Road Trip

Decided to stay another day and Chris, the manager at Sidney Gulch RV Park was very helpful, Thanks Chris, a beautiful town and an enjoyable stay. Guitar, pretty much right hand only, its still too early for the left hand, getting better but any weight or pressure causes more pain and risk - Here I am on the patio: Anyway, I'm back to practicing and it feels good! Weaverville has about a mile and a half of shops and history along the CA 299. I've walked it about 3 times both directions and still finding new things of interest. Today was the first day the Joss House Visitor Building was open, got this image of an early 1900 or so Dragon Costume, Fantastic Image, Startling and Joyous and Fun all at once.  They don't make them like this anymore, The shops that used to hand stitch these costumes are all making jeans these days, I have a pair on, they don't fit, quality has come down drastically recently. ______ Papa Dog and Ice Cream ...

I got to feeling really down in the dumps last night over this left hand injury so I'll summarize the problem and see if I can't deal with it positively and realistically. The swelling has gone down some but not much: Right now I can't open the jar of Clausen Pickles, I don't think it is safe to drive yet, especially on this mountain road (CA 299), maybe in a day or two, and it is hard to do things in the RV, not impossible, but not easy. There is no one to help, it's just me here in the mountains. Some sharp pains and injuries I didn't feel until the swelling went down, but that's all part of the healing process. The doctor had verified no serious break and recovery should be expected. Some very light range of motion exercises and light massage, avoid straining further, especially the wrist, guitar, mostly right hand strumming (bought some light weight picks - Dunlops .60 and .46 mm). VERY IMPORTANT that I get back to reasonable guitar work, the wh...

My left hand is swollen, can't do much so I've been walking through the town, about a mile and a half, one flashing stop sign, no traffic light, 3600 people, headlines say 85 graduated high school this week. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Weaverville,_California Talked to the DMV, they can talk to you in these small towns, still, South Dakota looks like the best option...IF I can get over the Rockies??? Will stick with the I-80, no side trips, empty water tanks, travel steep grades in cooler morning, drop to 2nd, 1st? gear, have AAA Motorhome Towing. - maybe call for advice. More planning. All the old mining towns have some rather impressive old mining equipment around, this one also has The Joss House,  "The Temple of the Forest Beneath the Clouds"), a  Taoist  temple,  because of a number of Chinese Miners during the gold rush days. Joss House Blacksmith  Rock Crushing Machinery - The original discoveries had been washed out of the moun...

Weaverville, CA 24-Jun-19 Took a fall yesterday, I'm ok, excellent care at Trinity Hospital Emergency Care Room. Left eyebrow skin is glued back together and the left wrist is bruised, no breaks, Ace bandage and some ice and Humpty Dumpty here should be all back together in a few days. Could have been worse, heard a story, condolences, that was harsh and sudden. Right now everything is pretty much one handed - another challenge. Will not drive today. A pair of small black tail deer (fawns?) crossed the road right in front of us on the way home. Besides myself for not watching where I'm going, I place responsibility on the sandals which are loose fitting and now in the garbage, replaced by the rubber-soled slippers.  (see picture above). (25.jul.19 - correction. I salvaged the sandals, cut them up and am now using part of a sole as a doorstop to keep the bathroom door from swinging open when driving.) The sandals were never a good fit and may have been ok for walk...

Trinity River Kayaking Like the calms and commotions of life Stopped in Weaverville, Sidney Gulch RV Park Site 13 about 90 degrees F - $49 full hookup -  see if anyone around here can put good fittings on the Auto - Cab A/C (where I drive). The RV roof AC where I live and sleep is working fine, not freezing but comfortable. Here's my patio CAVEAT - I didn't have much problem travelling Westbound fairly early in the morning about 2 weeks ago but just now, Eastbound, approaching Weaverville I was down to about 25 mph, no umph at all and I'm told that's about the right speed, older RV's and some newer ones burn up and catch fire if they keep the pedal to the metal on that section. The grade is too steep, especially in heat, start forest fires too. Some general info: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/California_State_Route_299

