Our forecast high temperature of 106° F will exceed the 104°F record set in 1953. The next several days will follow suit. The Northern Llano Estacado will be the anvil of the sun. Our average for this time of year is 90°F. Thankfully, nighttime temperatures still retreat into the 60s. Extreme drought conditions persist. Rain is the stuff of dreams.
Cooper and I cannot resist a morning outing on the prairie. Except for an occasional bird and limited ant activity, the Llano lies motionless and silent. A timid southwesterly breeze makes the 75°F air a pleasant sensation. We encounter Scout, Seiko, and their human Paddie. The Malamutes clearly long for High Plains winter weather. The three canine pals romp with diminished gusto. Several water stops quench thirsts. All five Llano trekkers agree, the remainder of our fourteen-and-a-half hours of daylight will transpire in air conditioned comfort.
Daytime conditions which limit outdoor activities do inspire retrospection. I dig into Llano Estacado history and find an interesting footnote. On July 7th our settlement, Clovis, will mark the 82nd anniversary of having served as one of ten refueling stops for coast-to-coast air service on a route laid by Charles Lindbergh.
© Ilija Lukić 2011
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