becomes evident when I was not capable of answering the question, “What are those yellow flowers?” posed during my fourth time as docent at mile post 283 outside Antonito.  Is this an important fact? no and yes.  In the overall story of the railroad it is inconsequential and for our passenger is may be of passing interest but, it reflects a lack of depth in my understanding of the land and environment which is important, at least to me.  I came home with that question and my casual “blow-off” dogging me.

Downsizing from A5 to memo sized

From observation I knew the little “flash cards” I had developed needed to be refined.  I also observed that one experienced docent kept a small journal tucked in one apron pocket.  He made quick references to it as folks posed questions.  So, this week, I made a small journal that I could carry in my apron pocket to supplement the flash cards.  In the process of transcribing my notes from an A5 format, which is a handy small notebook, to the yet smaller memo pad size journal I found the answer to the question posed at MP 283. 

Early in my study I reduced the foundational mile-by-mile guide, “Ticket to Toltec”, to outline form in the A5 size.  In the process I created a two-page summary of all the Flora and Fauna referenced in “Ticket to Toltec.”  This summary also included seasonality of the various flowers specifically noted.  By looking at the very document I had developed nearly a year ago I had the quick answer.  At that MP only one yellow flower blossomed in the summer – Sweet Clover – there was the answer.  I had it all along but had unlearned my earlier work.  Flora and Fauna are a problem for me as I am into history, operation and civil engineering, keeping this handy two page laminated guide at hand will help in the future.

Old Blue Redux… A "cliff-hanger" resolved...

On Tuesday I picked-up Old Blue from the repair work at Jerseyville Ford.  They found the new battery bought in Chama had failed.  The original dim check engine light, noted in the previous post, and was related to the throttle body.  Evidently frost which accumulated the first day we arrived in Chama, the temperature was in the 30’s that evening, impaired the function triggering the check engine light.  When it warmed up the frost melted and the unit worked properly but the light needed to be reset.  The angry check engine light encountered on the trip home marked the untimely passing of the new battery. 

Old Blue was delivered in running order and the dealer worked with me on the cost.  They have been really decent folks through all this.

Meetings in Hardin and Chama…

The same day I received an e-mail from The Friends noting a dinner/meeting of docents in Chama on the 24^th.  It must be an important affair as all the nabobs of both the Friends and the operating company, the ones who actually operate the trains, will be in attendance.  Unfortunately I have a meeting to attend in Hardin the same day and we were planning on leaving for Chama on the 25^th thus missing the dinner/meeting in Chama.

For the past ten years I have worked with truly extraordinary people and we live in a similarly extraordinary place.  In those years G and I have aged from senior citizens to elders; this transition has been gentle in this special place in which we live and I work.  Both my place of work and our church have been supportive in small crises and decisions we have made through the years.  I began the transition to my retirement two years ago.  I strongly believe it is important to pass my knowledge and philosophies to the younger generation following on at both work and in everyday life.  The folks I work with understood my dilemma at missing the Chama docent meeting and helped me arrange an early departure to make the docent meeting.  For the ten years I have worked at the Bank I have written a summary of the month’s activity to present at the monthly work meeting.  This practice allowed me to set up my reports and write a summary for the work meeting. 

So we are on the way to Chama late in the day on the 22^nd.  I advised the Chama meeting organizer of our attendance by e-mail on Wednesday of this week.  Shortly thereafter the main nabob of the Friends wrote back asking if I could docent while there – how do you think I responded?  YES!

Some time in the “sweat shop”…  A look at a few days earlier.

Somewhat akin to a Circus?

During the week I spent a couple nights sewing patches on my docent shirts.  I set-up three shirts early this year and wrote a Facebook post about it.  Missing was a patch “DOCENT” which was to go under the C&TS Logo over the left pocket.  Unbeknownst to me when issued an apron at the end of formal training you are also issued sleeve patches indicating your job as docent. 

So I went all-in and put on the pocket docent patch and also the sleeve patch.  Now my shirts look like I am a right regular private in “The Glorious Army of the Plantain Republic of Nuevo Mexorado” or, “El glorioso ejército de la República del plátano de Nuevo Mexorado”, when in Chama.

Shoulder patch is a nice touch

The shirts may be a bit flashy for a simple country retiree. 

It was a good week and I still have a pile of work to clear from my desk....

And for my next post a return with a traditional Facebook Post: ... It was a dark and windy night but I found my way to the reading room.  The long journey down the staircase and through the dank rooms was pleasantly alight from the new purple phosphorescent toe nail polish I totally put on this evening.  It's awsome....."

Privado derecho regular en el glorioso ejército de la República del plátano de Nuevo Mexorado