From 1992 to 1996, I was a reporter, writer, editor, and researcher for an international weekly magazine on the financial and technical aspects of the chemical industry. We were based in the financial district of New York City, quite close to Wall Street.
In 1993, I was sent on a business trip to the town of Rifle in northwestern Colorado, near the border with Wyoming, to cover the opening of a sodium bicarbonate (baking soda) solution mine. Hot water is pumped into the ground to dissolve the bicarb, and then the solution is extracted through another hole in the ground. The solution is then dehydrated, leaving only the powdered bicarb. The factory produced six grades of baking soda for various industrial and home uses.
I remember making the mistake of wearing black patent leather shoes in the factory. When I emerged, they were covered in white powder.
That was a nice trip. I flew into Aspen on the day before the ski season officially started. I wouldn't have been able to go skiing anyway. Also, after the opening, I traveled to Denver to spend the weekend visiting with my cousin Manuel (R.I.P.) who lived there.
December 30, 2025, at home
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