Nomad Life - Day 102

Even with the late bedtime last night, I still woke up (no alarm) at 0645.  I spent the morning reading and did puzzles/Duolingo in my room at The Dylan at SFO.  There was even time for surveys for cash (completed my goal for November) and breakfast (snacks).  Since my departure for the East Coast was less than 24 hours away, I continued sorting through bags.  I also set up my printer and finished paying bills for November.  There were a LOT of trips back and forth to the car...  By 1200, I decided I was ready to depart The Dylan Hotel and have an adventure in San Francisco.  I walked to nearby Millbrae Station and used my credit card to enter the BART system.  I was on a northbound train (we were at the end of the line) by 1215 and it departed the station by 1222.  The first stop was at SFO, where the train reversed direction (drove into the stop front first and then was driven from the old back towards the north).  By this time, I'd figured out that I was on a Red Line train, headed to Richmond.  Our route took us to Daly City (middle of San Francisco Peninsula) and then back to the northeast.  As we approached the city, it kept getting more crowded.  I suppose the nice weather was responsible for the volume... There was a nice mix of above ground and underground travel but I never got any good views of landmarks.  At 1305, I got off the train (Embarcadero Station).  When I came outside (to Market Street), I found that my light jacket was appropriate for the weather (breezy and 50s).  To start my first exploration of the city since 1984, I first walked around near the station and found some Cable Cars.  After doing some investigating, I discovered that it cost $9 to ride.  Having already had the experience in the 1970s and/or 1980s, I passed on the opportunity.  Nearby, I found a "I Heart SF" sign.  From there, I walked north towards the San Francisco Ferry Building - on the way, I encountered a tall statue of a naked woman in Embarcadero Plaza (a Google search revealed it was very controversial, was called "R-Evolution,” was created by Petaluma-based artist Marco Cochrane, and was erected in April 2025).  I crossed The Embarcadero and spent a little time walking around inside the Ferry Building.  From the north exit, I got views of the Oakland - San Francisco Bridge, Treasure Island and Yerba Buena Island/  Walking parallel to the water and The Embarcadero, I passed lots of good restaurants and businesses; there were also lots of museums and food stands.  The weather was still nice (sunny) so there were lots of people outside.  At some point, I passed Pier 1 and then continued all the way to Pier 39.  This latter landmark was the beginning of the Fisherman's Wharf District and, when I was fully inside that famous area, I started getting hungry.  Meanwhile, I got good views of Alcatraz and explored some of the ferry options to reach that island (they were actually running).  There seemed to be many of ships to tour (e.g., Liberty Ship, Jeremiah O'Brien).  Turning around towards the south and west, I got glimpses of the Transamerica Pyramid, Salesforce Tower and Coit Tower.  Along the way, I took my photos of the tourist areas but kept looking for places to eat.  During this time period, I encountered several Waymo cars (driverless, autonomous taxis) and thought "yikes".  Bonus: I got glimpses (through a haze in the distance) of the Golden Gate Bridge.  Finally (1400), my stomach made me stop for food at Boudin's Sourdough Bakery & Cafe, where I ate some chili in a bread bowl and tried a local beer (Lobo's Hazy).  Everything was delicious!  After getting finished with my food (1435), I checked a map on the street and realized I was near two NPS Units.  The first one, San Francisco Maritime NHP, was located in an old hotel building at the western edge of the Cannery Row area of Fisherman's Wharf - I made sure to tour the displays in the Visitors Center (1445).  After checking out nearby Hyde Pier, I walked uphill for a little bit and found one of the famous steep streets of San Francisco..  Even better, there was a cable car track on it!  I didn't ride one but had a strange feeling that this was a place where I'd been with my family for just such an experience.  With the Deja Vu thoughts in my head, I walked around in the park nearby - it too seemed familiar - if not for being there before, then from movies I've seen about San Francisco.  I made my way around to the west end of Aquatic Park and out towards the end of the Bay - there were actually people swimming!  Continuing around the shoreline, passed Ghirardelli (1450) and entered the second NPS Unit: Golden Gate National Recreation Area (1500).  The Fort Mason unit was on a hill that overlooked the Bay and provided a batter view of the Golden Gate Bridge,  Sadly, the famous landmark was still too far, with haze, to be a good photo.  Overall, the walk provided lots of reminders of family trips I took in 1977/1979 and/or 1984.  At 1515, I started backtracking towards Fisherman's Wharf, looking for more historical landmarks.  Mostly, I just found good views but my route was slightly different from earlier in the day.  Instead, I found myself on Beach Street.  Unlike on the Embarcadero, there were almost no people but I traded the solitude for lots of road crossings.  Many street cars (not cable cars) passed me in this area.  I briefly returned to (the south side of) Embarcadero but then distanced myself again when I took a fork on to Battery Boulevard.  I got views of the tall buildings and hills while weaving my way (via some side streets) to the Embarcadero BART Station.  Along the way, I passed near the clock tower at the Ferry Building when it was chiming 4:00 PM.  Soon after, I entered the BART Station and used my credit card again to board a Red Line train that was headed to Millbrae.  When I checked my pedometer, I realized I'd walked almost six miles!  We departed at 1608 - the southbound ride (including the reverse direction swap at SFO) seemed much quicker.  We arrived at Millbrae by 1650 and I walked the short distance to The Dylan.  In my room again, I completed all administrative work required before my Monday (very early) morning departure.  Without realizing it, I skipped dinner.  Feeling ready for my trip, though, I headed to bed at 2130.  Nomad Life will be on pause while I take this business trip (booooo)...

