In the Redwoods

Not much bloggin' goin' on lately but I am having a great time in Redwood Country with my sis!  One of the most enjoyable aspects is the weather, which hovers between 50-70 degrees all the time; it is usually cloudy/foggy in the AM and the sun emerges around lunchtime. The sunshine is softer than Florida sun and has a deeper yellow hue which, when it hits the rain/misted leaves, glistens and is super-pretty.

Wine is cheap in California and I found my favorite "everyday" vino, Blackstone Merlot, for $5.99 at CVS versus $11.99 at Publix.  Even more exciting, there is a "new" pourable margarita cocktail that is sooo refreshing and fruity- it is dangerous!   It is a heavenly concoction of grapefruit, tangerine and tequila and it is smooth and delicious and available in mass quantities at Costco.  You can see that we bought two cases to tide us over until the cruise (Aug 25).

It is also medicinal; Sharon's hubster Norm, had hip replacement surgery 3 weeks ago.  Between naps with the dogs, he chases his Vicodin with a margarita.

When I get a burst of energy, I work a little on my RV which never fully recovered from the onslaught on Lovebugs in northern Florida.

It required some scrubbing and following that, an application of Rejex, "Nothing Sticks But the Shine!" (a thin-film polymer coating, used instead of wax or polish, to provide the ultimate, durable high-gloss protective finish for vehicles of all types).

I mentioned in my last blog that I had vehicle body damage from whatever I hit in the road and decided to do the body repair myself.  Here are some photos of the project.  I have custom paint in waiting, but it has been too humid to apply.

BOO-BOO's

Fiberglass Filler

Sanded, ready for paint

After all that work, my parts have been a bit grumpy.  Thankfully, muscles are pummeled back into anatomical position thanks to the students at the nearby Arcata Massage School.  Even though they are supervised by proctors, they do some of the weirdest techniques!  One of them stuck her fingernail on the end of my toes with pressure.  She got the message that it was not a soothing move when I came out of my semicoma with a startled mini-scream.  


While looking for an activity that does not require a lot of standing or walking (since my Sis needs an ankle replacement), we hit upon the Ladies Flat Track Roller Derby event at the fairgrounds.   I knew nothing about it except what little I had seen on cable and thought it would be a grin to watch "women with intimidating nicknames in short shorts, tatoos and facepaint beating the crap out of each other at high speeds!"  

This is Serious Fun!   There has been a tsunami in The Roller Derby World and there is even a cartoon category for ladies' roller derbying!   While men have always had football, now women have Roller Derby!  It is enticing to think one can legally--in a game--knock people down, speed skate and adopt a dangerous nickname to wear on your shirt.   I would probably do this if I were 30 years younger!

For those unfamiliar (including me) with one of the only full-contact sports for women, here's a quick rundown:

Each 30-minute half is broken into shifts called jams.   A pack of eight players, called blockers, hold the front position while two jammers wait in the back. When the whistle blows, the two jammers try to break through the pack and out the other side. 

Once the jammers make their way through the hips and elbows of the blockers, they are able to begin scoring, earning a point every time they legally pass a member of the opposing team.


This poster sums up my position on the subject:

Today, an extraordinarily dreary weather day Sis and I took the loose coins to the nearest CoinStar and went to the Bear River Casino where we did not win any money.  So, we lunched at the Eel River 100% Organic Brewery (it's a California thing) where 

the beer was bold and cold ...

....and wall art reflected local industry-related witicisms.


In about 10 days, I will be going up to Portland to attend my grandniece's 5th birthday and reunite with family members.  My sister and I are in charge of the kiddie gift bags and the Safari Treasure Hunt.  We went to the Thrift Shop and bought 12 stuffed animals for $2.20.   Between now and then, we must think of clue-rhymes to help 5 year olds look for a specific animal like: 
 "I go Meow and I'm not a Bat.  
Look for 4 legs and a tail and find the *___."  


*Answer:  Cat

Eureka!

Eureka!  I have arrived!


The expression "Eureka" is the state motto of California, referring to the momentous discovery of gold.   It is also an exclamation of a joyous moment!  I am very happy to be reunited with family and finished with driving after 3,486 miles!

ScrabblyPants Alert:    eureka is also a legal Scrabble word--a noun meaning "an alloy of copper and wire" and is worth 10 points.

What a welcome change the mountains were from the aridness of the desert!  I stopped in Lassen National Park and asked a visitor to take a pic of me 'n Mt Lassen.  There was snow on the ground and most roads were still closed.

