Around 1993 I went to a sale of unclaimed Lost & Found items. I bought two items: an umbrella, and a towel. $1 each.

I still own both (I think). That umbrella is… around. Somewhere. I live in LA. Umbrellas are like family in this town: irreplaceable at the right moment; best kept out of sight the rest of the time.

(Wow. I’m going to pay for that comment. __(your name here)__, I’m not talking about YOU. I promise!)

That towel, though?

That towel went on EVERY camping trip for years and years and years. It served as my “all-purpose towel” on every camping trip for more than two decades.

It went here:

And here:

You get the picture. That poor $1 towel is prominent in dozens of my pictures, laying around the campsite, drying in the sun, waiting to dry me off from the next freezing river or an all-too-brief-because-not-enough-quarters campground shower.

Finally, Cindy bought me a lovely new towel for Christmas.

Last year.

It’s time to break it in, don’t you think?