The season of frost was coming to an end. In typical fashion for Albuquerque, the weather swung between summer heat and winter chill every couple of days; the wind was a given, always. There was little to be done about the wind, and in turn, the sand and the dirt and the grit that was carried on it. So it begins in this mountain town—the transition into the season of fire. Albuquerque is very dry. Not the intentional dryness experienced with an air conditioner; no, Albuquerque is the sort of dry that tears open the skin, cracking it until it bleeds in spite of a strict skin moisturization routine. This dryness, to someone, somewhere deep in the annals of history, was not a problem but a solution in disguise: They realized they could use this sort of dryness to their advantage by evaporating water to make cool air. From this idea the evaporative cooler was born. They can be spotted on rooftops across Albuquerque; even in monsoon season it’s dry enough for an evaporative cooler to function. It’s functional; some might even call it effective. Certainly far above no cooling at all, but it comes with its own costs.
One must scale a mountain during this transition. The mountain will test you, and scaling it is not just the first test, but a liminal space between tests. In itself, the scaling is not a problem, but it will take its toll. The barrier it represents will cloud your mind, and the more clouded it becomes the more you will have to consider this barrier. It will separate you from the world below, and expose you to the world above. It’s important to make arrangements with family, friends, or neighbors, that they know what you’re doing and where you are. If you find yourself in danger on the mountain, you’ll be thankful for their awareness. Having the right tools to face the mountain’s tests will make your time on the mountain more effective, and the less time you spend there, the better. There will be barred passages; it might be necessary to scout out the territory ahead of time to know what will be required to open the way. All things on the mountain are exposed to the same dryness, the same cycles of heat and cold; a rusted fastener might be all that stands between you and the next test.
Behind the closed passage is a machine, and herein lies the mountain’s ultimate challenge: The machine can’t be moved, but must be made functional. It might be filled with sand, it might be rusted through; each part within must be subjected to its own trials, and those that fail replaced. But before that, it must be cleansed; there will never be a better time than now, when the machine is still dry, before anything else has had a chance to fail. The machine receives a supply of water from somewhere, and this pipeline is prone to failure the more of it that is exposed to the elements. Inspecting and repairing this may be an easy task to start with, and having it done early will make testing the pump a simple process.
The machine has but one consumable, and yet many parts may need to be replaced. A fibrous core, whose sole purpose is to absorb water, must be installed in the machine. Infrequently, these cores may be reusable from season to season, but a fresh core will head off extra trips up the mountain later. From there, in order of durability, are the blower, the motor, the pump, and the belt. If the blower requires repairs, a much more trying journey is ahead of you; may the gods guide you, for this text cannot. The rest of the parts can at least be carried up the mountain, but represent their own trials which must be overcome. The motor and pump present a special difficulty: They require power and water to be tested. It is, however, decidedly dangerous to perform any maintenance on the machine while it is powered. Diagnosis is simple: If the motor spins when powered, it is unlikely to need replacement. If the pump moves water, it too is fit for duty. Replacement of the motor is typically as simple as unbolting the failed motor and replacing it with a fresh one, but they don’t come cheap. The pump is more reasonably priced, but is prone to more eccentric mounting requirements. The belt is the easiest to inspect and replace: A frayed belt ought to be replaced, and a new one may be simply stretched over the motor’s output and the blower’s wheel. In doing so, the motor’s mount may require adjustment, in order to properly tension the belt. Having a thick, sturdy object to lever against the motor will make such an operation easier. It is, then, useful to consider the journey synoptically: The machine has been supplied with water and power, the consumable core has been replaced, the pump and motor are functional, and the belt links the motor and blower with sufficient tension. With these tasks complete, the machine is ready for the season ahead. Ensure the machine has had all panels returned to their proper locations, and that the pump and motor are plugged in, and the mountain’s final trial will await you: Locate the baffle which keeps cold air out during the season of frost, and remove it; store the baffle until the season of fire has passed.
Time spent scaling the mountain is time spent in the Sun; any attempt to approach the trials above should include plans to mitigate the Sun’s effects. Skin protection and eye protection are recommended; carrying water is a requirement. Rain, lightning, and excessive wind will seriously imperil your person; avoid climbing the mountain in adverse weather. Ensure that you have backup plans in case you find yourself stuck on the mountain; if possible, do not face the mountain alone. When the season of fire has passed, it is important to approach these trials once more; cores should be removed, water should be drained and disconnected, power shut off, and the belt removed. Covering the evaporative cooler for the season will reduce the encroachment of dirt, sand, and bugs.