The Wandering Minstrel

At one point during the recent road trip, we crossed over Hoover Dam. We came from the Arizona side and encountered a security check point on US 93 about 9 miles before reaching the dam. According to the “Tips for Crossing the Dam” document:

Any vehicle may be fully inspected before it is allowed to pass through the checkpoint and cross the dam. Certain types of vehicles (RVs, rental trucks, etc.) will always be inspected.

Indeed, we were asked to allow an officer to look in all our external compartments and to board the vehicle and look around. The officer did not seem to be concerned about our carrying firearms (good for him). I presume he was looking for explosives and the like.

The Nevada-side checkpoint was only a mile past the dam; when we passed by, there was a three-mile line of cars backed up to cross. Luckily, we did not have much of a delay in the northbound direction on US 93.

Clickable image: Hoover Dam from an Arizona-side overlook. Click here for a larger panoramic image posted on the family website.

It’s just as I predicted - drivers in California are ignoring the anti-texting law that went into effect January 1st. The better half snapped this in traffic yesterday . . .

This seems appropriate . . .

The better half spotted this classic in traffic today. Not only is it a classic Checker Marathon, but has a custom license tag that evokes even more nostalgia . . .

I resolved to get on the treadmill and find out if those little chest pains I get once in a while are anything serious.

Mission accomplished - today I went and got a Cardiac Stress Test.

A cardiac stress test is a medical test that indirectly reflects arterial blood flow to the heart during physical exercise. When compared to blood flow during rest, the test reflects imbalances of blood flow to the heart’s left ventricular muscle tissue – the part of the heart that performs the greatest amount of work pumping blood.

The results may also be interpreted as a reflection on a person’s overall physical fitness.

My results: Normal beat - no arrhythmia, regular intervals up to 155 BPM. I’m mildly deconditioned for my age bracket. All else perfectly normal.

New Years Resolution #2: Resume the jogging three or four times a week for a mile or so.