John Fleck
@jfleck.bsky.social
Writer in Residence, Utton Center, University of New Mexico School of Law.
Writing a book about the Rio Grande and the making of Albuquerque.
People pay me for sentences - "a curious guy with good typing skills".
Writing a book about the Rio Grande and the making of Albuquerque.
People pay me for sentences - "a curious guy with good typing skills".
Tracking the slow return of ducks to the University of New Mexico duck pond after more than a year of remodeling. It’s been two months since completion. Spotted three ducks on Sunday. It’s soon time for the winter wigeons’ return. Will they find their way back? #urbanecosystems
October 20, 2025 at 12:21 PM
Tracking the slow return of ducks to the University of New Mexico duck pond after more than a year of remodeling. It’s been two months since completion. Spotted three ducks on Sunday. It’s soon time for the winter wigeons’ return. Will they find their way back? #urbanecosystems
Is cottage cheese the magic elixir of which the wise one speaks?
January 12, 2025 at 10:01 PM
Is cottage cheese the magic elixir of which the wise one speaks?
Signed us up today to provide recurring monthly financial support for the Internet Archive. Public goods are underprovided.
January 8, 2025 at 5:25 PM
Signed us up today to provide recurring monthly financial support for the Internet Archive. Public goods are underprovided.
The Rio Grande, from yesterday’s bike ride. Bridges (and other crossings, ferries and fords) are often a community’s first collective action in its evolving relationship with its river.
December 23, 2024 at 8:45 PM
The Rio Grande, from yesterday’s bike ride. Bridges (and other crossings, ferries and fords) are often a community’s first collective action in its evolving relationship with its river.
My favorite picture of Speedy platforming. Respect.
December 23, 2024 at 2:16 PM
My favorite picture of Speedy platforming. Respect.
Working on a piece about Ed Ruscha, Ludwig Wittgenstein, and my fascination with signs, I found this favorite:
December 23, 2024 at 2:00 PM
Working on a piece about Ed Ruscha, Ludwig Wittgenstein, and my fascination with signs, I found this favorite:
New Mexico’s Middle Rio Grande Valley, dressed for the start of winter.
December 21, 2024 at 9:25 PM
New Mexico’s Middle Rio Grande Valley, dressed for the start of winter.
Now I want to make an animated musical with a band of dancing wire cutters fighting for justice.
December 21, 2024 at 4:49 PM
Now I want to make an animated musical with a band of dancing wire cutters fighting for justice.
Yesterday morning they bumped the flow up from 75 cfs to 200. This morning it’s up to 400. Fingers crossed it’s working. (4/n)
December 18, 2024 at 12:37 PM
Yesterday morning they bumped the flow up from 75 cfs to 200. This morning it’s up to 400. Fingers crossed it’s working. (4/n)
It’s that time of year when I’m looking for a storm a week to build a snowpack. More is better. Zero is not better.
December 17, 2024 at 2:48 PM
It’s that time of year when I’m looking for a storm a week to build a snowpack. More is better. Zero is not better.
It’s got separate bike paths like this threaded all through the neighborhood, and little bollard-blocked ped-bike cut through at the end of cul-de-sacs.
December 16, 2024 at 5:54 PM
It’s got separate bike paths like this threaded all through the neighborhood, and little bollard-blocked ped-bike cut through at the end of cul-de-sacs.
Guy seemed puzzled by my presence. Guess I looked lost – old guy on a bike on a road that dead ends in a junk yard? He wasn’t fazed by my explanation: “I’m trying to ride on every road in Albuquerque, and I haven’t ridden on this one yet.”
His neighbor has 75,000 hub caps.
This is why I ride.
His neighbor has 75,000 hub caps.
This is why I ride.
December 14, 2024 at 2:19 AM
Guy seemed puzzled by my presence. Guess I looked lost – old guy on a bike on a road that dead ends in a junk yard? He wasn’t fazed by my explanation: “I’m trying to ride on every road in Albuquerque, and I haven’t ridden on this one yet.”
