THE CODE CONNECTION

Comedy and Tragedy.  Humble apologies to all the visitors to the Code Connection for not posting in the past few weeks.  Your host has suffered a broken right arm (and I'm right handed of course), busted knee and a bruised ego and is having a little trouble functioning.  Nothing like a forced visit to the hospital to make you appreciate universal design and the ADA.

The best part is that I had fun getting there.  Me and a flock of my college classmates were well into our second day of three on our "Biennialle" - our bi-annual high-adventure to face death head-on in the world's most beautiful places - when disaster struck.  This year we were on a Navajo horse trail ride, primitive camping etc. in the Canyon De Chelly in Arizona.  Absolutely spectacular!  Even though its a national park, the land we were staying on in the base of the canyon belongs to the Navajo.  As luck would have it I ended up on a horse named Chase, the main stud amongst a herd in heat.  Chase an I got along great for two days.  Up and down steep canyon walls, through streams, you name it.  Suddenly, while standing in a clearing waiting for others to catch up, ol' Chase gets spooked.  WHOMP!  I was on the ground just like that.  Too badly injured to climb back up on the horse it took a couple hours of hobbling to the next ranch, a Navajo guide climbing the verticle canyon wall for help and another 8 hours to make to the emergency room. 

It wasn't all bad, while waiting for the transport out (a rust bucket we had to repair after it arrived) I was able to enjoy a great cabernet and authentic Navajo tacos for dinner while laughing through the pain.  The campfire, college songs, Navajo stories and a traditional cigar aficionado salute made it all worth while as we watched the sunset on the red canyon walls.  Bring on the next adventure!