The Way

Today, this said it all for me.

http://www.wayseermanifesto.com/

Tehachapi, CA

I spent six months living with the desert.  Time enough so that it takes some time getting used to the rainy northwest.  Haven't quite adjusted.

I had become so accustomed to the look and feel of the desert that when I left the Mojave Desert and drove through Tehachapi, CA I thought I had passed into a different dimension and was now driving through Ireland.   The hills, the stones and the varying shades of green were mesmerizing and I was once again drawn into the land of Tehachapi.

My first visit to Tehachapi was when I was riding with my friend Vicky in a Penske truck.  She was moving from Eugene to Ocala, FL and I hitched a ride with her to Baton Rouge, LA to visit my brother.  It was that trip that planted the wanderlust seed so deeply that I knew the road had called me and I would do whatever it took to begin the journey of these many roads.

We pulled off to get gas in Tehachapi and ended up at a gas station/mini mart unlike anything I have ever experienced.  This mini mart had an array of alcohol to rival the biggest of liquor stores.  And not just that, but it sold those small, airline size bottles of just about every liquor that was sold in the large bottles.  I couldn't get over the vast array!  Must be a lot of drinking going on in that town.

Just outside of Tehachapi was a pass with thousands of wind turbines spinning in the wind.  Very impressive.

I passed through Tehachapi again on my first, long voyage to Phoenix.  I was still filled with fear at the time and hoped and prayed the wind turbines would not be blowing.  The pass was gentle with me that day and the turbines were quiet and I eased through the mountains.

But this land continues to call to me, each time showing me a different face.  Something awaits me here and I know I must return some day and spend more time.

Bye Bye Rose Bud

I kept Rose Bud for over 25 hours, long enough to be able to make a definite decision.

And for a variety of reasons, I decided sharing my RV life with a dog was not a good option for me and so I said goody-bye to Rose Bud.  With no regrets.

Rose Bud

I went to lunch with my son.  It was so good to see him after six months and I love spending time with him.   There is nothing in the world like one of his hugs.

As we pulled back into the RV park we were still having idle conversation when I mentioned I had been thinking about getting a dog, and more specifically, a shitzu.  "Well", says Ben, "I have some friends who have one for sale.  Should I call them?".

Next thing I know I am having a sleep over with a 4 month old female shitzu to see how we get on.  She is really quite lovely.  Smart, playful, sweet...everything you could want in a dog.  She immediately made herself at home in the RV and seems to have no plans on leaving.

On the other hand, I am still not quite sure.  My moon sign is in Virgo which means I like things very clean and organized.  I have struggled to overcome the "clean gene" but it has served me well in these small spaces.  After a walk, Rosie came back wet and muddy and I had that moment of anxiety of a wet, dirty dog invading the premises.  

But she is sitting behind me as I type this, softly snoring, and I wonder which will win out.  If it is not this most perfect of dogs, there will be no dog in my future.  And I am not sure I can let her go.

Ben and Rose Bud

How Can I Say No To That Face?

Dogtown

Back in Eugene, back at Deerwood RV Park, back next to Maria.

It was sunny and beautiful yesterday when I arrived but the weather is now more typical and it is cool and overcast.  For now it feels wonderful to be nestled in amongst the trees, next to a good friend, safe and warm in Minnie and waiting to have lunch with my son.

Maria is here in her recently purchased motorhome and is traveling with four dogs.  And they are not tiny dogs, but three are quite LARGE.  I can't even manage one dog and here she is with a whole brood. 

Lola was just a puppy last time I saw her

Maria tosses the frisbee....

And Lola brings it back

Good Dog Lola!

Earl chases tennis balls

Home Sweet Home (Lola, Caesar and Earl)

Maggie and Cesar

It is wonderful to have my choice of dogs:).

Oregon

I went into the office this morning to check on routes.  We checked....checked....and checked.  I was looking for perfect reassurance that there would be no wind, no snow, no rain, no fog.  Neither of the routes could offer such assurance so after much discussion and a spin of my pendulum, I opted for I-5.
And I am glad I did.

 

 This is the view from a rest stop just outside of Weed, CA.  But other than that, I-5 proved to be fast, free of any snow or ice and somehow I don't remember much mountain climbing, although I know this route takes you up to 5,000 feet.   I do remember having a wonderful day driving, blissed out with the beautiful mountains and scenery.  Mt. Shasta was completely covered in clouds as I drove by but at some point I looked back in my rear view mirror and caught a brief glimpse as the clouds parted and she showed me her beautiful face.  She is one powerful mountain.