Nomad Life - Day 101

Today's activities were the culmination of almost six months of planning - I was going to be at the Notre Dame versus Stanford football game!  I woke up at the Best Western Plus in Oakley at 0630 (no alarm required) and spent the morning organizing and packing.  At 0800, I went to breakfast in the lobby of the hotel and, after another fulfilling meal, finished getting ready to depart.  I finally left my room by 1045 and departed Oakley.  Using CA-160 and CA-4 (headed towards Martinez), I made my way to St. Mary's College Museum of Art, hoping to see a William Keith exhibit called "Echoes of Yosemite").  While I located the campus in the town of Moraga (a wonderfully scenic area in the rolling hills east of Oakland), I found signs that the exhibit was closed because of the long weekend (1120).  Noticing the names of several streets seemed to connect to the Christian Brothers, I wrote to Brother Jim to let him know where I was.  After backtracking through a maze of winding mountain roads and dodging many cyclists (lots of bike trails!), I got back on I-680 and towards the town of Danville.  Following Google Maps, I reached the entrance to the Eugene O'Neill NHS (1150).  Unfortunately, like Port Chicago, this park unit was only apparently available by appointment only.  Seeing other people were walking into the neighborhood through an iron gate - I decided to risk parking nearby (there weren't any signs prohibiting it) and followed Kuss Street towards the official entrance to the park.  The weather was wonderful (50s and sunny) and I encountered a lot of interesting bird sounds (Merlin App) in this area.  I was able to reach the historic home and get a feel for the property.  However, I was afraid I'd be towed and quickly returned to my car.  Returning to I-680 again, I drove towards Palo Alto.  This was a longer route than it might otherwise would have been but I was avoiding tolls.  North of San Jose, I switched to I-880 (there was some traffic but conditions weren't too bad) and then used CA-237 to cut across the city.  Before long, I found myself on US-101 and was headed north.  When I reached Palo Alto (1300), I got off the Freeway and started looking for my mom's old home on Alester Avenue.  I was successful in my search and sent a picture to Uncle Jim and Aunt Judy.  What I really liked about the home was that the Stanford University campus was very close.  Another landmark, Duveneck Elementary School, was right next door.  Hoping to get some lunch, I stopped into a nearby local grocery store, The Market at Edgewood and started searching the aisles for my options.  I was completely turned off by the prices, almost double anything I've ever seen, and didn't ultimately purchase a single item.  Instead, I returned to US-101 and continued north.  Still looking for food, I got off the Freeway again in Redwood City.  While exploring in that area, I found Oracle Corporation Headquarters.  Almost immediately, I noticed that it looked familiar - later, I learned that it was used in "Bicentennial Man" as the fictional NorthAm Robotics HQ).  Encountering no restaurants there, I made my way back towards the west and stopped at a Wendy's restaurant near "El Camino Real" (1355).  I ordered my lunch there and ate in restaurant, hoping to kill a bit more time before I could check into my hotel.  After finishing my meal, I drove the rest of the way to The Dylan in Millbrae (arrived at 1415).  After completing the check-in process and reaching my room (1430), I was immediately convinced that I'd done VERY well with my Booking.com research.  I spent the next hour prepping for my East Coast trip on Monday, repacking and reorganizing the car.  Once done with those tasks, I donned my Fighting Irish gear (coat, sweatshirt, hat) and felt ready for the game!  At 1600, I visited the lobby to learn about their daily happy hour (none of the beers excited me) - 10 minutes later, I departed from The Dylan.  The walk to the nearby Caltrain/BART station (Millbrae) only took about three minutes).  Even better, a train was arriving just then (1615).  Sadly, I hadn't yet figured out how to buy tickets - by the time I finished that process at a Caltrain machine, the train had departed (dang).  Fortunately, I only had to wait about 30 minutes for the next train to arrive.  During this delay, I some Notre Dame fans: Mitch (a helicopter pilot on the Coast Guard) and Jake (from Sierra City).  We discussed ND's chances and concerns about the upcoming College Football Playoff selection.  When the next southbound train arrived (1646), we got onboard and found a seat in the upper level (the lower level was only for bikes).  The ride went quickly and we arrived in Palo Alto at 1715.  After getting off the train, I walked southwest towards Stanford University and soon found myself in the middle of large crowds of fans.  By then, it was already very dark.  Without a map, I still managed to find the Fighting Irish Tailgating area in the middle of a small forest (I'd heard from the other guys that this area becomes a swamp if it rains).  There were definitely a not of ND fans and I wasn't sure if that meant Stanford might be lightly represented.  After all, the late kickoff, Thanksgiving Holiday weekend and poor season that The Cardinal has had could have reduced enthusiasm,  Eventually, though, I found an area (better lit and pavement) with some Stanford partiers.  Ultimately, I ended walking almost a full circuit of the Stadium until I arrived at a Pep Rally.  I got to watch the Stanford Band and mascot ("Tree") and, during their performance, found myself surrounded by running fans.  Very glad I got to see that!  I continued my circuit of the Stadium and ended up reaching Gate 10 (my entry location) just as they were opening it to everyone (1810).  Almost immediately after reaching the area of my seat (near northern End Zone), I bought a can of beer (double the normal price at home) and also got a Chick-fil-A sandwich (again, double the price).  I found some Handicapped Seats nearby and sat down to eat.  During the next 45 minutes, I spoke with an older couple who asked me about my reasons for being a Fighting Irish Fan.  This led to a longer conversation about their travels and my Nomad Life.  While we were talking, a friend I'd planned to meet later (Dennis H.) walked by and found me!  We'd first met during Bonnie's funeral in Hobbs (back in October) but I hadn't expected that he'd locate me without a phone...  Saying goodbye to the older folks (they were very understanding), I joined Dennis and his family of seven (they are from Albuquerque) for photos we wanted to sent to Trish & Terry (1855).  During this time, we concluded that his mother-in-law would best be suited to sit in the same Handicapped area.  The rest of us joined her and I never actually went looking for my seats...  Nearby, there were LOTS of ND fans.  Actually, there were almost no Stanford folks in the Stadium and they all seemed to be in or near the student section on the opposite side of the field.  The game finally started at 1930 - by then, it was definitely coat weather (30s).  Dennis bought me a beer (I later returned the favor) and we didn't stray from our seats for the first half of the game.  ND dominated, with 35 points in the first two quarters.  At one point, though, there was a scare when Jeremiah Love had to leave the field.  At halftime, Dennis and his family departed - it was great to enjoy the game with them!  I stayed in my seat for most of the Third quarter but then headed down to the lower level concourse, where I managed to evade a Stanford ticket checker and sit down very close (30 yard line) to the action below.  I watched a few series from there but then Stanford started to play better.  At 2200, I decided that it was late enough that I should start making my way to the Caltrain station.  Along the way, I encountered the El Camino Real again (1010).  At Embarcadero, I passed the Palo Alto Senior High School; my mother attended in the 1960s.  I ended up walking north from there and thought it would be a good idea to ask a passing policeman about the Caltrain station - he replied that it was closed.  Undeterred, I continued walking found out I'd picked the wrong direction (Stanford Station closed) and needed to redirect to the northwest and the Palo Alto Station.  By this point, I could see the tracks and started looking for the next train.  The time it was taking caused me to wonder if I might miss my northbound train by minutes.  Sure enough, the Caltrain I wanted arrived at 2225 but I was on the wrong side of the tracks and about 50 yards away when it started rolling... Sadly, I had to wait 30 more minutes but, I'll admit, that wasn't as bad as the hour that was posted for the one after that.  Had I waited too much longer to depart the game, the night would have been MUCH later.  When the next train arrived (1058), I boarded and found a seat in the last car.  We arrived at Millbrae at 1127 and, thankfully, it was just another short walk (across the tracks this time) to The Dylan.  Still, my pedometer reported that I'd walked about 5.5 miles during the day!  The Front Desk clerk let me in (using complicated visual cues) and I was in my room before 1145.  After my full day of adventure, I was too jazzed up to go to bed right away.  Instead, I read for a little while and turned out the lights at 0030.  Hopefully, Notre Dame has done enough to make the CFP - I know I did my part this season!

