Best of...Worst of...

I left Denver and headed east--crossing some of the most god-forsaken county in the US!

Apologies to anyone who lives in Eastern CO, Kansas and Oklahoma, but I will never take the I-70 to I-35 route again--ever!  Admittedly, it was a shock to my previous extended diet of scenic "eye candy" but I think, by any standard, it would be considered at least monotonous.    (Ever notice that even the word "monotonous" is boring...like all those consonants followed by an "o"...?)

At a one point, I realized my mind was not "present" on the road and actually drifted out of my lane one time and got honked at!  Somewhat shaken, I realized I had fallen sleepy for a moment.  So I put the windows down, scooched way up to the steering wheel, turned the stereo up and started singing along to the music!   

It worked to keep me alert for the remainder of the day's drive and scared the little road critters out of their wits!  

Thankfully, I am enroute to my favorite casino at the Paragon Casino in Marksville, LA!  This is an incredible RV park and one of the few I would rate a "10".  And, for under $10/night, whatta bargain!  

The road was amazingly barren from Shreveport to Alexandria--about 100 miles of nuthin'.  Not a single Rest Area.  There was one Tourism/Info center but a sign said "No Trucks".  Since I often use the edge of the car parking areas, I slid down for a peek and...the signs were right!  No room for anything larger than a Lincoln!

So I ended up just pulling off an exit.  When the girls have got to go, they gotta go!

Since I am no longer in true "play" mode and heading directly to my RV warranty service appointment in Hammond LA, I thought I would do a "best of/worst of" blog.  

Best Scenic Drive:  SR12 loop in Utah (near Bryce Canyon)

Best Casino:  Cher ae Heights in Trinidad CA (with my sister)

Best Entertainment:  Mary Jane:  The Musical in Blue Lake CA

Best Experience:  Whitewater rafting with my "guys" on the Snake River, Jackson WY

Best "New" Discovery:  The fascinating geography of the Columbia Basin in Washington state

Best New Aquaintance:  Ryan at Big Lagoon, CA

Best Fuel Price:  $3.32 at Walmart in Lindale, OK

Best Fast Food:  McD's New Mango Smoothie

Best Urban Experience:  Red Canyon in Denver

Best Campground:   East Bay RV, Springville, UT (I rate it 10+)

Best New City Spot:  Soaking Pool, Portland OR

Best Moment:  My birthday wake-up coffee in the Grand Tetons on the lake

Best Purchase:  My new Silver Anniversary edition of Scrabble 

Best Gadget purchased for Trip:  Magellan GPS with 7" screen

Best Idea:  Installing locking thermostats on my water inlets to protect my water supply from pranksters

Worst Parking:  my sister's driveway backing downhill on a long, skinny lane with no shoulder on either side.  (Before I could even attempt to park, we had to whack an opening with machete through the overgrowth and cut low-hanging limbs off trees, bundle up the cuttings and carry them away.)

Worst Moment:  Leaving Yellowstone NP

Most of My "Worst" are so adrenaline-charged and short-lived that taking pictures is just not a practical thing to do.   Thankfully, my bad times are few:

Worst WakeUp call:  Getting on the scale before leaving Eureka CA.  (Wow!  I'm haulin' an extra 10 and my fake hip hurts!)

Worst Weather:  116 degrees in Gainesville, TX  (Wow!  With 18% humidity, call me "MummySue" rather than "MovinSue")

Worst Moment:  Entering a Texas interstate from an on-ramp that had no yield lane and seeing a 16-wheeler in my mirror "on top" of me.   (TEXAS has already distinguished itself in prior years as having the most insane road system ever!)

Worst Mistake:  Proceeding into the bush on a one-lane gravel road somewhere in the Shasta-Trinity Mountains.  (Wow, what was I thinking?!)

Ok I feel better.  I am currently at Dixie RV in Hammond LA where I am trying to get my rig fixed under warranty.  More on that later.  I could be here for two weeks...

California GO--Denver HO!

Inevitably, MovinSue must move on!












In preparation, everything gets a bath;  the RV, the interior, all the laundry and even Cassie!