On the final leg of my long journey, about an hour from Eureka,  I heard a BIG BANG located somewhere on my RV's exterior.  I was traveling in the Shasta-Trinity mountains on a remote stretch of a 2 lane road with guardrails on one side "every so often" and a mountain on the other side-- always.   This particular section had no guardrails, so the descent to the river canyon below would have been unfettered by obstacles should fate decide to claim me.  It occurred to me that the end would be mercifully quick.

Did that BIG BANG herald the beginning of the end for MovinSue?

Well, the fact that you are reading this should tell you the answer is "NO".  The BIG BANG was my tire exploding from contact with something in the road that I did not see.  It was a beautiful sunny day but that caused the heavily-forested road to be "dappled" and thus impossible to make instantaneous adjustments between light/dark areas.  So, I must have hit a rock which frequently roll down the mountain, dislodged by seismic and geologic forces and clumsy mountain goats.


Fortunately, I maintained control and saw a small shoulder ahead and pulled off theroad.


Now, you might think that this would simply take a cell phone call to summon Help.


WRONG!  Even my smartphone is not smart enough to figure out how to catch signals at 4000 feet in a forest of mountains midway between Redding and Eureka.


I  was resigned to summoning  help from a random motorist.  The first person to arrive was a female driving a trailer.  She slowed down but did not stop as she apparently did not want to pull the trailer uphill from a dead stop in the middle of the road.   I thought she appeared to be underpowered for mountain hauling--so OK-- I trotted along beside her slowed rig and asked her to stop in the Rest Area about 2 miles away and ask the employee to radio CHPS -(California Highway Patrol).

Almost 30 minutes later--here comes another car--Yay.  A lone man--Nay.  He did not stop or slow and that was actually OK with me.  And, then I saw the same vehicle headed back in my direction.  I was somewhat concerned but not alarmed as I approached the vehicle.  I had already gotten my "convincer" out of the RV, made sure it was loaded and put it in my purse.   The man asked if I needed assistance.  I said Yes.  

I had noted there was a dog paw decal on the car door saying "Rescue Me" and thought this was meant to be.   I asked him about the decal and he gave me some very reassuring answers.  He offered to transport me AND Cassie to the next town to get some help.   Since no car had passed since the trailer and him in about 30 minutes, I agreed.   I did not want to be stuck up on this mountain in the dark!   He got out and jotted down my tire specs while I got Cassie in gear and we set off for Willow Creek, about 6 miles away.


Eureka!  Andy's Auto Care was there with a heavy duty tow truck, a garage and a wonderful woman named Candy.  She took on my insurance company to get a faxed purchase order for Roadside Assistance which required talking to 3 different people--including some dude in Kazaquchstan whose English skills were almost non-existent.  My knight in shining armour departed after he was certain I would get the assistance I needed from Candy and Andy.

Here is Andy with his tools; before I took his pic, I asked him if he was a "wanted, fugitive from justice" because his pic would be on the internet.   

The Highway Patrol finally arrived and stayed with me and my vehicle while the replacement tire was taken back to the shop to be put on the rim and balanced.


So, after two hours and $83 for the only used spare tire on the mountain, I was on my way.  

I had finally gotten a Verizon signal in Willow Creek and called my sister--who was in her cups and simply remarked "OK see ya later!"

OMG I was so excited when I arrived in Eureka and spotted the rarely-seen GOOGLE CAM!  I have been looking for the GOOGLE CAM CAR for a couple years and all of a sudden--there it was right in front of me!  I frantically felt around on my cockpit desk for my camera while winding my way through Eureka traffic and finally got the proof.

 After I got parked in my sister's yard, I discovered I had also sustained some body damage on the bumper which I am going to repair myself with some fiberglass poo concoction.  The RV manufacturer gave me the paint color formula.

Sharon then warned me to always preview my exit from the RV before letting Cassie out because she has a Mama Bear and three Baby Bears in the area.  The bears are especially active on garbage pickup days.  She got a picture of the bears in her driveway to emphasize the need for caution.


I have been having a great time here in Eureka; my sister and I have already had massages at the school up the road where students try hard to please and the $25 price is right!   We have already booked weekly massages through July.  

I also met up with my friend Kate from Florida who is dating her ex-husband, Gary (who lives in Oregon). 

Kate and Gary and I had cocktails and dinner at the Moonstone Grill overlooking the rocky shoreline in Trinidad.   This is the beach level view, but the restaurant is up the hill and has an impressive view of the shoreline.  