Nomad Life - Day 100

While yesterday's family get together seemed like the kind of activity one does on a long weekend, I hadn't planned to take leave for this morning,  Instead, I started my telework day at 0430 (it required a wake up with an alarm).  At 0730, I went downstairs to eat another awesome breakfast in the lobby of the Best Western Plus Delta in Oakley.  Finished with that, I resumed my telework day and didn't take any further breaks until I was completely done with my work week at 1400.  After that, I got organized and was soon ready to depart for Aunt Judy's home.  Immediately after getting in my car, I stopped for a light lunch at McDonalds (1425).  I then used CA-4 to drive to Brentwood (no Google Maps required).  I arrived in the retirement community at about 1500 and, after greeting my aunt and uncle, got started with some laundry.  Aunt Judy insisted on two loads and acted like a doting parent with me (an odd sensation).  While the machines were cleaning the clothing, I visited with Uncle Jim in their living room - by then, Aunt Judy was having conversations with her children and friends on the phone.  We had lots of interesting (mostly theological, technological and political) conversation.  At one point, though, there was an urgent scenario with an older friend who was not responding properly on their phone.  Uncle Jim made calls to 911 and they eventually were informed that the friend was OK.  Crisis averted, we spent the rest of the afternoon sharing old photos and stories of when my mother was young.  It was such a wonderful, loving time with these older relatives and they seemed genuinely pleased that I'd visited during my Nomad Life.  In return for all of the wonderful anecdotes and images, I shared pictures of Erin's wedding and other perspectives of Brenna's and Mollie's live.  Aunt Judy was very interested in getting these details.  We were planning to take a walk but my clothes weren't ready before it got dark.  Instead, we talked all the way through to dinner time.  Along the way, Aunt Judy had made some pasta with meat sauce and then added veggies and bread to the table.  All the food was excellent and fueled our continuing talk about family history.  Before the discussion was completed, I'd been added to the daily inspirational message from Uncle Jim.  Despite some "parental type" pressure, I skipped dessert.  At about 2000, I started to take my leave but it still took a while for me to be able to depart.  I do understand, though - t's been a nice visit and, perhaps, there was concern that it might be another 10 years before we got together in the Bay Area again...  Eventually, I was driving back to Oakley on CA-4 and arrived at the Best Western by 2045.  Immediately, I got ready for a workout on the treadmill (located in the Fitness Center of the hotel ) and spent over an hour walking (3 miles per the machine but my pedometer said only 2.5 miles).  With a bit more walking in and around the hotel, I finished the rest of my 10K steps (2200).  Back in my room, I packed up my belongings, read, did some more Duolingo exercised and watched a few videos on my tablet.  The last decision/action prevented me from going to be when I'd planned.  Instead, I didn't turn out the lights until just after midnight.  Wonderful day!

