Rufus, OR

I drove through the Columbia River Gorge today and it’s like so much else of the northwest, big. The Historic Columbia River Highway cut through lush green forests, across old mossy bridges and next to more than a few long and crashing waterfalls. At one point it took me to an overlook above the river and I almost didn’t want to get out of Rocinante for the wind. Gusts were shaking my two-and-a-half ton steed like it was a Tonka Toy, and the other vehicles parked nearby weren’t faring any better. To look at them you’d have guessed we were at a make-out point rather than a scenic point. As soon as I stepped out the wind almost knocked me down and even tried to rip the camera out of my hands. I can honestly say I’ve never felt anything like it. Walking against it was such a struggle I was almost at the point of dropping to all fours and crawling back to Rocinante.

Right now I’m sitting at a free campground just below the John Day dam and despite the frequent trains and the interstate nearby, it is the best place I’ve stopped in a few days. In an earlier post I mentioned how this trip is wearing on me, one of the things I’ve noticed is all the stuff I took for granted. Just having access to a bathroom is nicer than you might imagine. The ability to get up and take a shower in the morning is such a luxury. That sort of thing is impossible for me while I’m camping. I can do a bucket bath in the evening, but I don’t like Scotch for breakfast and since I can only find the testicular fortitude for stripping down and getting wet in 30 degree winds after a healthy measure of whisky, all my bucket baths are drunk and nocturnal.

Grants Pass, OR

I crossed over the state line on an eighth of a tank trying to avoid paying those California fuel prices. As it turns out, I should have filled up before I got here. Oregon state law requires an attendant pump your gas for you, which probably doesn’t keep prices down. I can’t remember the last time someone else pumped gas for me. I filled up so hopefully the next time I need gas will be in Washington, is it any cheaper there?

I’ve got to be honest with you, this trip is wearing on me. I hate to burst the bubble of anyone living vicariously through me, but even the best road trip requires a fair amount of work. For example, there is rarely a moment on the road when I’m not looking for something. Fuel, food, ice, wifi, a place to camp, a bathroom, propane, a Laundromat, and sometimes just a place to pull over and check the map all make the list pretty frequently. Also, but for the few hours a day I’m actually driving, mine is a cold and un-climate controlled world. Sure, there have been a few spots in AZ and So-Cal where the weather was ok, but most nights it gets below freezing and most mornings are hard. The most trying aspect is probably the bathroom situation. Since October 9th, the vast majority of the bathrooms I’ve used have been public restrooms. Some are nice and clean; many are not. Highway rest areas, fast food joints, grocery stores, gas stations, the list is long and ignominious. Now don’t misunderstand me, I love traveling, a man doesn’t embark on a journey like this if he doesn’t, but I love tacos too and three months of tacos would suck.

Crescent City, CA

Today I shucked on my long-handles and it will be May before I go without. Driving up the coast there was a ferocious wind trying like hell to knock poor Rocinante over. The plus side of that were some cool photos of wind-whipped waves slamming into the coast. I took some extra shots because I had to say goodbye to the Pacific today. I’m turning inland and I’m not sure when I’ll get to the coast again.

Humboldt, CA

Driving through a grove of giant redwoods makes you feel like a mouse must feel when it drives a tiny car through a normal-sized forest like they do in some movies and books, er, ok, not my best analogy. It is a pretty surreal feeling, though. This time of year is rainier than usual so I didn’t take as many photos as I wanted to, but oh well, you get the idea.

When I made camp (a.k.a. parked) I decided to let Mr Kesuke Miyagi (that’s right, there was only one entry in my Name-The-Bonsai contest so SM won) frolic among some of his big brothers and sisters. I set him on the picnic table and not five minutes later I heard a crash. When I looked outside I saw Mr. Kesuke Miyagi had been knocked over. There was only one other campsite occupied, so I figured it wasn’t a gang of ruffians and carnivorous bunny rabbits aren’t known for vandalism so, I got out to see wtf happened. It seems a branch had fallen from one of those big red trees and just happened to hit my sidekick. I took this as an omen from the tree gods, so I tried to light one of them on fire in retaliation. As it turns out, wet trees don’t burn so well. Instead I moved to a spot further from attack-trees.

Mountain View, CA

I spent a couple days visiting my sister and her husband and a couple more days visiting their house. They went to the other coast for x-mas and I took advantage of free access to a shower, washer and dryer, Wii, etc. The most exciting thing is I finally got my Mac fixed, whoo hoo!

I did have a wonderful x-mas eve, though. I watched House reruns on TV and drank Scotch, jealous? X-mas day came and I decided it was time to get moving before I got any more comfortable.

On the way out of town I took a few minutes to drive around downtown San Francisco before crossing that Golden Gate and heading north. Highway 1 is getting a little tiresome so 101, here I come.