Those two gazed with googoo eyes at each other and giggled like adolescents with silly secrets the entire time.  Actually, all of us did some serious giggling...

I had my 63rd birthday on June 3 and got an Asus Transformer 300TF tablet.  My sister bought an IPAD2.  We both have gadget fever and I am learning how to use mine and hers too.    This is my Aquarium living wallpaper and you can see I have 8 emails.  No mouse, no keys--only finger swipes and presses!   Except for the fingerprints on the screen,  I just love it!

I also got a 1992 Cadillac to drive while I was visiting for the summer.  It is kind of a disposable car; it shakes and shimmies shamelessly on the road but is drivable and even has power seats and windows that work!


Cassie is having a blast being off leash most of the time and running with the country dogs, Ozzie and Bella.  She had her first Doggie Day Care experience yesterday It's all About the Dogs!.  

The Doggie Day Care place has a PuppyCam where you can watch your dog play.  The facility is a palace for pups with individual beds in 5 X 5 motif pens with TV's for Overnighters,  an Intuitive Counselor who gives Reiki massages, cuddle service and a Kong add-on with choice of peanut butter or jerky.  

Only in California!

Armpit of the Southwest

Las Vegas may be the ONLY redeeming quality of Nevada.

MovinSue made her First Ever Big Mistake leaving Las Vegas.   For some reason, US 93 and US 95 ran together in her mind.   Not so--and the mistake cost me about 40 miles and a trip into .....the GREAT BASIN!

The GREAT BASIN is a No-Man's Land where neither man nor beast should enter without serious survival gear.  The basin is guarded by the Great Basin National Park, which gets about 43 visitors per year.  I guess few people are interested in visiting a place inhabited primarily by bacteria, bats and bobcats.

This is what the inhospitable landscape looks like;   even the elevated road is hostile with a very small shoulder sloping down to sand and rumble strips on both the edge and in the center.  There is nothing out here and one needs to keep a full tank of gas, a sidearm and her wits about her.

In making my correction, I had to take the infamous Extraterrestrial Highway.   The Extraterrestrial Highway was named for the many UFO sightings along this lonely stretch of road. The highway is close to the mysterious Area 51, a super-secret Air Force test facility, and in the 1980's and 1990's there were many sightings of unidentified objects near the base.

There were desert storms brewing during my drive--athough you don't really need a storm to experience odd weather phenomena.  To Wit:  Dust Devils.  They are actually kind of "cute" from a distance; they whirl and swirl and kick up some dust and debris, and **poof** just as quickly as they show up, they are gone!  One passed over me on the road; I could see we were going to intersect and white-knuckled the steering wheel in anticipation of the turbulence.  I figured that it couldn't be worse than a couple semis passing but dreaded what crap was swirling in the vortex.   Sure enough, I was buffeted and bitch-slapped in several directions at once!   No damage, but what a ride!

But,  the most disturbing phenom of all was Tonopah, NV--one of the most wretched towns I have ever seen.  The participating member RV park was so run down and ugly that I refused to stop.   So, I pulled into the only business that was open--McDonalds!  Great, a Wifi signal and some comfort food!  I could look for another place to squat for the night,  grab some fries and surf.

Tonopah NV was declared, by the pimply, baby-faced cashier, to be the ONLY McD's in the system to have NO Wifi.  Additionally, they had NO ketchup for the fries, and the fries were cold.  So, I headed for town where there were 2 casinos and plopped in the Truck/RV Parking lot at the Banc Club for the night.

Woke up to 43 degrees!  Yikes, Vegas was 93!

The morning ride was beautiful; the wind had died down and the mountains were pastel-pretty.

Gas was horrendous; $3.89 in Vegas and $4.49 in Tonopah.  Tonopah is obviously gouging travellers' anxiety about driving 200 miles to the next gas station.

(In the style of Donald Trumph)

 "Tonopah....you ARE the Armpit of the Southwest!"

Then, I approached Hawthorne-- place with a history.  The first thing I noted were large mounds in the desert with sharp cuts vertically in each mound and a sign that identified the area as a Navy Warfare Detachment.   This photo is from online as I could not get a decent photo from the road.  There were hundreds of these structures as far as the eye could see.


Huh?  The Navy has business in the desert?

So, I went online and looked up Hawthorne.  Very interesting.  There is also an Army Depot housing mines and ammunition but the interesting thing is a theory that this is a submarine test site.  It is theorized that Nevada and California sit on a continental shelf in this region and that the government has tunnelled underneath the shelf from Monterey CA, through Nevada and all the way to Missouri!