Nomad Life - Day 99

Happy Turkey Day!  Because of my late bedtime, I'd turned off my alarm and ended up sleeping until 0630.  That wasn't as much as I'd hoped but I still felt rested.  Before heading down to breakfast in the Best Western Plus Delta (Oakley), I read and relaxed.  The buffet I found when I arrived (0800) was legendary - they had almost anything I could have imagined I'd ever want for a morning meal!  Back in my room, I again talked to Brenna and did a bit of puzzles and Duolingo.  I also sent a LOT of Thanksgiving greetings (including to my daughters) and thanked my entire Nomad Life Pit Crew (social media posts).  After that, I got ready for Thanksgiving with my mom's family.  It was overcast and cool (high 40s) but I wore a short sleeved dress shirt...  (Note - meanwhile, unbeknownst to me, there was an Earthquake recorded by seismologists to the north of my hotel (0815.)  At 1045, I departed my hotel (used CA-160 and CA-4) and drove to Brentwood.  I arrived at Aunt Judy and Uncle Jim's home by 1100 and, after searching through my car, located an ND sweatshirt (for the Saturday game) and a "formal" sweater that I hoped might come in handy during an evening in the Oakland area (Note - it did).  Once my aunt and uncle were ready, we departed to make the drive to San Leandro (1120).  They'd asked me to drive their car and it took a bit to get used to it.  Our route took us on some back streets to Vasco Road, which we used to drive south from Contra Costa County to Alameda County.  Along the way, it was VERY foggy and the roads were very curvy and narrow.  At the time, I was glad it was daylight because I couldn't imagine using the same roads in the dark (spoiler alert...).  We next got on I-580 and headed west through Castro Valley, where my aunt's family had lived for many years (including during my 2002 visit).  Before long, we reached the intersection of I-238 (3Crosses Church) and then followed I-580 to the north.  We exited the Freeway in San Leandro and used back roads to reach Barbara's (my cousin's) home).  We arrived at 1220 (a bit earlier than planned) and, by then, the weather had become sunny and warmer (high 50s).  I got to meet Barbara's husband, Matt, and several of her children.  During the next hour, more family arrived until there were probably about 20 people (almost all of which were related to me but I hadn't met).  It was a very young group and I was introduced by Aunt Judy with reverence ("this is Jimmy, my sister Mary's son").  I found Barbara and Matt's children to be really interesting: her sons were firemen, drone manufacturers, divinity students and her daughter was a sweetheart.  Almost everyone had brought a significant other but I don't think any of them were married.  It was great to talk to everyone!  We watched a bit of football (most of two different NFL games) until, at 1400, we sat down to a delicious dinner.  Much of the food had been prepared by Barbara but some was "potluck" - there was a lot of talk about traditions and I felt very good knowing that this whole group of my relatives had some memories like my own from my mom's family.  Many of the guests had questions for me (of all kinds) and it was amazing to share over 20 years of news with each other.  We were eating until (at least) 1530 and took a huge group photo at 1550.  After that, people started to scatter.  As the outside air was seeping into the room, I put on my "formal" sweater and felt a bit better.  A few diehards stayed until 1700 but, by then, it was dark and the food was almost all gone.  I helped to clean up and then watched a bit more football (the third NFL game of the afternoon).  Ultimately, it was a wonderfully peaceful, calm and loving Thanksgiving Dinner - the entire event was very relaxed and drama free, with lots of love (hugs and words of affirmation).  At 1800. I departed (driving Aunt Judy's car again) and followed Matt and Barbara all the way to the town of Newark (used CA-112, I-880, CA-84 and Newark Boulevard), where we stopped at Firehouse #29.  Barbara's son worked there and was on duty for the holiday.  My family dropped off food, wished all the firemen (and their own families) well and we took a tour of the firehouse.  While the family centered all their attention around the fireman son, I spoke for a while with his Captain.  I even learned about their truck and how the Fire Department worked within the neighborhood and other parts of Alameda County.  We stayed until nearly 1900 and then departed.  Our return drive to Brentwood followed CA-84, I-880, I-238, I-580 and Vasco Road.  By the time we reached the latter road, the fog seemed even worse than the morning - as I'd feared, that part of the drive was treacherous in the dark.  To reach my aunt and uncle's neighborhood, I used CA-4 and some familiar surface streets.  By 2000, we'd arrived in the retirement community.  After a short time of visiting and thank-you comments (all around), I said goodbye and drove back to Oakley.   I was at my hotel before 2030 and spent the rest of the evening decompressing and getting ready for the final day of my work week.  As a result, I never ended up getting anywhere near my step goal (streak ended).  Instead, I watched movies before turning out the light at 2245.  What a wonderful day with my mom's family!

