Into Thin Air by Jon Krakauer

Into Thin Air by Jon Krakauer

In this book, author Jon Krakauer describes his experiences during the 1996 Everest disaster. The event has inspired other books and a 2015 movie. Notably, two popular expedition leaders (Rob Hall and Scott Fischer) perished during the weather event.

The book (hardcopy) can be purchased online for around $8 (before tax). I also found a Kindle version for $12. The book has a few (black and white) pictures.

Contents:

Introduction

Chapter One: Everest Summit, May 10, 1996, 29,028 Feet

Chapter Two: Dehra Dun, India, 1852; 2,234 Feet

Chapter Three: Over Northern India, March 29, 1996; 30,000 Feet

Chapter Four: Phakding, March 31, 1996; 9,186 Feet

Chapter Five: Lobuje, April 8, 1996; 16,200 Feet

Chapter Six: Everest Base Camp, April 12, 1996; 17,600 Feet

Chapter Seven: Camp One, April 13, 1996; 19,500 Feet

Chapter Eight: Camp One, April 16, 1996; 19,500 Feet

Chapter Nine: Camp Two, April 28, 1996; 21,300 Feet

Chapter Ten: Lhotse Face, April 29, 1996; 23,400 Feet

Chapter Eleven: Base Camp, May 6, 1996; 17,600 Feet

Chapter Twelve: Camp Three, May 9, 1996; 24,000 Feet

Chapter Thirteen: Southeast Ridge, May 10, 1996; 27,600 Feet

Chapter Fourteen: Summit, 1:12 P.M., May 10, 1996; 29,028 Feet

Chapter Fifteen: Summit, 1:25 P.M., May 10, 1996; 29,028 Feet

Chapter Sixteen: South Col, 6:00 A.M., May 11; 26,000 Feet

Chapter Seventeen: Summit, 3:40 P.M., May 10, 29,028 Feet

Chapter Eighteen: Northeast Ridge, May 10, 1996; 28,550 Feet

Chapter Nineteen: South Col, 7:30 A.M., May 11, 1996; 26,000 Feet

Chapter Twenty: The Geneva Spur, 9:45 A.M., May 12, 1996; 25,900 Feet

Chapter Twenty-one: Everest Base Camp, May 13, 1996; 17,600 Feet

Epilogue: Seattle, November 29, 1996; 270 Feet

5 Facts About Thanksgiving

Happy Thanksgiving!

1. The United States is not the only country that observes the Thanksgiving holiday. Canada does as well, and even some countries outside of North America observe it.

2. 1619 marked the first known celebration of Thanksgiving in what is now the United States. Specifically, in what is now known as Virginia.

3. It is recorded that one pound of turkey per person is the needed amount for a Thanksgiving meal.

4. According to the USDA, more than 46 million turkeys are eaten on Thanksgiving Day.

5. 67 million cans of cranberry sauce are sold between Thanksgiving and Christmas.

Clarksville Texas Post Office

Clarksville, Texas Post Office - Author's Picture

The U.S. Post Office in Clarksville, Texas. Clarksville is the county seat of Red River County, Texas. The building dates from 1914. I have early memories of visiting this post office with my mom, when I was little. The building has an entry ramp for wheelchairs and persons with disabilities. I remember walking up and down those ramps. It was great fun, but the stairs were fun too. Later, I moved to Henderson, Texas.

William Becknell Robbinsville Cemetery, Part 3

William Becknell - Author's Picture

The text reads:

William Becknell

Born in Virginia 1797

Pioneered the Santa Fe Trail

Served in the army of the Republic of Texas

Died 1865

Erected by the State of Texas 1957

I believe that the captain's stone, as well as that of his wife (below), is oriented to the southwest rather than the typical west-east.

Mary Becknell - Author's Picture

Mrs. Becknell passed in 1864. This is obviously a newer headstone.

Stone Marker - Author's Picture

I saw perhaps a dozen of such markers. They're stone. There is no readable text on them.

Bench - Author's Picture

The historic site has a couple of benches in case you get tired. I visited in the heat of summer, but I didn't have to sit down.