I departed to a delight to the eyes--Walker Lake Recreational Area.

Here is a the best I could do to get into the shot with my camera self-timer.   Usually, there is someone around who will take a photo...but not in Hawthorne.

And, then it happened.

Can you guess what the flying $72 means?

I think I have gotten 2 tickets in my lifetime; prior to the last two months, when I was in my 30's.  In the last two months, I have booked almost $300 in fines for non-moving violations.  My violation in Hawthorne was "Failure to Follow Rules" because my license plate was obscured by my container on my hitchhauler.   It seems as though my Life Lessons follow me as I travel.  These guys really need my money and the officer was quite handsome, so I just consider it a mostly-pleasant exchange and a public donation.

And she moved on...

Las Vegas

I stayed at a great RV park called Blake Ranch RV.   This is one of the nicest campgrounds I have been in and is also a Horse Motel.  I was advised their showers were a Texas-sized 10' X 10' and of course, I checked that out.  I wondered if the shower size had anything to do with horse-guests. 

They had TWO pristine Dog Walks with shade and benches so I took Cassie for an off-leash run.

The Wednesday drive toward Flagstaff was a nightmare; look at the dust cloud ahead which was bad enough to drastically reduce visibility.  The wind gusts blew RV's all over their lanes and it was nerve-wracking sharing the road with the semis.  Additonally, I-40 was quite damaged in some sections.

Even with teeth-jarring bumps, my sue-engineered fixes remained intact; my antenna, the awning and my cabin desk!

It was a beautiful drive to Las Vegas via US93; leaving Kingman, the topography changed abruptly to rugged southwest beauty and breathtaking scenery when summitting a crest.  The winds were quiet for the ride and I thought maybe the weather front had passed.  Yay.

NAY!  Crazy wind is back with a venegance on Friday!  Rather than get on the road, I decided to stay an extra day in Las Vegas.  Winds are steady 25-35 mph with gusts to 50mph!  I thought I would go on the Suicide ride on the Stratosphere but the high wind gusts changed my mind.    Humidity 9-16% --time to break out the body lotion, Chapstick and eye drops.

Enroute to LV, I stopped in a Cracker Barrel for rest and a Cassie-walk.   I opened the screendoor and a nice-looking native gentleman knocked.  I stayed in the RV and listened to his "story".   He had quite the tale, which I tried to imagine and considered without comment.  Finally--the "close".  He asked for "a couple dollars".

While he was weaving this fantasy story, I was reminded of the Judge Judy TV program where litigants tell strange and inconsistent versions of their predicament and "Judy-isms" are born.  So, when he finished, I channeled my inner Judge Judy and said to him "Sir, the story you tell me is not believable!  I see before me a well-groomed man in apparent good health, shaven with trimmed mustache,  wearing fashionable, clean and well-fitting clothes and boots that show no evidence of having walked on anything except carpet.

You are obviously creative and smart enough to tell a great story.   I imagine there is a cell phone in your pocket and that your truck is parked nearby.   I simply do not believe that you are homeless and penniless".   Surprisingly, he protested and tried to convince me that I was wrong.  Extra points for persistance! 

At about that moment, a guy who had pulled up in another RV got out of his rig and "hovered" near our conversation.   He heard me say to the beggar man "Cracker Barrel would not be happy to get a complaint about their customers being solicited in their parking lot".  Unbelievably, he said he was not soliciting and I said "What do you call asking someone for money?"  At that moment, I could see resignation in his face and suggested that he move along off private property.  He walked off in search of an easier mark--or at least someone who didn't watch Judge Judy.

 Las Vegas News:

...Elton John was hospitalized 4 days ago with a respiratory infection and all his concerts are cancelled, so my plan to go to his Million Dollar Piano concert--gone!

...Roy Horn of Siegfried & Roy has been accused of multiple complaints of sexual misconduct, several by his male nurses and caretakers.

..Las Vegas is hosting the first annual "BBQ & Beer for Boobs" festival, a fund-raising event for breast cancer.

Since I am missing some of my planned activities in Vegas, I treated myself to a casino Memorial Day Special--a steak and lobster dinner with all the fixin's.  It was yummy and, of course, I brought plenty of food back to the RV.  Thanks to Dr. Ortiz--"Stomach Seamstress to the Stars", I have two additional meals and Cassie gets some tidbits too!

Of course, I played the latest electronic video poker machines but got over 2 hours of game play before my $20 was gone.   I think the trainee poker games on my smartphone helped my percentage and extend my playtime.

