We interrupt this program...

...to bring you a public service announcement:

When traveling in New Mexico, do not camp near the boat ramp at Storrie Lake State Park on a weekend.

Unless you want to be in the middle of a giant block party, that is.

Storrie Lake is only about three miles north of the town of Las Vegas (pop. 15,000), so the locals flood in here on weekends. There are parts of the park (especially near the southern end of the lake) that are relatively quiet, but the boat ramp area turns into Party Central. When I pulled in here a few days ago, most of the campsites were empty, and the only noise was the wind. Not any more!

I was awakened at 6:45 a.m. this morning by amplified music, followed by an announcer blathering about some athletic event. That's been going on all morning. Then a local rock band set up their drums and amps about fifty feet from Skylark. Right now they're mangling "Sympathy for the Devil." My cat Alix looks perturbed. Either she's too young to appreciate the Stones, or she doesn't like hearing their music butchered.

I seriously considered leaving for Texas a day early, but discovered I can't even get out—they've got the access road blocked off. I'm stuck here.

God, I hate weekends.