July 30, 2008
Busy morning. Got a haircut from my neighbor Bev at 6:45 ($20 cash, includes tip). The last time she cut my hair she said, "I think that heart attack shrunk your head." This time she said, "You've got some muscle tone. Must be the workouts." I took that as improvement.

I do feel too skinny. When we were at Hutton's home in Albuquerque last weekend, Richard Ignarski, The Gunfighter Artist, greeted me with "Hey, you bag of bones." I weigh almost what I weighed in high school (165 vs. 173). I'd like to get back up to 180, but it's hard to put on weight when you stay on your diet.

Being naturally skinny all my life (one of my aunts would say to my mother right in front of me, "Bobbie, isn't he too skinny?") I've always eaten anything I wanted. Not any more. But, hey, I had 61 years of a fat-free ride.

After the haircut I drove down to cardio rehab (18 miles) and had a great workout, then met Theresa of Tri Star Publishing to sign several cases of books. She brought a table and chair and we set up shop in a parking space around back of the medical building. She's getting set to go into a fifth printing of my Wyatt book. Amazing. That book just keeps on selling. I wonder if it has anything to do with the naked photo of Josie in the front?

Note to self: do more nudes.

Second note to self: actually paint them as well.

After the book signing I went down to the emissions inspection station on 40th Street. My Ranger flunked emissions last time because of a faulty engine light on the dash board. It took my mechanic, Eric from 24-Hour-Car-Care, four tries to get the dang thing fixed, but I sailed through the test this morning and the attendant said, "for someone with a 1997 Ford Ranger with 112,000 miles on it, congratulations."

So I've got that going for me as well.

Kathy and I are leaving for South America on Monday. Going mainly to see Thomas Charles, but while in Peru, I'm dragging everyone over Lake Titicaca to see the exact spot where Butch Cassidy and The Sundance Kid cashed in at San Vicente, Bolivia. It's the 100th anniversary of their alleged demise and I want to be there. Of course, I had to ask the Man who actually dug them up, what to see and here's his first reply:

Butch & Sundance Itinerary
"You start in Arequipa, right? Arequipa's my favorite city in all of Peru. Don't miss the cuy.

"Are you taking the boat across the lake, is that it?

"There's now a $500 a night hotel south of Puno, on the Acora Peninsula -- Inkaterra if you want to Google it -- down the road from Chucuito, where I served part of my PCV service.

"Chucuito is a lovely town, dating back to the Inca empire, so it has a smattering of Inca and colonial ruins, and because its on a promontory, the loveliest view of the lake. Also, there's a B&B there run by a Peruvian couple.

"Bolivia, I assume you are getting a jeep & driver in La Paz to haul your party down south & back. It's the only sensible way to go if you're on a limited schedule. Otherwise you'll spend all you're time waiting for buses or stranded by strikes.

"In Tupiza, Beatriz & Fabiola at Tupiza Tours can show you around. There's a museum, and structures from the 19th century -- Chajrahuasi, the Aramayo mansion; the prefectura & correo on the main plaza; Dr. Eguia's home & office, also on the plaza. Seek out Felix Chalar Miranda, a local historian & school teacher & nice guy. He's the resident BC&SK buff.

"Bolivian food is rather ho-hum, but don't miss chairo, a beef & vegetable soup (if made right, chairo has chu~nos, freeze dried potatoes); sajta de pollo, a chicken stew; and lenguado, severely cooked beef tongue. The hot sauce, which in some restaurants you have to ask for, is llajua. YA-wha. The only epicurean phrase you need to learn is, 'mas llajua por favor.'"
—Dan Buck

"P.S. Oh, and in San Vicente, do not tell the miners that the bones they have on display don't belong to BC&SK. They might throw dynamite at your jeep. On second thought, go ahead. An Andean thrill no one should pass up is having your vehicle pelted with dynamite -- they're only half-sticks, called chorros (puppies). The worst that happens is your windows get blown out."

A Final Word From Fred
“Did you hear Ruidoso is underwater? Who said there isn't a God?”
—Fred Nolan

"A successful person is one who can lay a firm foundation with the bricks that others throw at them."
—David Brinkley