23-jun-19 Eureka, CA The Earthquake So yesterday, just when you think you've got everything in order and you're on top of the game: I'd just fallen asleep maybe just starting REM sleep or so, THEN!!! a pretty violent shaking, water starts sloshing around in the tanks etc. etc. My neighbors were already out of their trailer by the time I shook off sleep and realized what was going on. Not very big as far as these things go 3.3 was reported initially, but fairly close epicenter, about 20 miles (Rio Dell), and fairly close to the surface (9 km) - NOW they have it as 5.6. Here's a link: https://kymkemp.com/2019/06/22/quake-holy-moly-that-was-a-good-one/ You're never ahead of the game of life, every roll of the dice is different, that's the fun if playing with the right attitude. The AC blew a hose, there had been some aftermarket stuff, never guaranteed but it seemed to work for a bit. AC people are better in Redding where it is actually hot so I'l...

21-jun-19 Eureka, CA The Tooth The root canal done in Shreveport, LA did not hold and had been bothering me for weeks and was pulled yesterday and I am recovering. Feeling a bit better. Big hole or gap in the upper right, something might be done a little further down the road. _____________ My Brother Seems to be doing a bit better, getting treatment, Good. _____________ The RV New belts all around, new power steering motor, and cab air conditioner has been retrofitted to R134 coolant. $1000. Johnson Auto and Electric 707 494 8195 looks good so far. Tires check out good at Les Schwab 2440 Broadway, but 16.5's are no longer made and will probably want new 16's, both tires and rims in about a year. $2500 or so for 6 road 1 spare. _____________ EPR Oil Change This was suggested to "revitalize" the rings - will call tomorrow see if someone in Redding can do it. est $100 County *   Select Alameda Alpine Amador Butte Calaveras Colusa Contra Cos...

17-jun-19 Eureka CA Nothing as exciting as the River Otter from the other day but an absolutely gorgeous day on the bay. Cinnamon Teal ____________________ Had the wheels looked at - OK. Belts were all changed out at Johnson Automotive And Electric - squeal stopped and have the right belts and spares and the right numbers - Some more work tomorrow on the power steering motor and the AC. I replaced the Hazard Flasher myself at OReilly's and ordered a Chilton Book for Chevy Van that age. Be here Thursday.  I'll stay at the RV Park till Friday. Some more research on South Dakota as possible

15-jun-19 RV Cooking Shoreline RV Park Eureka, CA What with one thing or another, I was unable to get my usual salad ready before hunger suggested some canned corn beef hash and eggbeaters - no problem, the 4 burner stove and extension for the counter top gave plenty of room for everything and the all metal sink made clean-up easy - a little water and 3 paper towels - VERY little soap. And the food - delicious! Paper plate but who needs those Redwoods anyway?? _______ Checked with Motor Vehicle Department yesterday, got more forms but the current idea which is ok with them is to drive around N California a few more days on the Temp Sticker, then use the trip ticket I already purchased in Yreka to go to South Dakota, apparently one of the best states for full time RV'rs and register there - No smog, low fees, renew by mail 5 yrs?, good mail forwarding services. Should be do-able since I have the title. Residency is easy per the article but believing anythin...

15-jun-19 Humbolt Bay National Wildlife Refuge River Otter - seen yesterday on the "Wild Wings" Trail - At least I believe so, the other kind, a Sea Otter apparently has a much whiter thicker furred head and has been rarely seen for some time. They are members of the weasel family, very active predators of smaller species of aquatic critters. This one I would guess a male about 4 foot length - 25 or more lbs., quite close when I first appeared, about 15 feet away and quickly moved off to about 50 feet. Watched his antics for 15 min or so, fun unless you're a fish or a frog or just about anything else of edible proportions ____________ Richard J Guadagno One of the heros of 9/11 - worth the read.