An unexpected pleasure "happened" the day before my departure.  A fellow GPS afficionado with whom I have been corresponding for years emailed me, not knowing I was in the area.  I knew he had a cabin near Eureka, so we decided to meet!

He found my sister's hidden lane down the hill, parked and was greeted by my sister's husband, who did not know who he was and was not expecting any strangers.  Not sure he was at the right address, my friend, Ryan, said to Norm through the screen window "I'm lookin' for MovinSue!"  With 4 dogs barking in the background and the TV on, Norm replied in disbelief  "You''e here to SUE me?!"

After the laughing stopped and we got my true identify and Ryan's purpose established, Ryan asked if Norm was that big a troublemaker that he automatically expected people to drop by to sue him!   We had a pleasant visit, and oddly, didn't even discuss GPS'ing which we can do anytime via email.  

Ryan brought his camera get a photo to show his friends that he "met MovinSue"!

With sadness, I left my sister and family back in Eureka on the 24th, delaying my departure to permit the "thermic dome" blanketing the middle of the country to lift.

The first night of travel was through the Trinity- Shasta Mountains at an altitude that made sleeping comfortable at night, so I didn't have to find a campground.  Despite that, I did try to find an interesting looking campground--a member of my 50% off network.  I programmed the address into my GPS and merrily went on my way la de da...  

Unbeknownst to me, there were TWO roads with the same name except for "Shortcut" was added to the road name.  My GPS is programmed to take the shortest route...of course, it selected the shortcut road and I unknowingly and carelessly agreed.   At the turn instruction, I saw a well-groomed gravel road ahead and thought "OK...I have taken such roads before without problem".    It was a one-lane gravel forest road along the side of a mountain with forest on either side and was about 2 miles.  

About a mile in, the gravel road degraded to dirt mounds, with deep, ugly ravines carved by water flowing down the slope.  This was a 4 wheel drive road and my moho would never survive it-- plus it might even get worse and I'd be stranded with no cell signal (I checked).

  

So, I resigned myself to turning around or hiking out for a tow.  Since it was bear and cougar country, I decided to turn around.   Sigh...remembering that  I had passed a lumber road about 50 yds behind me, I started a nerve-wracking reversal.  Crap!  That side lumber road was cut DOWN the mountain slope at an angle and I didn't have much hope backing into it without a really good guide spotting me.   With no other choice, I began to nose down the road and then back uphill at an angle--slowly "scissoring" my way to turn around.   I was limited by the mountainside in back and was looking over a mountain dropoff in front--I think I was sweating.   At least there were lots of trees to stop my descent if I made a booboo.    Around 10 hair-raising maneuvers later, I was turned completely around and headed back out. 

I picked up my route, corrected the GPS and tried to find the campground.  By this time, I needed a rest badly!   Never found it.  The reason I wanted to go there was because it looked very remote and wild on a river so I guess it's not so surprising that I never found it.  The road through the mountains was lush and scenic so I settled for a Rest and Snack Stop.  

I continued on to Redding, CA and stayed at the Win River Casino where I got a Player's Card with a $5 credit,  won $15 and filled up my big insulated coffee mug with their free Starbuck's java!  I love casinos!  Met a truck-driving couple there who were lugging a load of slot machines from there to Vegas and were getting ready to retire after this trip.

And she moved on....to Reno.  Again, weather was mild at that elevation and I stayed at a Nugget.  The neighborhood looked fairly iffy so I parked next to a big Country Coach motorhome, had super TV reception, popped a cork and hunkered down in the RV.  

Continued on through some of the most beautiful land in our country past the windmills in my mind...

..through tunnels cut into mountains triggering a dormant, but thankfully, mild claustrophobia...

...ever vigilant for a shady spot for lunch and some clean, soft grass for Cassie to squiggle in...

...wondering how this rock formation formed and how I have managed to drive my vehicle without mishap while taking photos...

...and the long trek from Green River which is neither Green nor is there any river in sight...

...and approached Colorado where RV's are prohibited from parking anywhere!  Or so it seems--everywhere I go "No RV parking"!   It is so disorienting.

Despite the extreme priciness of the Vail/Aspen/Breckenridge I-70 corridor, I found a campground under $50 and earned a premium spot next to the busy dog run.

