Cerro Pelado Lookout

 

     mid-april, first day

snow finally melted off 270 road
tho all the rocks right where I left'em last year
two turkey hunters already in the parking area
'that you guys gobbling down Water Canyon?'
'yeah we saw a flock of 'em way far away
took a Hail Mary shot but nothing'


clean all silverware + dishes
set in sun to dry
sweep + mop upstairs and down around radio repeater
wash windows all four directions
rattles + catwalk clinks + clanks
mustiness of moths and months


winds 10-15 out of the south
cloud cover 15% cirrus to the east over the Sangres
Barb over in Barillas LO not up yet but she did come back
working on her history of the lookouts of Santa Fe
46 degrees turn on oven + crack the door
make gluten free glop for breakfast
add yoghurt granola + nuts (+ honey!)


call Dispatch in-service for the summer
gonna be cold tonight up here at 10,000 feet
still things to unpack from truck:
guitar mandolin computer books clothes zafu
food for a week or more MREs agua

all my old friends: Redondo   Valle Caldera   el Rio Grande
la Sierra de Nacamiento   Cerro Griego   Cerro del Pino
San Diego Canyon   San Pedro Wilderness
Borrego Mesa     Paliza Canyon
Sandia + Mt Taylor across the flatlands
the pondos + PJ + goddamn rock squirrels
waiting to burrow up in my air filter

nothing but time
brew first cup of tea
sit down + look out


     mid-july

warm front finally moving off east
dry air still mixing w/wet from the Gulf
towering cumulus every afternoon over the Caldera
tracking southwest out to 
                Cochiti Reservoir

or over San Pedro + Sierra de Nacamiento
tracking southwest over the West Mesas
light to heavy rain and hail w/lightning
giving weather updates to firefighters in the field

tho few fires w/all the humidity + moisture
one small strike up near Pajarito
Piñon Fire which goes out before they find it
other fires on other districts but nada on Jemez

clouds blowing off leaving 
                 still air hot and humid

reforming later for blessed shade and down drafts
reading James Baldwin + Seamus Heaney
playing Bach + Johnny Cash on guitar

writing at night after the radio gets turned off
planning plans for  
             fall and winter
maybe a quick walk down the dirt road
        checking my blind spots

John Yohe

Born in Puerto Rico, John Yohe has worked as a wildland firefighter, wilderness ranger and fire lookout. Best of the Net nominee x2. Notable Essay List for Best American Essays 2021, 2022 and 2023.  You can find more about his work @thejohnyohe www.johnyohe.weebly.com

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