Riding the bike out of Santa Fe, heading north to Ghost Ranch Conference Center, I left cell phone and internet service behind.\u00a0 I was a little concerned about the one+mile dirt\/gravel road into Ghost Ranch, but it was fine – not an issue on the VStrom but I’m glad I wasn’t on my ’04 Yamaha FJR.\u00a0 The gravel was a bit loose, and the tires squirted here and there, but it was all OK.\u00a0 I set up my tent in the campground and walked around, finding old friends also there for the week’s conference.\u00a0 My first night on the ground wasn’t especially comfortable; the high-tech sleeping pad was first too hard so I let air out.\u00a0 Too much air, of course, so I still wasn’t comfortable.\u00a0 And then I “discovered” the NM no-see-um’s.\u00a0 Somewhat in size like the hot gnats in Florida\u00a0 but they pack something that feels like rattle snake venom, to which I am amazingly sensitive.\u00a0 I woke up with 8 whelps the size of golf balls – red, itchy, hot golf balls.\u00a0 Being ever-so-slightly stubborn, I resisted the temptation to move up on the Mesa to the full accommodation housing.\u00a0 The second night, I took a virtual bath in Deep Woods Off and adjusted the sleeping pad and slept well.\u00a0 The red cliffs of northern New Mexico shed a pink dust of cake-flour consistency that seeps through anything and covers everything.\u00a0 The tightly zipped tent was no match, and all that I brought was soon covered in pale pink grit. I slept in the tent 4 nights, then bolted on the bike down to Albuquerque on Thurs morning to catch a plane to Indianapolis.\u00a0 After serial flight delays, I finally arrived at the 5 star motel in Indiana after midnight.\u00a0 Interesting contrast to the days preceding – I was there as the plenary speaker at the Indiana Juvenile Judges Conference and was to make a 90 minute presentation to 150 Judges.\u00a0 My room was with the other judges – on one of two floors with access restricted by card key.\u00a0 The room had all of the upscale amenities, including a bath robe hanging in the closet.\u00a0 There were no bugs or red clay.\u00a0 The clothing contrast also made me smile.\u00a0 I had to look professional for this Conference, rather than look like a biker chick sleeping on the ground with pink dust and biting bugs, but there’s not much hangar space on my bike.\u00a0 So I’d rolled up my good clothes, stuffed them in the shoe box with my dress shoes, and shipped them to myself at Ghost Ranch.\u00a0 There I packed them in the saddle bags for the trip to Indiana.\u00a0 At the hotel, I shook them out and was pleased with the result.\u00a0 However, I was NOT pleased to find I’d left my hairbrush in the tent.\u00a0 The only brush I had was my toothbrush.\u00a0 After grumbling a bit, I called the front desk and the kind lady brought me up a black comb in a plastic sleeve – a comb slightly thicker than a piece of paper and light-years ahead of my toothbrush in hairstyling potential.\u00a0 Friday morning, I washed my hair, blew it dry, and beat it into submission with the black comb.\u00a0 With dress clothes and makeup, I completed my Superman-in-the-phone booth transition, and stepped off the elevator looking somewhat judicial.<\/p>\n
I felt the talk went well.\u00a0 A group of 150 judges can be expected to be stoic and academic;\u00a0 I appreciate their willingness to engage in open discussions of issues unique to the judiciary working in juvenile,\u00a0 such as the emotional impact on the Judge of hearing traumatic problems as part of a routine workday, and the frustrations of not being able to adequately address various issues of humanity. I hope I left them with ideas to ponder.<\/p>\n
I finished at noon on Friday in Indianapolis and flew back to Albuquerque where I’d left my bike and helmet.\u00a0 Saturday morning I left the motel early and arrived back at Ghost Ranch in time for the 8:30 a.m. program.\u00a0 I was only in Indianapolis for 15 hours – amazing what modern-day travel allows you to do.<\/p>\n
I reluctantly left Ghost Ranch on Sunday – it’s such an amazing place.\u00a0 I continue to be technologically challenged so I’ll only post pictures at www.facebook.com\/Public Secrets and Justice.<\/p>\n
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Riding the bike out of Santa Fe, heading north to Ghost Ranch Conference Center, I left cell phone and internet service behind.\u00a0 I was a little concerned about the one+mile dirt\/gravel road into Ghost Ranch, but it was fine – … Continue reading