I met an cool couple from Texas who were workkampers and offered to dogsit Cassie if I wanted to go on a full day whitewater trip.  Tom and Kaylee traveled with 3 dogs and I knew Cassie would be in good hands.   However, it was too short notice to arrange for a trip so we chatted.  Meeting these nice folks was well worth the campground fee!  Next time, I'll plan better for that section of the trip and arrange for a whitewater rafting trip.  Tom, an experienced rafter, said the river here was Cat 4-5 rapids.

Traveling toward Denver, I passed through dropdead gorgeous mountain country, including Glenwood Springs and Canyon...

...the sportsman were out in huge numbers.  The rapidly-flowing Colorado river was crowded with rafters and tubers speeding down the gushing river...

...a final resting stop for lunch and a shower before arriving in Denver at Dillon reservoir...

...and I finally arrived at my friends Anne & Bills' house.  

We mostly stayed indoors, caught up on our lives and panted.  The temp was 102 degrees, but we did venture out to take advantage of a Staple promo deal on jump drives for $5.99 for 4Gb--Wow!  Hey here's a tip if you like mango--the new McD's Mango smoothie is awesome!

We went to the Red Rocks, a geologically-formed amphitheater about 20 min away where major music groups hold concerts.  It is a unique and beautiful setting where many public functions such as weddings and sunrise services are held.

It is the geologic dividing line between the Great Plains and the Rockies.

The stage is nestled between two large rock formations. 

Look closely in the distance and you can see Denver.

When not in use for concerts, the facility is free to the public to use for recreation; here are people racing to the top.  The elevation is around 6500' and the oxygen content is around 84% of normal.  It's amazing how these athletes have adapted; they must have superlungs.

I added another "must do" to my list; the acoustics at the Red Rock amphitheater are supposed to be perfection and  I just missed ABBA performing by One Day (Aaaack I LOVE Abba!)  Next year, I'll check the performances ahead of time.
 

Later, we went to a place called the Casa Bonita which is like a Chuckee Cheese for adults.  They have mexican food, margaritas and variety acts that play all the time.  These are the strolling minstrels serenading a birthday group of young women.

A fair maiden freefalls into the indoor dive pool; they present  mini pirate dramas that always involve a fall into the pool.

And here is Anne in Black Bart's cave being a good sport for my camera by acting scared!

Had my final helping of delicious Premium Moose Tracks ice cream; a special blend of premium ice cream with rich additions of fudgy wonderful goodness sufficient to trigger paroxysms of pleasure.  Cassie also had Moose Ice Cream envy...

Tomorrow I'll be deadheading to Hammond LA where I have a service appointment for warranty work on my RV.


In case you didn't notice, I put a cute little widget on this blog that tracks my location by cell phone.   My sister asked me to do this so she could make sure I was still moooov'in and not stuck on any bad mountain road in the middle of nowhere...

Humboldt Pot-pourri-A Special Edition

One cannot visit this area without coming to a new appreciation for the primary "economic engine of Humboldt"--marijuana.

Warning, this is a "special edition" of my blog and will discuss marijuana.  It's illegal to have but not to write about!

Here are some basic facts of LEGAL cannabis use:

Fact:  It is legal to grow cannabis in California as long as you have a 215 (medical) card.

Fact:  Anyone can get a 215 card as long as you complain to a doctor "I can't sleep"

Fact:  You are permitted to grow 60 plants of cannabis indoors or 99 plants outdoors in Humboldt county for personal use.

Fact:  It is against Federal law to grow, possess, transport, sell or use cannabis.
Fact:  The medical cannabis market is huge; there are more herbal pharmaceutical stores in California than Starbucks, McDonald's and Wendy's COMBINED.

Agricultural specialty products are a key to the health of the cannaibis support economy.  Here are some examples of products:

"Pillow-type" water holding bags exhibited along the road as large as a Saddlebag single-wide mobile home

Soil amendment is probably the most complex and growing business.  Compost is packaged in huge bags and overloaded pickups are common sights.  

