Sometimes I think life would be much easier without indoor plumbing. The last few weekends I’ve been having to repair something or other. First it was the toilet that was leaking. Then it was the valve that stuck in our water tank, which allowed the tank to drain to empty, which meant that the pump wasn’t pumping water, so it got overheated, which caused a leak in the output pipe. Then it was the ballcock valve in the toilet that wouldn’t shut off. I think I have everything working again, but if not, I might be digging a latrine in the back yard.

After fixing my plumbing, the next problem to solve on my list was the gophers. I had been trying to trap them all week, but the guaranteed success trap was anything but. So this morning I tried what Dad used to do. Hook a hose to the truck exhaust and gas them. I’ll let you know in a few days if the volcano building has subsided.

Twice when Derek has been up to see us we attempted to ride my favorite short loop, Monunent and Mattole Rds. Both times we’ve had to turn back because the fog was too thick. Here’s what it looks like on a clear day, and a good example of why this is one of my favorite rides.