Nomad Life - Day 62

With the time change and several loud neighbors, I didn't sleep very well at the Regal Inn Las Vegas.  For some reason, I woke up just after 0200 - fortunately, I was able to fall back to sleep.  However, by 0445 local time in Las Vegas (NM), I was wide awake.  Upon realizing that the East Coast time was already 0645, I started teleworking shortly after getting ready.  For the next several hours, I had an almost continuous series of meetings and only took one break to eat a light breakfast (muffin).  Added to the normal pace of communication with my colleagues, the Government Shutdown (which had begun during the night) hinted a major disruptions that were inbound to ruin everyone's day, week and month.  At about 1100, I heard from Trish and Terry and learned (by phone) that my cousin, Bonnie, had died at 0200 during the night (later, I connected the dots on my sleep disruption).  For the next hour, I spent time talking with them, trying to participating in work meetings and notifying my daughters and other relatives.  Both Erin and Mollie contacted me by phone and that was even more of a distraction from work,  The bottom line, though, was that I was amazed to be close enough to possibly attend the funeral services, which were tentative planned for the following week.  Somehow, I made it through all of my meetings and then was able to take a break to pick up some lunch at Arby's (1215).  I consumed my meal, which consisted of Ham and Swiss sandwiches with a side of mac & cheese, while working back in my hotel room.  I was on my computer until just after 1400 local (1600 Eastern).  For some reason, I was not feeling well by then - was it something I ate or my medication?  Or, maybe, it was the mental strain that persuaded that I should lie down for a nap.  I was able to get about 45 minutes of sleep and felt surprisingly good by the time Mollie called back.  After I updated her on everything I knew about Bonnie and the family, I did a little more teleworking until about 1530.  With my work day completed, I left the hotel and drove north on I-25 in hopes of visiting Fort Union National Monument. As I approached the site, I was startled by the number of suicide chipping sparrows that tried to kill themselves along the road. Unfortunately, I hadn't checked the hours for the park so arrived just after it closed at 1600 - dang...  The gate was secured but there was room to squeeze through - feeling a bit determined, I decided to walk on the road until I could see the buildings on the park property.  I kept waiting to be approached by someone who worked at the park but it never happened.  Instead, I encountered lots of pronghorns while I was trying to get photos.  The weather was wonderful (low 80s, clear, light breeze).  I made it back to my car without incident but, just after I drove away, I saw another car arrive at the gate (employee?) - I guess I was lucky...  Foiled in my attempt to learn more about the Fort, I went in search of interpretive signs.  Fortunately, I'd picked up a brochure at the Alibates park so had enough information to explore the Santa Fe trail markers (including walking on some of the old tracks) for the Mountain and Cimmaron Branches of the Trail.  During my roughly one mile of walking, I encountered lots of cows and interesting prairie birds.  By 1700, I was on my way back to I-25 and headed south towards Las Vegas.  I passed the roughly 30 minutes listening to audiobooks.  The previous day, I'd seen signs for the nearby Las Vegas National Wildlife Refuge and I decided to check it out today before returning to my hotel.  I was at the gate by 1730 and stopped at the Visitor Center (closed).  During the next (roughly) 90 minutes, I hiked on trails within the refuge boundary, including at the Visitor Center, near McAllister Lake and on the Gallinas Canyon Nature Trail.  Using binoculars and the Merlin app, I did some serious birding (I saw so many waterfowl, including pelicans) and logged two miles of walking.  In places with rather tall grass, I'll admit that I was a bit disconcerted by the clicking sounds made by crickets and/pr grasshoppers.  The sun went down over the mountains to the west - beautiful!  Next (1845), I returned to the Las Vegas Plaza area, hoping to find some craft beer.  When I arrived, though, I found that almost every business in the area was closed for the evening.  This didn't make any sense to me, since it was a Wednesday evening.  Even though I walked near every business I'd seen the evening prior, my search seemed to indicate that only a pizza place, with lots of kids, was open.  Hoping to complete my last mile of walking for the day,  I continued exploring the area, even entering the Historic Plaza Hotel.  On the way back to my car, I noticed some people with ice cream and I eagerly began searching for the source.  Eventually, I found the shop, "Cold Gold Froyo", and I was able to make my own treat, complete with all kinds of froyo flavors and lots of toppings (1920).  I ate my frozen yogurt in the shop and then returned to my car - about 10 minutes later, I was at my hotel (2000).  In the room, I caught up on reading, blogging and Duolingo and exchanged additional texts with my daughters.  Before settling in for the night, I watched some YouTube videos (after determining that my streaming services didn't have anything that suited my fancy on the first day of the new month).  I turned the lights out just after 2300.  Bittersweet day of Nomad Life and Real Life - RIP, Bonnie...