Kinda What I Saw Looking Back

 I was having such a good day driving I decided to continue on until Canyonville, OR so tonight I am back at Seven Feathers.  Took a shower and did my laundry while dodging in between rain showers.  But who can complain when you are treated to such spectacular sights.

It feels good to be home.

Single Rainbow

Minnie from the Side

Minnie from the Front

Double Rainbow Outside my Window

Wind

There were forceful winds all night long and my internet connection completely collapsed.  I was off the road and had a good book to read and very thankful to be safe and sound.

This morning I thought to call and make a reservation at my favorite park in Red Bluff, CA.  When I called at 9:00 AM I was told they were completely full and weren't sure if anyone would be leaving because of the strong winds.  I gave them a credit card number and my phone number in case they did have availability after check-out time and then called Maria to help me check road conditions.

Maria is a new friend I made the last time I stayed in Eugene and she is back at the same RV park.  Our plan has been to spend some time together once I arrive in Eugene and hopefully we will have sites very close to one another.  She had internet access, I did not, so she checked to see what the wind looked like heading north on I-5.  Didn't look too bad at least to Sacramento, so even though that was only 100 miles away, I knew I could make it at least that far.

Traveling was wonderful.  It was cloudy, a few showers, no wind to speak of and light traffic.  Immensely enjoyed the driving and spending time with the energies of the Spring Equinox.  It was during this time period seven years ago that my life was forever altered and it was good to have hours of time to reflect and remember all that has transpired since then.  I also received a message on my phone that there was an available site so come on in to the Red Bluff RV Park.

Wait a minute...did he say RED BLUFF RV PARK????  I listened to the message again, checked the phone number against the park I thought I had called, and yep, I had made a reservation at the wrong RV park.  I wanted the Durango RV Resort where I stayed before.  I loved it there, it is on the list of my top 5 favorite resorts!  Red Bluff already had my credit card information so unless I wanted to do some fancy dancing and try to get out of the reservation, it was once again going to cost me to switch RV parks.  Grrrrr...why do I keep doing this???

So I am at Red Bluff.  It is a perfectly fine park, has great internet and a good Mexican restaurant within walking distance that fed me tonight and will feed me again tomorrow. 

Wonder what park I will end up at tomorrow?

Not exactly where I thought I would be

Spring Storm

Seems I am in the middle of a big, bad storm.  I guess I should have been paying more attention.

It is cold and very windy outside but the rain has now stopped.  I got in just ahead of the powerful, gusty winds that are now blowing across the Mohave and am safely ensconced in Minnie.  It is warm inside, I have plenty to eat and drink, wi-fi and books to read and a good day's drive under my belt.  Not much more I could ask for.  Yesterday I was running the AC, today the heater.

Looks like I won't be passing over any mountain ranges anytime soon so the new plan is to head to the coast and slide back into Oregon from that direction.  I am actually excited about this new change in plans and hope the weather will allow for this new strategy.  I think I can make it to Red Bluff, CA tomorrow and then will adjust accordingly.

Tonight I am in Santa Nella, CA at the Santa Nella RV Park.  It is perfectly fine for an overnight stay and is costing me less than $24. 

I would post a picture of my site but I am feeling too "snug as a bug" to go outside in this weather. 

Barstow/Calico KOA

I seem to have lost my traveling mojo.  Between yesterday and today, I have yet to get my bearings and although the actual traveling has been fine and good, finding an overnight spot continues to be a challenge.

View out my front window

My site for the night

Yep, that is how close I am to the traffic

I didn't make reservations and arrived at 2:00 PM thinking how booked could they be?? Turns out, very!.  I got the last available site so it will just have to be good enough.

I took a tour of the Calico Ghost Town which also had RV parking up in the hills but all the sites were reserved.  Must be some kind of destination point but although the land felt really good, none of the buildings were authentic and it had a plastic feel to it.  I also went to Peggy Sue's 50s Diner which also had that odd feel to it.

This is my third time across the Mojave Desert and my first time to stop mid-way across. I wonder, what am I missing???  Maybe this is just how it feels when you are in the middle of nowhere and you do your best to entice people to stop and stay awhile.

For me, I hope to be on the road early tomorrow morning.

Parker, AZ

Floating Dock Bar - made me feel kinda sea sick so didn't spend much time there

I am in Parker, AZ, about 30 miles south of Lake Havasu.  And I am tired.