His neighbor has 75,000 hub caps.
This is why I ride.
His neighbor has 75,000 hub caps.
This is why I ride.
Some people call ‘em scallions.
December 7, 2024 at 9:23 PM
Some people call ‘em scallions.
August 15, 2024 at 2:08 PM
The “plate of food with a bike helmet” is my favorite genre of Strava photo.
August 2, 2024 at 11:35 PM
The “plate of food with a bike helmet” is my favorite genre of Strava photo.
The Rio Grande through Albuquerque is dropping fast. This is from yesterday’s bike ride. New graffiti on the bridge pilings. Bespoke hydrology content!
July 15, 2024 at 2:30 PM
The Rio Grande through Albuquerque is dropping fast. This is from yesterday’s bike ride. New graffiti on the bridge pilings. Bespoke hydrology content!
Here is me wearing the socks at the Water Education Foundation’s 2022 Colorado River symposium. My performance as moderator received mixed reviews, but the socks were a big hit.
June 24, 2024 at 2:24 PM
Here is me wearing the socks at the Water Education Foundation’s 2022 Colorado River symposium. My performance as moderator received mixed reviews, but the socks were a big hit.
I am completely normal in every possible way, where by “normal” we mean “has a tremendous collection of rainbow unicorn socks that he wears to all important speaking engagements.”
June 24, 2024 at 2:14 PM
I am completely normal in every possible way, where by “normal” we mean “has a tremendous collection of rainbow unicorn socks that he wears to all important speaking engagements.”
Meeting in Socorro yesterday at 11 a.m., went early with a bike. Rio Grande levee roads are wonderful corridors through our valley - riverside woods on one side, drains, canals, farms on the other. Rode downriver on the levee, then back on the ditchbank roads along the edge of the farmlands.
February 18, 2024 at 3:23 PM
Meeting in Socorro yesterday at 11 a.m., went early with a bike. Rio Grande levee roads are wonderful corridors through our valley - riverside woods on one side, drains, canals, farms on the other. Rode downriver on the levee, then back on the ditchbank roads along the edge of the farmlands.
More preparations for spring - goats trimming the stubble. Function, and also the goats are super cute. On Rio Grande bottomlands on the eastern edge of Socorro, New Mexico, between the town and the river. #nmwater
February 18, 2024 at 3:07 PM
More preparations for spring - goats trimming the stubble. Function, and also the goats are super cute. On Rio Grande bottomlands on the eastern edge of Socorro, New Mexico, between the town and the river. #nmwater
Downriver, past Socorro, work clearing sediment from one of the irrigation canals. The Rio Grande is a very dirty river. "La limpia" - the annual ditch cleanout - is done by heavy equipment operators now. #nmwater
February 18, 2024 at 3:03 PM
Downriver, past Socorro, work clearing sediment from one of the irrigation canals. The Rio Grande is a very dirty river. "La limpia" - the annual ditch cleanout - is done by heavy equipment operators now. #nmwater
Crews were out Saturday hustling to finish the concrete lining of the Middle Rio Grande Conservancy District's Socorro Main canal, just downstream from San Acacia diversion dam. Hurry! Hurry! Irrigation season is about to start! #nmwater
February 18, 2024 at 2:59 PM
Crews were out Saturday hustling to finish the concrete lining of the Middle Rio Grande Conservancy District's Socorro Main canal, just downstream from San Acacia diversion dam. Hurry! Hurry! Irrigation season is about to start! #nmwater
The Colorado River year to date is already not great - Colorado Basin River Forecast Center current projection (note big confidence interval!) sez ~1 million acre feet below average: (2/n)
February 12, 2024 at 1:51 PM
The Colorado River year to date is already not great - Colorado Basin River Forecast Center current projection (note big confidence interval!) sez ~1 million acre feet below average: (2/n)