You Can’t Go Home Again

It has been more than a year since I last put anything in here. I apologize, but the last year has been . . . depressing at best. When I first left Las Vegas, I went to Visalia. I realized after less than a month that it would not be a good place to be, since it depressed me from the beginning.

So I went to Crescent City in California, almost as far north as you can go in California. I spent a month there and walked from where I was parked to a cliff about ¾ of a mile away. I enjoyed the walk and managed to see the spray from a surfacing whale while I was there. I didn’t see the whale, but it was still exciting. I was feeling better and the weather seemed to be welcoming me to the area.

 I moved to Eureka, about 90 miles south, to find a job. I visited the south jetty which was a bit of a drive from the place where I was staying in King Salmon. The waves were gorgeous and there was almost nobody there while I was wandering around. Some pictures of the south jetty.

I got a temporary job that ended up crippling me, so it only lasted 6.5 months (about 6 months too long). Because of problems I was having even walking, after having spent a lot of time walking and hiking around previous to moving here, I started going to a chiropractor. Turns out I had a vertebra that was displaced and annoying every nerve in my back. After 4 months of treatment, I could walk better than I had been able to, but nowhere near as well as I had been before the job.

I wanted to be a camp host in Montana during the summer of 2019, but because of the pain in my back, I am unable to stand for long, I can barely bend over, and I’m not supposed to lift anything over 15 pounds. So, it looks like my potential career of being a traveling camp host has ended.

So, why can’t you go home again? I went to Humboldt State University in Arcata from 1976 – 1979. Eureka and Arcata are not as I remember them. Even though 40 years have passed, and I accept that, I expected there to be some semblance of the peace I felt while I was attending college.

That peace was gone. Eureka was depressing and grey (and I don’t mean the weather). Arcata was even more retro than it had been in 1976-1979. I became very depressed because of the weather, the environment and the fact that I couldn’t walk as much as I had been able to when I first got here. I was called for jury duty and spent 2 -1/2 days waiting around before the judge dismissed everyone, including all those who had been selected. Apparently there was something wrong with the indictment. It was snowing/hailing the day we were dismissed.

And then the rain started. And continued. And continued. Etc. After 4 months of almost constant rain, I had to leave. So I moved to Las Vegas for a couple of months. However, because of all the rain, my jacks had all rusted and it was almost impossible to raise all but one of the jacks. It was impossible to raise the 4^th jack. I ended up bending it badly when I left the park and was finally able to get a nice gentleman to raise it up enough I wouldn’t have to worry about it too much. Of course, I couldn’t lower it at any time, during my trip to Vegas.

This is the first installment of my continuing journey starting in 2019. I’ll get more done as I feel more excited about what is happening to me and my (frustratingly old) body. I’ll also include pictures. 

Moving Daze

On Wednesday, September 9, I was due to leave Big Arm State Park and wander down to other parts. On Tuesday, my radiator decided to spring a leak. I was able to get an appointment with my favorite repair shop in Polson for Thursday. Got the radiator replaced, so I planned on leaving on Friday. I made an appointment to meet the hiring person at Solitude for Monday, so I had a couple of reservations made for camping.

First was in Idaho Falls. I have stayed at this park a few times and I usually stay only one night. Because of the appointment and inability to get a reservation one day away, I stayed an extra day. So I wandered into the downtown area of Idaho Falls.

 

There is a walkway along the river (Snake to be exact) with gorgeous views of the river, the falls and planted alongside, flowers. Love the beautiful colors of the flowers and the great views of the river.

I left after the next day and drove to Salt Lake City. I stayed in a vastly overcrowded RV park and have never had so much trouble with a “drive-through”. I made my appointment at Solitude (didn’t take pictures, my bad) and walked around a bit. It is a gorgeous place, but the ride up the hill is horrendous.

So after spending as little time as possible in SLC, I drove to Cedar City. I went to a “job fair” at Bryce Canyon and then drove down to Zion National Park.