After my scheduled oil change I did not get on the road until 1:00 PM and didn't arrive at my final destination until after 5:00 P.M.  Part of that was because I could not decide where to stay.  I had reservations already made at Fox's  but when I pulled in I couldn't find the check-in office and I just thought there might be something better.  So I drove down the road, found another place, paid for the site and then decided I didn't want to stay there!  So I drove back to Fox's and ended up with a site right across from the Colorado River, free internet and cable TV.  I dunno, just one of those days where my indecision cost me a lot of money.   Got to get back into my traveling groove.

View outside my window.  There was a St. Paddy's day party and that is why all the golf carts are lined up.

Countdown - Thursday

Minnie almost ready to go

Up at 7:30 this morning with a list of things to do.

Off to the office to turn in my name tag (I wore it twice while here), mail box key and to pay my electric bill.  Got coffee and a doughnut for the first, and last, time since I was up so early.

Took off the windshield cover and cleaned it the best I could.  It was dusty, as was the inside of the cab, but I was glad I purchased a new cover.  The new cover has netting on the side so I can leave my windows open and still keep bugs out.  However, it doesn't keep dirt out so it ended up being more of a chore than I had wanted.

Did the last of the dishes.  Turned off the propane (never travel with it on), cleaned the sewer hose and closed all the water vents.

Pushed the button and retracted the power awning.  Started the engine to make sure it still runs.  Took a picture of Minnie in her "travel attire".   Next will be turning off the water and electricity.  Then plugging in my next destination on my GPS and away we go!

Ready.....Set.....GO!

Countdown - Wednesday Evening

Packed the overhead cab.

Packed the outdoor table, chairs and mat.

Vacuumed, cleaned the vacuum and recharged the vacuum.

Said good-bye to Ken, Gloria and their dog Duffy.  I was hoping to avoid this good-bye but Ken came by and then Gloria came by with Duffy.  I will miss them but hopefully we will meet up again in the winter.

Almost ready....

Countdown - Wednesday

Feeling very ungrounded today so a challenge to pull myself back into the mundane world of packing up.

I did accomplish clearing and cleaning the counter tops,  paying bills and started to pack up the outside.  Too hot to do much else.  Forecasted to be in the 90s today.  Will today be the day I turn on the air conditioner?  In March??????

Last day at the pool and then a good cleaning shower to start me down the road.

Countdown - Tuesday Evening

Gloria came by and we went for a last meal at my favorite Greek restaurant.  We also shared a wonderful bottle of wine - Salmon Creek Merlot.

Filling full to the brim we went to the grocery store.   I now have all the supplies I need for a week's work of travel.

Countdown - Tuesday

Washed clothes, towels and bedding.  A bit sidelined when the water was turned off but the amusement of the day was my neighbor pulling their 40' motorhome out and another neighbor moving into a new 5th wheel.  I now have a wide open space to my right and directly behind me.  The large motorhome on my right had provided some much needed shade and with these hotter days, it felt even hotter making my bed and putting away my clothes.  One of my least favorite chores.

Received what I hope to be the last of my hospital bills.

Countdown - Monday evening

Put the Netflix movie in the mail so that I will have enough time to receive a new DVD for my travels.

Cleaned windows inside and out.  Wish I had the magic formula to make hard water stains disappear.  Seems like I have tried everything I can think of, tried all the other suggestions, and still nothing seems to work.

Started to look at the route and possible parks that look appealing.

Started to get excited.

Countdown - Monday

It's hot.  Hot enough to start wearing my hat.  But I also find that I am loving my daily walks to and from the pool and the time spent sunning and emersed in water.  Trying to savor the last days before I start heading into the rain and green of the Northwest.

My daily count down preparations have begun and the added bonus was that I did clean the underside of my awning.  Watching neighbor Joe was the incentive and after I bought an electric scrubbing brush it didn't take too much work and I am very pleased with the results.

Picture me on a ladder, minus the gloves, and height of Joe

The dark streak on the right is what no longer exists

 

Today's chores were fill up the water bottles and strap the ladder back onto the rear ladder.  I also reserved my month's RV site in Eugene and scheduled an oil change.  The oil change appointment has tweaked my schedule and now I am leaving Thursday afternoon instead of Friday morning.  It is just one of many adjustments that will need to be made as my next travel adventure begins.