Nomad Life - Day 98

After a few interesting day in California's Capital City, it was time to reposition for the Thanksgiving Holiday.  First, though, I had a full day of telework.  As usual, I was up very early (0430) and ate breakfast in my room.  Before noon, I'd worked 7.5 hours (7 in the room and 30 minutes in my car in the parking lot) and had checked out of the Motel 6 in Old Sacramento.  At 1200, I drove across the street and filled up my gas tank at the Arco (the price per gallon was surprisingly low).  From there, I found it easy to access I-5, which I used to access US-50 and cross the Sacramento River.  Belong, I was motoring towards the southwest on I-80 soon.  I passed signs that indicated I was still following the Pony Express and had, once again, found the Juan Bautista de Anza NHT (which I'd seen several times in Arizona and California).  My pleasant drive was soon marred by lots of construction and traffic - my speeds then slowed accordingly...  Along the way, I passed Travis AFB, which I used to visit quite often but had never considered where it was located in reference to the Bay Area.  After almost an hour of driving, I crossed the Sacramento River again, this time on a big bridge that featured a heavy crosswind.  My target during this drive was not my hotel; instead, I was following Google Maps in the direction of the town/city of Richmond, where I hoped to visit the Rosie the Riveter / World War II Home Front NPS Unit.  By 1335, I'd arrived and found the parking lot (there was lots of extra security to enter the grounds).  The building that housed the park unit Visitors Center wasn't that big and the displays weren't too extensive.  I did figure out a bit about the area - it used to be a shipyard and automobile manufacturing site.  It also seemed to be a big complex, with lots of potential checkpoints for visitors.  There was a nearby bike trail that would have interested me if I had time for exercise...  I didn't really have time much, though, so I focused only on the one building (I also sent photos to my three daughters).  Outside, I got my first glimpse of San Francisco (on the other side of the Bay). I ended up departing at 1340 and backtracked towards I-80.  When I saw how much traffic there would be on the Interstate, however, I started to use back roads (e.g., San Pablo Dam Road) and eventually tricked Google Maps to give me a "better" routing.  The end result was that I found myself driving through the Alhambra Valley on one of the worst roads I've found in California.  This route, which passed through hilly farms and lots of livestock fields, allowed me to reach the town of Martinez from the south.  I was trying to locate the Visitors Center for the John Muir NHS and found it on Alhambra Avenue just after I'd passed under CA-4.  Stopping at this park unit was rather special for me - I've been trying to finish reading all of the written works of "The Father of the National Park Service."  The rangers played a great movie for me - it was very well done!  Next, I got a tour of the home were John Muir died home.  A friendly docent told me all about how the style was completely due to Muir's father-in-law's taste.  However, one part of the house was damaged during an earthquake and the resulting architectural and aesthetic differences (chosen by Muir) were striking.  One of the main highlights was visiting the "Scribble Den", where Muir wrote almost everything I've ready.  I also got to ring the bell in his attic.  Along the way, I got to see several of William Keith's paintings, which had a very close connection to a story I'd read that very morning in Muir's "Mountains of California".  Seems like I have more of these "but I was just reading about that" moments as I've gotten older...  During this visit, I thought about hiking up to the top of either Mount Wanda or Mount Helen (named after Muir's daughters) but chose, instead, to check out another nearby landmarks  At 1515, I got some guidance from the park rangers, who directed me south (on Alhambra Valley Road again) to the John Swett Elementary School.  This gave me the amazing opportunity to pay my respects to John Muir and his family at their burial plot.  Before departing the area, I checked out a Muir statue in a little park at corner of Alhambra Valley Road and Alhambra Avenue (1530).  With this stop completed, I headed east on CA-4 (the "California Delta Highway").  Almost immediately, I encountered lots of traffic - the Thanksgiving weekend had officially begun.  I managed to make it to Clyde and made an attempt to visit the Port Chicago Naval Magazine National Memorial.  Unfortunately, I learned (only then) that you needed an appointment to access the base.  Even worse, I got hung up by security when I accidentally (thanks, Google Maps) turned on to an active military installation.  And, no, my military ID didn't do anything to help.  Somehow (with my tail between my legs), I managed to get out of that area and return to busy CA-4.  I'll admit I was glad to be sitting back in traffic after admitting I hadn't done the correct research with the NPS Unit access procedures... Sadly, a Hail Mary phone call to the number listed for making reservations led only to a voicemail (and I never heard anything back at all).  For the next 20 minutes, I continued east on the traffic-choked Freeway.  Finally (1615), I arrived in Oakley (via CA-160 at the end) and located my hotel, the Best Western Plus Delta.  By this point, the last word in the name made sense: I'd learned that this area (Contra Costa County) is called the California Delta.  After checking in (got a sticker shock on amount of taxes involved), I didn't go to my room.  Instead, I started talking with Brenna on the phone and got back on CA-4 so I could drive to Brentwood and visit my mom's sister (Aunt Judy) and brother-in-law (Uncle Jim).  I arrived at the Google Maps recommended address by 1700 but was stymied by an iron gate.  For the next 20 minutes, I tried to figure out how to get inside the retirement community.  At one point, I found a gate guard who almost laughed at me because I'd located an entrance to a different community (one of five that share fences).  He actually handed me a print out that showed hot to get to the correct gate guard shack.  THAT security person almost had a heart attack about the height of my Subaru (with roof rack) but ended up giving me my parking pass.  Once I found their home (1725), I went inside and we immediately sat down to dinner (homemade soup).  I'd last seen my aunt and uncle in 2014 and it was very nice to be able to visit them under "calmer" (i.e., no divorce going on) circumstances.  Also, the last time I saw them in the Bay Area was in 2002!  As a result of all the catch up talk, I stayed very late (2100).  On my way back to Oakley on CA-4, I had to drive very carefully through VERY heavy fog.  At my hotel by 2115, I finished up the last birding entry for the day - I had sightings from several counties!  I also completed my last 30 minutes of teleworking.  Next, I logged 90 minutes of walking around the hotel and on a treadmill in the Fitness Center.  The TV news that was playing in the gym showed the Tree Lighting Ceremony in Old Sacramento (I recognized a lot of the landmarks in the video).  Once I'd reached my step goal (just after 2300), I returned to my room and watched movies until after midnight.  Finally fell asleep at 0030.  What a day of exploring in the California Delta!