In honor of Vegas, here is my most favorite version of PokerFace; I included lyrics because they are so cool!  I like the Glee version better than Lady Gaga's.  Poker Face - With Lyrics
 
Fuel update:  cheapest in Arizona/Nevada $3.60 and most Purveyors of Petrol ask for $3.79 to $3.99 in LV.

No More Drama

The inverter drama is finished and I spent a wonderful, drama-free visit with Tuna, Laura, Theresa and Christopher in Edgewood NM.  Tuna declared, more than once, that among the many things he appreciates about living in NM is "lack of drama"!  Life there is pretty mellow!

The weather was "chamber of commerce" beautiful so we went to garage sales where I found the waterproof carrier for my hitchhauler I was looking for.  We had ice cream at the DQ.  We went to a beautiful garden center referred to as the Oasis, due to its lush landscaping in the middle of the desert.  We watched the solar eclipse while doggies played in the backyard.   This is Tuna hugging his best doggie, Charlie.

We ate homemade guacamole (what a yummer!), pork chops and ribs--all a treat for me as my diet on the road is even more disastrous than at home!

During naptime, I got a chance to repair my TV antenna which was hanging on by a thread and thumping on its roof mount from the minute I entered east Texas!

But ALAS!   The weather forecast has brought drama:  The southwest is getting crazy bad wind starting Weds for 3 days and I will have to drive in it.  I already had Awning Angst before I heard the weather forecast; now I have Awning Paranoia.

I left Tuna's on Monday and settled in at the Dancing Eagle Casino in Casa Blanco, a favorite stop on my route.  Casino is generous with freebies and gives out gas vouchers and a quality keychain shaped like a red hot chili pepper.  I won $1.05 on Video Poker (I always walk away when I am ahead.)  The RV Park is adjacent for $10 which includes wifi.

While there, I used the wifi to research how RV awnings transform into Killer RV Awning Sails in high winds.  What happens is that the awning fabric is wound around a roller that has a clutch mechanism that is tightened "just so" to allow operation but, in a microburst of highway wind, the clutch resistance is overcome and the awning suddenly unfurls-becoming a safety hazard.  There are afterproducts costing around $50 but they are only available on the internet.   Albuquerque Camping World  had nothing--unbelievable!  In this part of the world where "Severe Crosswind Signs" pop up every 10 miles!

So, I thought and thought...  Finally, I came up with a workable solution.  Here it is and cost about $5 and a couple trips up the ladder to the rooftop.  It consists of a hitchpin on the cap end secured with a hose clamp.   The hitchpin goes into the roller hole and prevents the clutch from disengaging and the hose clamp keeps the hitchpin from tearing or vibrating loose during travel.  No more drama!

Another item off my Bucket List--I wanted to go on the SkyWalk at the Grand Canyon.  I looked it up and it is operated by an Indian concessionaire and you have to buy a "package" of tours to get on the SkyWalk; it is not available as a single item purchase!  Price tag of least expensive ScamPak is $80 and they add in an impact fee and a couple other scam fees so you are looking at about $100 just to walk on a plexiglass surface at the Grand Canyon and, OH!  By the Way NO CAMERAS ALLOWED but you can buy pictures that the concessionaire will take of your experience.   Also, there is a Mega Lawsuit over this structure and the empty building adjacent to the SkyWalk Indians Seize Developers Assets!  Too Much Native Drama!

I got several emails in response to my last blog where I described this creature I spotted in an East Texas rest area--a half hairless dog thing with a wild pig face.   Incredibly, I might have seen El Chupacabra-- a hairless, snarly-looking four-legged creature said to suck blood from goats.
This is a photo of a dead one that is similar to the horrible creature I saw.  The one I saw had a fuller chest.

I am now in Arizona and here are a few road trip pics; a Welcome to Arizona rest area...

...and one of a never-ending series of tourist Indian Gift Shoppes.

Staying with my theme of No More Drama for this Blog, I thought I would post Joshua Ledet's FanTastic studio performance of No More Drama at the AI Final Three.  It begins with the tunes of the theme song from One Life to Live and it is a perfect cover of Mary J. Blige's original!  Joshua's "No More Drama"  Here is an exerpt of the lyrics:

Uh, it feel so good
When you let go
Of all the drama in your life
Now you're free from all the pain
Free from all the game
Free from all the stress
So find your happiness
I don't know
Only God knows where the story ends for me
But I know where the story begins
It's up to us to choose
Whether we win or loose
And I choose to win