12-jun-19  Avenue of the Giants  Humboldt Redwoods State Park Drove about 24 of the 32 miles (50 km) of this road today. Miranda was where the gas pump was, only $4.05/gal. Cost me $12 to go get the gas, but its all about the scenery. Nice ride along the Hwy 101 -  great 2-lane windy road the RV took at 55 mph (pretty much max due to age). See great vistas of the redwood forest - looks like hundreds of thousands of close packed Christmas Trees. Miranda was also where all the action for the young people was - swimming in the Eel River, etc. That's where I entered the Avenue of the Giants A couple miles north and I almost missed the Drive-Through Tree in Meyers Flat, Turned around and came back for it. $3 to walk through it since the Lazy Daze would never have made it - more time to look around and see some of the other things here.  Checked out Hidden Springs State Campsite and drove through about 15 min - VERY Rustic and some trailer and m...

12june19 Redcrest CA Ancient Redwoods RV Park Before Musemath and Fretmath and the internet in general much of my guitar practice was on park tables like this. This setting in a Giant Redwood Grove was particularly rewarding. _________________ Wasp Invasion - two wasps found a window screen in the bathroom ajar from the motion of the vehicle and stopped in for a visit. It went well enough, when they found the interior space too large for their purposes they headed for the side door screen, so I opened the door and out they went. All in a day's work for an RV'r. The window screen has been taped shut. Later on a giant earwig, probably from the Redwood Grove came crawling rudely over the stove and is no longer with us. Wasp and bug spray tomorrow I suppose. _________________

8 jun 19 Ancient Redwoods RV Park Humboldt County California Three important things 1.Mount Shasta 2 California Route 299 3.Giant Redwoods I'm still undecided about what to do next with the RV which cannot be registered in CA but since I have a temporary sticker for the month of June and it was approaching 100 deg F. in Yreka, I decided to head over to the coast where it is much cooler and where the large Redwood Trees are. Maybe I can sort things out there. Just south of Yreka along the US Route I-5 is Mount Shasta already quite close, showing itself as soon as the foothills are cleared. This was my second drive on this road and its appearance was even better, this time the snow blended into the clouds. Less than an hour and your pretty close to the base of the mountain no pictures from that close though because I was driving. I add it to the places I'd like to see again. Of all the inspiring mountain images I've seen perhaps only Mount Fuji is more so, but I ha...

5jun19 Yreka CA Yreka it turns out means "Land of the White Mountain" in the native language  (Why -ri -keh) more or less - which would be the snow covered peak of Mount Shasta Wikimedia Commons Photo - (I have better photos but can't use them) The mountain itself is about 40 miles south of Yreka near the actual town of Mount Shasta. from: https://www.visitcalifornia.com/attraction/mount-shasta Soaring to 14,179 feet/4,322 meters high, this magnificent volcano scrapes the turquoise-blue sky, north of Redding, a totem from almost anywhere in the northern part of the state. And while some mountains climb gradually, this one rises from surrounding flatlands in such perfect, cone-shaped, snow-capped majesty that it seems almost unreal—the perfect projection of a child’s fantasy of what a mountain should be. Yet this is no childish vision—it’s a very real, very big volcano (last erupted in 1786) that is on the bucket list of serious mountaineers. (Famed natura...

30may19 Yreka, CA This is what I bought the RV for - playing guitar. The floor plan and layout is excellent. So far that is working out well - some of the best sessions in years. Have temporary registration - $$$ a lot for taxes - Need smog check will look about today. Realistically, just get it done and see if their is a problem. Temporary is good till June 30, after that?? Just hooked up shore water, first time, with help from a neighbor. Thanks. In an RV Park till Tuesday, Internet was non functioning last night slow but good before and after so no Park name till I see how this goes. Scary being on the road with no internet - I do have the phone backup but limited data. Alone - don't want to take care of a pet when I'm still learning what to do myself - very adventurous - So I want to keep as much communication as possible - without being a pain in the butt and annoying people who are busy with their own lives. Maybe I should get a Wilson? The Lazy Da...