Nomad Life - Day 97

I was able to roust myself out of bed again this morning 0430 (needed alarm) and start teleworking.  About an hour later, I ate a light breakfast (snacks) in my room at the Motel 6 in Old Sacramento.  Otherwise, I continued working, without a break, until 1045.  With the weather much the same as it was yesterday (overcast and in the 50s), I decided that part of the day would be a good time to take a walk nearby.  Just as I'd hoped when I was finishing my walk the previous day, I was able to reach Old Sacramento by work about about mile from Discovery Park to the south.  (Note - this trail was called Sacramento River Bike Trail).  In this area, there was much more evidence of homeless encampments than I'd seen the day before - fortunately, no one hassled me (there were, however, some loose dogs).  Eventually (1110), I reached Old Sacramento, a quaint little "frontier town" kind of place.  There were all kinds of historical markers that explained how the city looked and operated during the Gold Rush and subsequent years.  I found a Pony Express monument and then walked around (for almost an hour) to get a feel for the place.  Throughout this period, I was able to do lots of birding.  At one point, I found The Embarcadero and decided to have lunch at the Delta King, a nearly 100 year old Riverboat.  I entered the ship right when they opened (at 1130) and sat at the bar.  Since I was the only customer, I had a great conversation with the bartender (Mariah).  For my meal, I selected the Delta King Burger with a side of fries.  Along the way, I sampled (tasters) several local brews but settled on a Coronado beer to accompany my lunch.  At first, I thought it was a recording (to scare away something else?) but then I realized that there really were sea lions playing (loudly) in the river!  They have apparently started moving between San Francisco and Sacramento, depending on the temperature and seasons.  Mariah told me that the staff has started calling the biggest "Norman".  After finishing my meal (1245), I said goodbye to Mariah and departed the Delta King.  Next, I completed my circuit of Old Sacramento streets, locating a large Christmas Tree and Polar Express queue. I then retraced my path on the Sacramento River Bike Trail, with a short detour into Discovery Park.  This allowed me to be back in my room before 1330.  For the rest of the afternoon (2+ hours), I continued teleworking.  For some reason, there is still no word on official approval for my trip to DC.  Honestly, though, I'm really wishing it would be canceled.  At 1600, I turned off my computer and took a nap for about 90 minutes - that felt luxurious!  Due to my large lunch, I skipped dinner.  Beyond that, I worked on some more blog entries and took care of financial stuff.  Before turning out the lights, I watched a bunch more (short) videos on YouTube.  Official bedtime was at 2230.  Another great day of Nomad Life!

Nomad Life - Day 96

It's a new work week!  Hoping to stay on East Coast time (especially with a trip to DC coming up next week), I woke up (with alarm) at 0430 and started teleworking.  I ate breakfast in my room at the Motel 6 in Old Sacramento and had a series of meetings until just after 0900.  After that, I took a walk nearby (0915).  It was overcast and a bit cooler than I expected (50s).  By heading north, I was able to get inside Discovery Park.  It costs money to enter with a car but is free for pedestrians.  After crossing a bridge over the American River, I found myself in the heart of the park on the north side of Sacramento.  There were lots of signs about the history of the area and I encountered some good descriptions of the engineering that was required to move the American River away from the downtown area (in the Nineteenth Century).  Basically, I realized I was was on reclaimed land.  Using the Merlin App, I was able to ID 28 species of birds!  I also saw some deer - they seemed fearless.  During my travels, I ended up walking one mile of the Jedidiah Smith Memorial Trail (paved bike path).  Along the way, I encountered an archery field and lots of picnic facilities.  When I tried to locate the Nisipowinan Village California Historical Landmark No. 900, though, I was unsuccessful.  It occurred to me that there were lots of places in Discovery Park where camping might be comfortable.  There were many signs that discouraged this, though - I did notice people with large bags walking nearby.  Felling comfortable that I'd fully scoped out the western end of the park, I walked back towards the Sacramento River's edge.  In that area, I located another bike trail (closer to my motel) called the Sacramento (or American ?) River Bike Trail - it allows people in Discovery Park to access Old Sacramento.  I think I'll try to walk that tomorrow!  As I was finishing my 10K steps (roughly four miles), I noticed some tall statues of Jedidiah Smith and other historical figures from the area.  These were located in front of a Mexican Restaurant across the street from the Motel 6.  When I saw that Nena's Mexican Cuisine was open (1045), I sat down inside and ordered lunch: delicious salsa, chips, Enchilada combo (cheese, chicken, beef), rice, beans, warm (freshly made) tortilla (with butter).  All of the food was excellent!  I was about to pay when I realized I hadn't brought my credit card - fortunately, I had my Apple Pay and everything worked just fine.  Returning to my motel (1130), I noticed a lot of homeless people sleeping on the streets nearby.  This explained the iron gate, which my room key allowed me to access...  In my room again, I spent several more hours working on my computer.  I finally knocked off at 1700) - beyond that, I took a 60 minute nap.  Starting at 1800, I worked on finances and blog entries (still catching up from my Southeast Asia Trip).  I had a few more interactions with Mollie (2026 Thanksgiving planning), listened to music and then watched movies on YouTube until bed time (2230).  Not too shabby of a day in Old Sacremento!

