Today: logged into recreation.gov to get the permit for our annual backpacking trip this summer. They became available this morning at 7:00 am where they release 60% of them now and then start releasing the remainders on a 7 day rolling average. Permits are good, I think. It puts some friction into the process of getting into the backcountry and limits overuse.

Tonight I participated / listened to a Substack Zoom call by poet and writer, Sherman Alexie. I have always enjoyed his work and it was a treat to be in a room with a few of his friends and fans to listen to him read and talk about his work.

We are heading in during the heat of the summer, but hopefully the elevation of 4000 feet will keep us cool. And we are hoping for minimal wildfire activity this season, too. We’ll see . . .

Sherman Alexie is an Indian poet and short story writer from the Spokane Indian Reservation. His movie, “Smoke Signals” is a beautiful story, based on one of his short stories, “This Is What It Means To Say Phoenix, Arizona.” His poetry has spoken to me for years and I joined his Substack when it started up and occasionally he hosts conversations on Zoom and tonight was one of those events. It was a treat to listen to some of his new work and enjoy the dialogue between him and the few of us who showed up.