The Leave 5

I did run while I was on my trip.  But, because it was in a heat wave (average daily high temperatures were around 114-118 degrees Fahrenheit (~46 - 48 Celsius),   I was glad that the hotel had a fitness center with a number of treadmills.  So, I ran inside the fitness center every day..... except for one day..... Day 4.

In my pre-planning for this trip, I looked up "parks" near where I was staying, and of the various options, some of which were costly "event" parks, some were "water parks", there was one that I did find that was a more simple, free, "picnic-ey" park with walking trails, pavilions and similar such items.  It was humorously named "Siegfried & Roy Park" presumably since either this magic/comedic duo funded a large part of it, or perhaps in honor of their long standing, well attended shows in the area.  I am not sure.  

On this very early morning, I got up around 5:30am and prepared to go running outside.  At that time of the day, just prior to sunrise, it was probably only somewhere in the 90s in terms of temperature.  I figured I could have an "adventure" and run to this park.  Normally when running outside these days, I have an arm band that can hold my phone so I can use earphones and listen to my Catholic music channel while praying the rosary.  However, when I first began running long ago, I first used different pack to carry my phone.  I believe it would be more commonly described as a "fanny pack" but I never used it in that sort of orientation on my body.... it would be horrible to run with something like that strapped around your waist.  For the brief period of time I did use it while running, I had it slung over my shoulder, more akin to a tiny backpack. It did the job in an "ok" fashion, until I found the arm band variety, which then supplanted it.  

But, today, I was going to use the "fanny pack" because... besides my phone, I had (in a sock) the pipe I brought.  And, also in the fanny pack, I had the small bag of a few pinches of pipe tobacco, and a small box of matches from the Iwan Ries trip a few years ago.  I dressed in my running gear and shoes, and headed down to the first floor.  

It was still very hot outside, but probably only in the mid 90s.  In the very early darkness with just a glimmer of dawn occurring, I turned on my "gizmo watch" to record my distance, and slowly jogged off in the general direction of where the park would be.  Navigating the city is not easy, nor traditional.  This is the "off season" in Nevada, and most everywhere was under some form of repair or construction.  But I hoofed and hoofed for a while, trying to see more of the area, but also being sure I was still heading generally towards the park.  I finally found the park, and looked at my watch, I had only ran a little tiny bit beyond 2 miles (~3 km), but that was fine by me, due to the heat.  I walked deeper into the park.  I saw a walker in the distance, but not really anyone else.  The park officially opened at 6:00am, and it was only about 6:30 when I arrived.  As to be expected in Nevada, there really was not much in the way of greenery in this park.  But, it was pleasant.  Deeper into the park I found a rather isolated pavilion and sat down.  Unlike the city, it was QUIET and peaceful, and much more contemplative.  

Due to the ambiguities of TSA in flying, I know better than to bring a lighter in my carry on material..... it is not allowed and would be confiscated.  That is why I had matches, instead.  But, with the ambiguities of TSA, I also did not want to bring with me an expensive pipe, so what I did bring with me was one of my "work horse" large bowled, full bent Dr. Grabow pipes.  It was one that had always been extremely reliable and had had ample use.  But, it was also (in my opinion) very nice looking, and as I had done some polishing of my pipes a few months ago, it looked VERY nice to me.  I took out the small bag of the pipe tobacco.  As you know from my prior post, it contained some of the McClelland's M58 that a very nice friend had sent to me.  I was eager to relive its beauty.  But, it must be noted, that I never routinely smoked a pipe filled only with an aromatic blend.   Most aromatics, including the M58, are made of VERY mild pipe tobaccos so as to not obscure the flavorings of an aromatic.  But for me, the quite mild take of an aromatic alone, usually did not appeal to me.  Do not get me wrong... I enjoy the flavorings of many aromatics.  But, and I guess I learned this from my Dad, it is my long standing preference to always mix the aromatic with some more robust, pipe tobacco that is unadorned with flavorings to give it more a greater "heft" or "substance".  So, in this case, the bag had it in a mix of roughly 50% M 58 and roughly 50% simple, plain, but more robust Sir Walter Raleigh cube cut.  