Turnbole Marker - Author's Picture

The grave marks the burial of a member of the Turnbole family. I couldn't read the first name. The date of birth/death is 1861-1864, so this a young one.

Burial Marker - Author's Picture

I couldn't read much on this stone, either. The date of death is 1833.

Atlas Obscura also has an article about this cemetery.

Edit: I forgot to mention that the cemetery is in a cattle pasture. It is fenced off, though. On my way up the path, I scared two cows, which quickly ran away.

William Becknell Robbinsville Cemetery, Part 2

William Becknell Robbinsville Cemetery - Author's Picture

"This historic cemetery is also known as Robbinsville Cemetery after the community that once thrived in this area. Names for John Robbins, an early settler, Robbinsville served as a gathering place for area farmers. The cemetery became known as Becknell cemetery when Mary Becknell, wife of William Becknell, deeded the land to the Methodist Episcopal church as a burial ground on Dec. 20, 1861. Burials include William Becknell (1788-1856), "Father of the Santa Fe Trail," and three other burials of pioneer families, including McGuire and Turnbole. It is believed there are a number of unmarked graves. The cemetery is the last remaining vestige of a community of pioneer residents."

Pathway to the Cemetery

I wore Crocs during my visit. I don't recommend it, as the gravel pathway is tough on the feet. Wear some good shoes.

Cemetery Gate - Author's Picture

This picture shows the gate and the (above) historical marker.

General View of the Grounds - Author's Picture

A view of the cemetery. It's not a very big area.

Detail of the Cemetery Fence - Author's Picture

William Becknell Robbinsville Cemetery, Part 1

William Becknell Robbinsville Cemetery - Author's Picture

The William Becknell Robbinsville Cemetery is a historic cemetery located on US Highway 82, between the towns of Clarksville, Texas, and Detroit, Texas. I had been wanting to visit this cemetery for quite some time. I once knew a more than elderly florist who grew up in this part of the country. She recalled seeing the cemetery when her father, in his wagon, would bring the family to town. The text reads:

Emma Meyers and Jenna Ortega Pictures

Emma Meyers and Jenna Ortega

Jenna Ortega (R) is an American actress of Mexican and Puerto Rican heritage. Definitely not a white girl. Her father is Mexican, while her mother is of both Mexican and Puerto Rican descent. Emma Myers (L) has some Greek ancestry. I imagine the picture(s) of these two pretty girls are AI-generated. Both appear in the very popular Wednesday television series.

Source: Meta.

Red River Valley County Fair, Page 10

Fairground Entry

The entryway to the Red River Valley County Fair, 2025.

Midway

Midway, closed due to a storm, but it's about to reopen.

Midway

First view of the midway.

Ferris Wheel

The rides weren't open when we were there, but they did reopen later in the evening.

Red River Valley County Fair, Page 9

Livestock

I saw this quartet at the fair. They were lying lazily about.

Lamb

This lamb, beneath covers, let me pet her on the head.

Colony

This colony of rabbits was the only one present when I was there.

Red River Valley County Fair, Page 8

Crafts

The image shows adult crafts. One of the entries has a "best of show" ribbon attached to it.

Preserves Entries

The image shows preserved food entries. I see more than one "best of show" ribbon. Once upon a time, I won a best of show at a county fair. I haven't entered anything into a fair for many years.

Red River Valley County Fair, Page 7

Displays

The picture displays images that pertain to Halloween, Fall, or Thanksgiving. They were entered into the Fair on behalf of residents of a local nursing center.

Starry Night

The image shows reproductions of Van Gogh's Starry Night. I liked this display.

Witch's Grave at Hillside Cemetery in Oklahoma, Page 2

Paranormal Witches Grave in Skiatook OKlahoma Haunted

From the channel of URBEX and Broken Things.

I'm not sure if being "cased in concrete" is necessarily a means to ensure that a grave isn't disturbed. I've seen several such slab graves. A few were located in a cemetery not too far away from a long-abandoned seminary. At any rate, the video at the top of the included video is very interesting.

Red River Valley County Fair, Page 6

Picture Displays

There were many photos and pictures to be seen at the fair. The image shows the first and second place winners, and even some third-place ribbons. The blue are first-place winners, while the red are second-place winners. The white ribbons are third-place winners.