Nomad Life - Day 95

With another weekend day ahead of me, I hoped to take full advantage of the nice weather that was forecasted and visit some additional Lake Tahoe landmarks.  I slept until I was fully ready to wake up (it ended up being 0645), got packed up and then read, did puzzles and completed my Duolingo drills.  At 0755, I departed my room and made it to the fitness center when they opened (0800).  Inside, I did 20 minutes on the stationary bike and made a PR for the week (5.1 miles).  The pool was still closed - so much for "amenities"...  Finished with the workout, I stopped at the Starbucks in the Bally's to pick breakfast - it was too busy and I didn't want to wait in a huge line.  Instead, I went back to my room, got ready for a hiking day and took all of my luggage to the Bally's Parking Garage (Level 5).  Next, I drove back to the entrance to the hotel and checked out of my room.  The taxes and fees were much higher than I'd expected (or received as reimbursement from Holiday Inn Club Vacations) - oh well...  I was soon (0900) back in my car and on my way towards South Lake Tahoe.  I stopped a few times on the way out of the area, first at the Ski Run Marina (couldn't access because the roads were blocked) and then at Safeway, where I purchased some breakfast sandwiches from Starbucks (0915).  Next (0925), I stopped at El Dorado Beach, which appeared to be the last access point for the water in South Lake Tahoe.  While there, I got some good photos of the clear water, the beautiful weather (30s, clear blue sky) and some artwork placed in the area by Olympians and other Nevada & California athletes.  By 0930, I was on my way south again, surrounded by a steady crowd of cars headed in the same direction.  My plan was to hike near Inspiration Point on Emerald Bay so I used CA-88 to reach that area.  Like I'd seen elsewhere nearby, almost every point of interest was closed for the season.  Lake Tahoe is clearly a summer place.  Despite the closures, I saw lots of cars parked in the "No Parking" areas at every place I passed.  From the traffic I saw on the drive, it was clear that parking near the State Park was going to be very problematic.  So, when I noticed signs for a (closed) State Park Campground on Eagle Point, I stopped (0955).  From my car, I started exploring the views I could get from this "consolation prize" location.  Fortunately for me, there were some good views to the east and I could see the casinos in Stateline and all of South Lake Tahoe.  After bushwhacking a bit, I got deeper into the Upper Eagle Point Campground road network and this took me to Overlook Trail (accessible) that followed the ridge to the east (1005).  In that area, I got even better views of Lake Tahoe and a small glimpse of Emerald Bay.  Also while walking deeper into the campground, I encountered a sign for the southern terminus of the Rubicon Trail, which I'd read about online.  Starting at 1015, I made my way west, along the edge of the cliff that rose above Emerald Bay.  I didn't really have a map or knowledge of the distance but I did have an idea of where the roads were (and the distance on them to Inspiration Point).  On the way, there was a gradual but steady descent in the trail.  The woods were lovely dark and deep and the water of Emerald Bay lived up to its name.  I encountered snow and ice but was careful with my footing.  There were a lot of interesting (and new) birds in the area.  I only encountered one person (trail runner) during my 1.7 miles from the campground to the center of Emerald Bay State Park.  At a wooden bridge across a small stream, I ended up taking a detour on a side trail, which took me to some waterfalls (pretty). Backtracking, I located the Visitor Center (closed).  By then (1100), I'd started to wonder how hard it would be to hike back to my car.  Putting that though aside for a minute, I explored the beach, got pictures of the island in the middle of the Bay and found a castle-looking building called "Vikingsholm".  Throughout, the weather was very nice and I found some more waterfalls, which were surrounded by LOTS of other people.  Not knowing how much work it might be to climb up to the road and make my way back to my car on the blacktop (which had almost no shoulder), I decided to head back the way I'd come.  Fortunately, the climb back up the ridge wasn't too bad.  Near the top, I encountered several people who asked me if it was worth the effort to hike all the way to the State Park - I told them it was.  A bit later, I found two young ladies (they ended up being from Hong Kong) who had given up during the initial descent.  We talked for a bit about how to really see the Lake while all the parks were closed.  I told them I thought I'd done it best but encouraged them to try their luck (to the north) with their car.  After finishing my (more than) six mile hike (1210), I said goodbye to the young ladies and drove north on CA-88, hoping to find a place to park for a good photo of Emerald Bay.  This ended up being too difficult because every parking lot was filled and people were waiting for open spaces.  Instead, I continued north until I reached D. L. Bliss State Park.  After turning around, I managed to find a place to take a quick photo of the Bay and Island.  After that, I headed back to South Lake Tahoe so I could get on US-50.  I should point out that all of the roads were scary, even for me, because they rose above cliffs (sometimes on both sides) with no shoulder or guard rails. By this point (1230), I was really hungry but didn't see anything extremely appealing.  So, I continued west.  This route had been recommended to me by more than one local person - they said it was better than going all the way up to I-80 (near Truckee) and the elevation wasn't as bad. After continuing through the passes, I believe I agree with their assessment - here was far less distance of driving and I only saw a peak elevation at about 7.2K.  Along the way, I was in steady traffic.  At the Agriculture Station at Meyers, I was following another driver and didn't realize I was in a "locals and returns (day trips)" lane until I passed a sign for the other option ("RVs, Trucks, and All Out of State License Plates").  By that moment, where wasn't anything I could do but continue - I was looking in my rear view window for a while but no one chased after me.  I'm not sure if the situation is over now but C'est la Vie...  The terrain along the road was steep and stunning, with lots of snow on the high peaks all around me.  There were very few chances for passing but I was happy to take my time.  Passing over Echo Summit (1250), where the road started downhill towards Sacramento, I started looking for opportunities to take a PCT hike.  Unfortunately, the roads and parking areas were closed and/or full.  Not wanting to miss my chance to, at least, see the PCT, I parked illegally and got some photos of the trailhead sign and monuments to the Pony Express.  When someone finally moved their car, I parked in a more permanent place and then took a short hike (0.5 miles of new mileage) into the (closed) property for Adventure Mountain Lake Tahoe (I think the town is called Nebelhorn).  There was plenty of snow there (probably 8-10 inches) but the weather was pleasant (40s).  Some folks had been trying to sled on a hill inside the (closed) facility but they also seemed to be giving up just as I reached them.  I continued into the woods until I found a place where the PCT (and Tahoe Rim Trail) clearly headed south.  Backtracking to the car (arrived at 1325), I went off in search of the next PCT trail crossing.  On Google Maps, I'd noticed that the trail paralleled US-50 for a few miles and this helped me to find a place where I saw a "people crossing" sign.  Other than a few small PCT signs on trees (and one sign post south of US-50), though, there wasn't a lot of evidence for the PCT.  In the end, I believe I got and additional 0.2 miles of new mileage at the second location.  Still, it was hard to see where the trail actually went into the woods (towards Echo Lake).  Regardless, I finished my PCT research and started the long (about 30 miles) descent from the Sierras (1345).  During the next 30 minutes, the road was very curvy and there were only two lanes in most places.  I was content to use my cruise control all the way downhill at speeds that might normally be frustrating.  The grade was steep enough that the 7K, 6K, 5K and 4K signs passed quickly.  When I looked down at my car's temperature gauge, it told me I'd arrived back in the 50s/60s - wow!  I passed a "State of Jefferson" sign (that provided a website for interested parties).  At Placerville, I got passed by a stereotypical CHiPs motorcycle police officer (I kept thinking about Ponch & Jon).  Soon afterwards, I stopped at a Carl's Jr. so I could have a late lunch / early dinner (1415).  The food was overpriced and the drink machine was broken - still, the food itself was welcome after so much walking (and biking) earlier in the day.  I ate in the restaurant before heading west again (1445).  Before long, US-50 opened up to 65 mph speed limit.  Traffic also picked up but, fortunately, I never found even one slow down all the way to Sacramento.  Most of my concentration was focused on staying on schedule so I didn't really see a lot of landmarks.  I believe this was my first time visiting the area (or, if it wasn't, I haven't been here since the 1970s).  At 1600, I arrived at my lodging for the night, the Motel 6 in Old Sacramento.  The property had bars around the parking lot and it was clear that security might be a question nearby.  When I asked the Front Desk clerk about this, though, she said it was safe to walk around in the dark (Note - I never tried this.).  I quickly able to get into my room, unload my car and take a soak in the (rare to have) tub.  For the next few hours, I worked on my blog, made eBird entries, assisted my boss with finalizing travel plans for my upcoming DC trip and tried to get ready for a week of work in the area.  Along the way, I skipped dinner (only one meal today!) and finally went to bed at 2245.  Another great day in the Sierras and near Lake Tahoe!  Pacific Crest Trail Today = 0.7 miles / Grand Total PCT = 13.7 miles