As I sat in the pavilion, I started to carefully and patiently fill the bowl of the pipe with this blended pair of pipe tobaccos.  I was pleased that I apparently still had a good judging eye, as the amount of the leaf I had brought in the small bag, was able to completely fill the bowl to just the right level of firmness.  Even though I have often used what is sometimes called a "parfait" approach to filling my pipe in the past (one layer of regular pipe tobacco, then on top a layer of the aromatic), this time, I was working slowly to assure and even mixture of both tobaccos throughout the bowl (the two tobaccos WERE mixed in the bag, but their two different cuts (shredded for the M 58, cube cut for the SWR) had them naturally disaggregate a bit in the bag.  

I looked around a bit more, and decided to orient myself into a seat that allowed me to face in the direction of the mountains of the region.  Mountain viewing is not something I am commonly privy to, and so it seemed an especially good view to choose.  The pavilion also provided shade from the sun for me, which was also very helpful.  

It is both very comforting to me, but also a little surprising.... that all the old gestures, actions, and movements involved in filling and smoking a pipe.... did not feel at all "rusty" nor "atypical".  In fact, it felt so perfectly natural, that it still felt akin to eating, drinking, breathing.... it was just a normal, ingrained set of behaviors.  

I then clenched the stem of the pipe gently between my teeth, and I removed one of the nice, wooden, blue-tipped matches, and gently scraped the head against the rough side of the box.  The flame erupted easily and then settled into a warm, yellow, raindrop shape at the head.  I tilted the shaft of the match downward slightly to coax the flame to widen a bit, and then brought it up to bowl of my pipe, and began the slow process of drawing the flame into the crumbles of leaf.  Even though there really wasn't much if any of a breeze to speak of, I naturally cupped my palm around the bowl with the upper portion of my palm creating a shield to protect the flame of the match from being blown out by any errant wind. 

I then shook out the match, and with my thumb, gently pressed on the leaf to even it and firm the top a bit.  Then I ignited a second match, widened its flame, and relit my pipe until there was a full, even ember across the top.  

Words could not adequately describe the pleasure and joy I experienced with the rich flavors and textures of the beloved pipe smoke.  I experienced a pure comfort gently move throughout my body, and I could feel my facial muscles relax.  The peach flavoring (well, actually apricot as reported by Pat M) accentuated the beauty of the area around me, feeling especially fitting for the array of brown, orange and blue hues of the scene before me. Indulging in the beauty of that pipe and the pipe tobacco felt so profoundly beautiful, I could feel tears of joy well in my eyes.  My body felt at peace.

As I had ran to the park, I had worked through praying two of the decades of the Joyful Mysteries.  But, as I sat there in the park, looking at the mountains, I decided to start again with my rosary prayers, but this time I thought it more fitting to focus on the five decades of the Luminous Mysteries.  So, over the next hour, I sat there, feeling profoundly peaceful, quiet, contemplative, and prayerful as I focused on these Luminous Mysteries as I continued to enjoy my pipe in such a bucolic desert setting.  

By the time I had finished the rosary, I only had a few more minutes beyond that with my pipe... before its wonderful contents had completely converted to ash and the ember expired.  I knocked the whiteish/grey ashes out of the bowl and quietly put my pipe and all the other items back into the fanny pack.  

But, I did not want to immediately leave.  I wanted to remain within the beautiful artistry about me, and I wanted to extend and savor the beauty I continued to mentally and physically experience from the now concluded pipe.  So, I sat there probably an additional 20 minutes or so, before I stood, and then walked back out of the park.  

Once out of the park, I started again to slowly jog back to the hotel.  I did get off track a bit on my way back, so in total, I slowly ran a total of ~4.5 miles (~7.25 km) that day..... below my usual, but sufficient for the day and for the heat.  As I jogged back, I finished with praying the remaining three Joyful Mysteries as I ran... so as to not leave those unfinished.  

Upon my return, I headed up to the room, but quickly changed into my bathing suit, went up to the top floor pool.... and splashed around for about 10 minutes to cool off.... went back to the room, changed, and was able to get to the 10:30 am talk I wanted to see at the meeting.   

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