Sometimes I whine because I have to do everything, when what I basically want to do is nothing.  There is no one to split chores with, no one cooking for me, bringing me coffee in bed (high on my list), cleaning the sewer hose.  But the alternative is that I have full rein to do as I please, no compromises to be made, total freedom to listen to my own inner voice and guidance.

For now, it is the best of worlds.

9th Wave

Things are moving so quickly these days I can't keep up, let alone blog.

Last night I tossed and turned, could not sleep, and during the day I felt slight earth tremors that could not be explained.  And then I awoke to news of the latest earth quake and information that seismic activity is occurring everywhere on the planet.

Welcome to the 9th Wave.

Big, Full Days

Another few days that have been particularly full.

Thumbs-up Ken

Spent an evening with Gloria and her daughter, son-in-law and two grandchildren being fed lasagna and laughing till my belly hurt.  Ken's thumb will take some time to heal but he was back on the job again.  I love these people so much and get sad every time I think about another parting.  I want them to adopt me,  hitch Minnie to the back of their 40 foot motorhome and take me along with them.  After Mesa they are headed to the East coast and I do not know when I will see them again.

My neighbor Joe has inspired me to clean my awning.  My experience has been that men make it look much easier than it ever is, but I am still inspired and have bumped this project to the top of my "to do" list.  Don't know when it will get done, but it is on the list!

New friend Vicky had a "pamper party" so I spent yesterday afternoon with my feet in a warm bath of water filled with marbles and essential oils.  Reminded me to take better care of myself.  Also went to Zumba exercise class in the morning and swimming after the party.  A lot for one day!

Today's big event is line dancing this evening. 

Maybe I will get there, maybe I won't.

Come Out, Come Out, Wherever You Are

It has felt very busy these last few days, certainly like things are gearing up for the Spring Equinox.  My days of solitude feel to be ebbing away as I mentally make preparations for the next journey down the road.  I leave on the 18th, less than two weeks time.  I haven't done much traveling since I arrived in T or C the first of October so I am curious to see what the road will feel like as I once again make the trek back to Oregon.

On Sunday I attended my first social event, a block party.  I have kept very much to myself in the two months I have been here and it was a bit of a stretch to pull myself out of my inner sanctum and down the two sites to the party.  We all wore our name tags so now people know my name and greet me as I walk down the street and people are once again knocking on my door.  Even though the energies have accelerated considerably, I still do not feel completely ready to emerge from my hibernation period.

While at the block party a woman sat down next to me and within the blink of an eye we were discussing essential oils and before we could catch our breath we were within our own private bubble discussing sacred truths, Joseph Smith, the Book of Mormon and various other topics.  Yep, she's Mormon and I was interested in hearing her beliefs.  She was at my door bright and early the next day for further conversation, sharing various oils and skin care products.  We have decided we like one another, do not have the same belief systems (I do not believe Jesus is the *one* true son of god, and she does not believe in reincarnation) and have come to an understanding with one another.  That being we still have a lot in common, seem to enjoy each other's company, and will just have to disagree on our own particular truths.  She also sells wonderful face care products so she has recruited me to help her host "pampering parties".  Will see how all that goes.

This morning another neighbor knocked on my door bearing gifts of a bracelet and earrings that she had made and I had much admired.  And many emails have been coming through from various friends that spin this new energy even more.  I even received an email from my friend in Russia who *found* me several years back when it seemed impossible that such things could happen.  It made me believe that if someone from Moscow could find me amongst the billions of beings living on this planet, anything is possible.

So maybe it's not so bad, the Hermit emerging from her cave.

It's Good to be Home

Today Dan got a clean bill of health.  It is amazing and inspiring that after only two weeks he can now drive, return to work part time and start to regain entry into his previous life.  The power to heal the body has been the theme of the last several weeks and Dan is a shining example of determination, faith and optimism.  Thank you Dan for setting the bar so high and believing in your own capabilities.

Because we all thought it might happen, I had packed the car with my belongings in the hopes that after the doctor's appointment I would be able to return *home*.  And that is in fact what happened, and I am now back in Mesa with Minnie. 

It is good to be home and I am surprised how wonderful it feels.  I am mutable and can easily adapt to a variety of circumstances and surroundings but nothing gives me such an ecstatic feeling as when I am totally surrounded within my own energy field.  I feel like purring.

Not only am I back in Mesa, but I was able to connect with friends from Eugene.  I have been longing for Eugene so friends from home feel like the cherry on top of this latest ice cream sundae.

Donna and Steve

Donna and Me