The second tunnel is long and narrow and there was a long line to go through. While waiting, I saw a few prong horns posing alongside the parking area. I drove down the long, very windy road into the park, but they were prohibiting traffic due to congestion, so I went back up (the wrong way, it turns out). I did take a few pictures while I was there, but I didn’t visit the rest of the park. Maybe some later date.

After a day or two of rest, I went up to Cedar Breaks. I had visted the visitor center in 2014, but that was all. This time, I drove the whole road and a side road for a few miles. It is a stunning view, but the lowest altitude was 10,325 feet and it was not easy to breathe.

After all this, I will be heading down to Vegas for a couple of weeks until I know where I am going for the winter. I’ve got a few irons in the fire, so I don’t know now where I will be going. Someplace good I hope!

Happy Birthday Hike to Hidden Lake Overlook

I went up to Glacier National Park and actually had my wallet this time. Of course, I got there so early, the entrance station wasn’t open. Drove right through. Made it up to Logan Pass through the smoke and haze resulting from the fires in MT and elsewhere.

The last time I was here, I hiked up to Hidden Lake Overlook. It is 1.5 miles each way (uphill mostly to that point, mostly downhill on the way back). This was the first hike I have taken since getting my left knee replaced.

The trail was wet in places because there were still ice fields hanging around and sending their water down the hills (along the trail). The trail wasn’t particularly steep, but the stairs at the start and ending were the hardest part. The steps were very tall and inconsistent.

Saw a lovely marmot (nicknamed Manny the Marmot by someone watching him at the same time).

Finally got to Hidden Lake Overlook. The crowd was incredible. Too many people! The last time, I couldn’t see the lake because of the smoke from the GNP fire nearby. This time, the smoke was starting to come up to Logan Pass when I got there and increased as I was leaving.

I’m not sure how much longer the skies above Logan Pass will remain clear. The smoke seems to be increasing going north. But I had a good, although extremely slow, hike. Great way to celebrate my birthday!

Last Year Part Three

I went up to a secluded part of Yellowstone (actually a plateau between the two northern entrances) and after taking a walk along a self-guided tour, I came back at night to take pictures of the Milky Way. My camera isn't really set up to take pictures for as long as necessary (the stars move during the length of time it takes to take the picture - around 32 seconds - so there is a little bit of fuzziness). I also took a picture of the Big Dipper.

I went over to Yellowstone Lake. It was the first time I had ever been there. I started hiking a trail that led off from the lake but was unable to go very far (left knee). On the way back to my car, I saw this lovely little fox wandering through the meadow.

The lake is very beautiful.

In late July, I was asked to come to Flathead Lake State Park, Big Arm Unit. It is something that I see everyday, since I am stationed in the entrance booth, and my office window looks down on the lake.

While I was there, I went to Glacier National Park. I was able to hike the trail to St Mary Falls, which I couldn't do last year because of the fire in this area. I saw this woodpecker working on one of the fire ravaged trees. You can see all the fire damage done in the area and there were a lot of burned trees, unburned trees and regrowth.

Saint Mary Falls was worth the hike. You can see the burned trees in this area.

Some of the burned area near the road on the east side of Logan Pass.

Saint Mary Lake.

Some of the regrowth in the burned area.

East side of Logan Pass.

Wildlife at the site were I lived until late September.

During the winter, I was a camphost at Anza-Borrego Desert State Park. I was there from October 1 through January 1. While there, I wandered over to look at the Salton Sea. The dead fish smell was awful. The dead bodies were all over the "beach". Not a place I would ever want to stay.

In the desert around Borrego Springs, an artist had put up all these marvelous metal sculptures. The detail on all of them was incredible.

The desert was mostly very dry and while the ocotillo had some leaves and some blooms, they were mostly just the barbs

The sunrises were gorgeous.

At Font Point, you can look into the badlands. This overlook was quite a drop and an unexpected delight. I was led blindfolded to this place, so it was a shock to see the incredible view below me.

After having my left knee replaced in February, I returned to Flathead Lake State Park, Big Arm Unit for the summer of 2017. I will be working in the entrance booth again, and I will find time to explore more in the area.

So, now we're all caught up.