Here is a typical online discussion by growers about soil enrichment:

"Purple Maxx is a nice product that definately increases resin production but unless your strain has back genetics of blue/purple in it, it doesn't really turn your shit purple.  Both gravity and purple maxx have high ppm so when given to your plants, I recommend doing it on the water days not the feeding days. "

Chemists are consulted to create soil and mineral additives to make the 99 maximum outdoor plants yield the equivalent of, for example, 500 plants using many of the ideas espoused by Charles Wilbur when he grew his monster tomatoes.

There is a product system called DEP which are indoor rotating lights on tracks perfectly synchronized to the growth cycle of the cannabis plant.  

Some businesses supply convenience products to the folks who camp out on the mountains in tents 24/7  to "guard" the product as it grows.   

The turkey baster bag industry tries hard to keep up with demand (turkey baking bags are uniquely suited  because they are "smellproof" for storing harvested buds and are in high demand).  

Graduate students in biology who are tissue-culturing certain strains to achieve optimal nausea and pain-controlling characteristics as well as develop strains resistant to disease.    


The list goes on into ever more esoteric and scientific areas of tweaking growth characteristics of this plant.

User industries abound; tee shirts, sweatshirt, smoking apparatus.  Some of the prettiest blown glass around is in the headshops. 

I really liked the "Skunk with the reddened eyes" tee shirt design.

The industry is not without harm and danger however, as many farm encampments are armed and the environmental destruction from polluting waterways for irrigation is significant.  There are environmental groups that do reclamation work to "clean up" the farmed areas.

Rents on large homes in remote areas are triple "normal" rates.  These homes are in demand by growers who need a place to dry and trim the harvest.  Trimmers migrate to this area every fall looking for high-paying trimming jobs.  Real estate agents specialize in farm acreage and other property.

Now to the lighter side!  Billboards with double entendres. 

 

For my introduction to agricultural and recreational excess, I went with the fam, armed with folding lawnchairs and blankets, to an outdoor theater production named Mary Jane--The Musical.  This was one of the featured activities of the annual Mad River Festival in Blue Lake, CA.  This was a debut production and was playing to sold out audiences.

The plot loosely revolves around 50-something Mary Jane's “coronation” as Queen of The Emerald Ball.  The ball celebrates Mary Jane for being a first-generation dope grower who migrated to rural Humboldt in the hippie-driven 60's and discovered the simple joys of beginning the back-to-the-land cultivation of what became a “growing” cash crop.  But, just like in Rocky Horror Picture Show, the plot is beside the point. The eccentric song and dance numbers are what matters. 

Played, sung and danced with pizzazz by a fearless cast of performers wearing “leafy,” tye-dye-colorful and retro costumes, the musical styles are as varied as the clothes.   

This particular photo was a performer dressed as an "indoor grow"; the counterpart "outdoor grow"  later appeared and they sang a witty duet about their differences and similarities.

The show serves up a potpourri of original, insightful songs.  Songs with titles like “It's Kush to be Mary Jane,” “Humboldt Honey,” “Grow Inside,” “Green Like Money,” “Why Is Whiskey Legal and Pot is Not,” “Ghost Town,” “My Son,” and “Nuggy Nuggy" reflect the broad scope of the community's attitudes, fears and misunderstandings about the controversial weed.  


Between songs, Mary Jane provides witty observations:  “Why would I want to live in Arcata?” asks Mary Jane. “That’s where the people sleep outside and the plants sleep inside.”

After the play was over, I asked my fam to translate some of these terms.  I had no idea what a "nuggy" was, nor what "kush" was.   I inquired about the song "Ghost Town" and they explained why legalization was defeated in California--legalization would occasion the beginning of the end of communities and a subculture built entirely on cash-crop marijuana.  The song "My Son" told of Mary Jane's guilt for teaching her son of no other way to live in the larger society and failing to educate him for anything beyond growing cannabis.  I gave it two thumbs up! 

I also give two thumbs up to learning a heck of a lot more about the good And the bad about the legal marijuana industry in California.   The industry has sustained a colorful subculture unlike any other I have ever see or heard about--the people here are very different in so many ways.  At times, I felt like I was in a foreign country!  

Regardless of how one feels about the whole subject of marijuana, I admired seeing the entrepreneurial spirit and self-reliance that is pervasive in the northern California psyche and so sadly disappearing from our society.