Friday: California to Home

I am always worried about writing a boring story. Today, I will mainly cover mundane travels and unpacking. I hope you will, dear reader, forgive me if this story is unexciting.

(At the start of my drive, looking at Black Butte in California in Weed).

The day began with me trying to get back to sleep at 2ish. The room was in the same hotel I used on my way to Long Beach more than a week ago.  It was cold last time, so I started heating unit and now, as usual in hotels, the room was stuffy. I got up and turned off the heater/cooler unit and tried to sleep. While I probably nodded off a few times, I was up before my 6 alarm and felt I had little sleep. No matter, I was excited to be traveling home.

I showered, shaved, and all that. I put the few items I had gotten out back into my gym bag and was ready to reboard Air VW the Gray. My shoes felt odd on the carpet. This is a first-floor room and likely a poured cement floor; the patterned carpeting is cold. The flooring covers little bumps and is slightly uneven. Yikes!

Breakfast was industrial, and I am always surprised by the number of kids at these hotels. The little kids were experiencing information overload and running all over this food-filled wonderland. Other kids, usually older, were wary, only took cereal, and tried to be invisible in this stranger-filled kitchen. I smile, nod, and enjoy the chaos while eating industrial eggs, surprisingly good and not crunchy bacon, and coffee.

I checked out, and they offered me paper. I demurred and suggested an email. They did not have my email (despite this being an online reservation), and I said, ” Never mind, I will call if I have questions.” I had parked the EV with no cars next to hit. I was boxed in now. Ugh. Later, I would find a dent in the passenger-side back door. F**k! I have not had the VW for only a month or two and already have to door marks!

I added my few items back to Air VW the Gray, ensuring I left nothing behind when I left my room. Black Butte looked impressive but would soon be in my rear view as I was headed north this time. While I left after formal time for sunrise, I did see the sunrise over the hills and low mountains of my trek in Northern California. I love the drive and promise I will soon return in the summer or fall to explore; maybe this year.

There are six or more, and I lost track of passes, with Mount Ashland being over 4,100 feet, to climb and descend. The traffic at first was light, but soon I am packed in with other 70+ drivers passing trucks, flashing lights, and crawling the passes. It is uncomfortable driving, but my quick glimpses of the terrain put any postcard of mountains to shame. Wow! I never saw the stateline signs, and soon, I was in Oregon for more passes, most less than 2,000 feet, and hard driving.

I stopped at Seven Feather’s Truck Stop and charged the EV to 80%. I then purchased some bananas for a few bucks (why these were not included in the complimentary breakfast in California was a surprise to me) and found the restroom.

Southern Oregon is full of mountains and high hills, and the roads are busy and often twist in the passes. Deborah and I frequently talked when the driving was easy. We are still getting used to being separated by most of the USA again.

I stop at a few rest areas and reach the only charging location on my plan (the previous charging was a fortuitous discovery when looking for a rest area). I needed only to charge a few percent to be above 10% when reaching home, but I still did 80% since I was there. I backed into the only space and soon was charging. My free use of Electrify America is over, and I pay $7 for the charge (42 cents–the going rate–a unit for about $37 for a 10% to 100% charge). This is the same Dairy Queen I visited on my way to California. When I leave, topped-off, there is a line to get a charge, two cars deep.

I have done the rest of the drive through Oregon many times, and I often drive at 70+ and in high traffic. I saw the crazy lane changes that even California drivers eschewed. I was tempted to stop at Garden World, but I resisted. I hit the usual slow places and soon was in Beaverton and then home with more than 20% charge left. I unpacked the car. I saw the new dent and attempted to summon terrible fates for those that caused this insult to my EV.

My final payment for vacation is a day of laundry. The Machine was ready, and soon it was washing and drying my first of three large loads. The house needed to be aired out. I opened the doors and sprayed Febreze, and soon the house was feeling friendly and welcoming. My previous day’s stop at the Olive Pit goodies were unloaded and put in the frig and pantry. Four bottles of my favorite couscous sauce had arrived, and Corwin had put them in the house for me. They, too, were placed in the pantry.

I was going to cook a late lunch but found my enthusiasm lacking once the unpacking was done and laundry was started. The house was clean and ready for my return, and I was not prepared to mess it up. I also left the EV to change and ordered GrubHub and my favorite local Chinese-style food. I over-ordered and had dinner, too.

I put on Disney+ and tried some Star Wars brain cookies. Andor, again, started with episode 1 while I enjoyed too much food. Laundry was put away. I made milk bread (I use milk powder from King Arthur Flour Company) in my bread machine. I don’t buy bread anymore, but use the technology I have (an Amazon cheap but functional bread machine) and buy good ingredients (King Arthur Flour, but Oregon’s local products are good–I know Jack is saying that Bob’s Red Mill is excellent when he read that, and yes they are).

I am tired but not sleepy. I started the writing app, Scrivener, and added a few more paragraphs to my story. I continued the story by describing part of the magic system in my new fantasy world and the main characters. I managed a few more details and some revisions. I am nervous, as these are the first words that must be good.

I get sleepy after forty minutes of writing. I save it (it saves automatically) and head to another shower (going back to my Spring of washing off the pollen before getting in bed). I read my new magic book that I got in Seattle when traveling with Deborah, Dondrea, and Z at the fun magic store in the Pike Street Market. The introduction was fun, but the first trick was detailed enough to have me put the book down and sleep. I managed to only wake once to prove hydration.

Thanks for reading.