Fall Themes

The image shows Fall decorations, and also a Christmas-themed wreath. There were many first-place winners. I really like this small display.

Witch's Grave at Hillside Cemetery in Oklahoma, Page 1

Witch's Grave at Hillside Cemetery in Oklahoma

The subject of this video can be found at different places online, just search for "Witch's Grave at Hillside Cemetery in Oklahoma. Source: Meta

The Witch's Grave at Hillside Cemetery in Skiatook, Oklahoma, is a site steeped in legend and mystery. The story goes that a witch in the late 1800s or early 1900s attempted to resurrect her deceased husband using dark magic. The townspeople were so frightened by her actions that they buried him in cement to prevent him from being raised again. Despite this, the witch continued to dig up his grave, leading to the town's decision to pour cement over the grave to prevent her from bringing him back. This act of defiance led to the witch cursing the site, causing anyone who disturbs the grave to face horrific consequences. The Witch's Grave is a popular destination for paranormal investigators and ghost hunters, where visitors leave coins and flowers to appease any dark spirits or demons present. The site is known for its eerie atmosphere and the chilling tales of the witch's curse, making it a must-visit for those interested in the supernatural and the paranormal. Source: Google

Red River Valley County Fair, Page 5

Handmade Quilts

In this picture, we see a row of handmade quilts, possibly blankets. Many had country themes. A couple of them were Texas-themed.

Quilts

In the foreground, the quilt displays a deer. Beside that quilt, there is a Texas flag. A lot of work went into producing these pieces.

Red River Valley County Fair, Page 4

Plants

The image shows attractive house plants. Some of them have won the blue ribbon. In fact, I saw lots of blue ribbons this time. I hadn't been to a county fair in literally years.

More Plants

Pictured are larger plants and houseplants still on display. Since this was the last day of the fair, I suspect that some folks had already removed their entries and taken them home. The almost bare (white) shelf in the background might prove this assertion. But I'm not positive, of course.

Red River Valley County Fair, Page 3

Red River Valley County Fair 2025

A thunderstorm had come through about an hour earlier, and the rides had closed down. In this short clip, they were, according to a carnival worker, testing the rides before opening again.

Author's Picture

The pictured yellow squash won the first-place blue ribbon. They're locally grown. I could fry those up!

More Vegetables

Some of the pictured veggies won blue ribbons. Mostly what we're seeing here is peppers.

Red River Valley County Fair, Page 2

Gaming Booth

There were some large prizes to be won in this booth. It wasn't open yet because of the rain. I don't remember anything this elaborate when I was a youngster.

Another Gaming Booth

I might've played these games, had they been open. My kids plan on going to the fair later this evening. Maybe they'll get lucky.

Red River Valley County Fair, Page 1

Author's Picture

I got to go to the fair! I found an online reference to the Red River County Soil & Water, a Soil and Water Conservation District. I'm assuming that's what the cap stands for. I got it as a freebie at the fair. I like it.

In the picture there is a cap, toothpick dispensers, a pen, and some chapstick. I got these all for free. I also picked up a fingernail buffer that my wife claimed as her own.

The fair had to shut down for a while due to a storm. When they were resetting everything, I talked to a guy running one of the rewards booths. The Ms. Pac-Man plush was on the ground. I asked him if I could have it, and he said yes. I gave it to my daughter after I put it into the dryer for a while.

Excelsior House Hotel

Excelsior House Hotel

The photo is of the courtyard of the Excelsior House Hotel in Jefferson, Texas. It has often been used to host weddings. I have stayed there many times, in many different rooms, and it is quite an experience if you're interested in historic hotels. The Excelsior is (according to urban legend, anyway) the hotel that inspired Steven Spielberg's "Poltergeist." I highly recommend it; if you're in the area and you stay here, be sure to purchase the hotel's breakfast. It's very good.

Website.

About the hotel.

Steven Spielberg's Visit.

The Excelsior House Hotel

211 W. Austin Street

Jefferson, TX 75657

(903) 665-2513