Hiking and petroglyphs and The Shale Controversy.

I live in Albuquerque, New Mexico. A few days ago, I was awakened by a swooshing sound, jumped out of bed and ran to my deck — this is what greeted me.

Interview for oil Patch Radio.
After I was interviewed last week by Kym Bolado and David Blackmon for Oil Patch Radio, my new book, The Shale Controversy received a good recommendation from David Blackmon, editor of Shale Magazine:

“Dr. Palmer holds a PhD in Physics and spent 18 years as a scientist with BP, and another 12 years after that as a consultant. He decided to write “The Shale Controversy” now in order to try to tell both sides of the story in a fair and scientifically accurate manner. In my view, he has met that goal in a balanced and comprehensive way that no one before him has been able to achieve. This is another book that is a must-read for anyone wishing to know the truth – both positive and negative – about fracking and the shale business in the United States and globally.”

David wrote this in an article in Forbes.com where he is a contributor. Click here to read his article if you are interested.

Two articles by Ian on big new oil and gas play in Wyoming.
I am also a contributor to Forbes.com and my last two articles (click here and click here) are about a new 5,000 well oil and gas play in the Powder River basin of Wyoming.

Now to hiking and the petroglyphs.
With Kim, my step-daughter, I drove toward Grants and turned off on road 117 heading south to El Malpais (pronounced Mallpie ees) National Conservation Area. El Malpais translates to “The badlands” in Spanish.

The next turnoff was signed as Sandstone Bluff Lookout, or something like that. Fantastic view over the black lava rocks which fill up the valley below. A result of the youngest volcanoes in New Mexico, about 4,000 years ago, it’s named McCartys lava flow.

View from the top of the sandstone bluff cliff you can see the large black layer of lava rock in the distance. Lava rock is actually basalt.

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Kim resting under a pinyon pine tree. It was a cold day!

The Gray Nomad resting against a sandstone bench.

We drove a few miles further to a turnoff labeled Lobo Canyon, if my memory is good. We had to cross a large dry arroyo and walk a mile to get to these remarkable petroglyphs.

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The petroglyphs were pecked into the sandstone wall and are about 700 years old.

That nite we cooked dinner. We’re a good team. I baked the Chilean seabass, and Kim cooked the potatoes!

The people from El Malpais.
For more than 10,000 years people have lived and interacted with the El Malpais landscape. Prehistoric sites and artifacts are kept alive by the spiritual and physical presence of contemporary Native American groups, including the Ramah Navajo and Puebloan peoples of Acoma, Laguna, and Zuni. These tribes continue their ancestral uses of El Malpais including gathering plant materials, paying respect, and renewing ties.
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BLOG TOPICS: I write content (in-depth) blogs about a mix of topics: Science and Energy, and Inspiration and Hope, and Health and Hiking.
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The Gray Nomad ….. Travel to enjoy spectacular nature.
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But who am I and my people, that we should be able to offer this so willingly? For all things come from You… For we are sojourners… our days on earth are like a shadow.
[Book of 1 Chronicles, chapter 29.]