Nomad Life - Day 94

With the weekend's arrival, I finally had some time to explore Lake Tahoe!  I was initially awake very early but then went back to sleep - I didn't end up getting out of bed until 0730.  Next, I participated in a Zoom call with Mollie and Ella (we were doing some planning for the 2026 Family Thanksgiving).  Afterwards, I spent time reading, doing puzzles and completing Duolingo exercises.  Along the way, the views out the window (of the Lake and mountains) were great.  As for the weather, it was was clear but cold (30s).  At 0845, I went down to the Fitness Center for a workout (20 minutes of biking, 4.35 miles).  While there, I checked my weight on a scale there - I've finally shed the cruise weight!  Unfortunately, the pool was still closed...  On the way back to my room, I picked up breakfast at Starbucks (0915) and got some hiking trail advice from the staff.  I then got ready to leave hotel.  After departing from my room at the Bally's, it was a long walk to my car because I was parked on a higher level (4) of the parking garage.  As I drove out of the garage, my first thoughts were about getting a photo of the lake from the highest location I nearby and then heading south and west along the lake.  With this in mind, I drove into South Lake Tahoe and started probing neighborhood roads in search of the view.  Despite the urge to use it, I continued avoiding the expensive) gondola.  While driving, I've noticed that the roads are horrible everywhere!  It didn't get any better as I made my way up the hill that that rises to the Heavenly Mountain Resort but I consoled myself with the fact that I was finding a lot of nice neighborhoods. Eventually (1045), I ran into the huge parking lot for the California Lodge, located about halfway up the mountain.  I hoped to find information there (no photo opportunities yet) and then continue driving higher.  However, these plans were soon dashed - when I restarted my car at the Lodge, I got the "Christmas Tree" dashboard.  I read the owner's manual for my Outback and then tried all kinds of things to reset the lights.  In all of these attempts, I was unsuccessful.  The seemingly dire situation forced me to make a call: "continue driving or get a tow truck".  The idea of looking for a car repair business seemed like the best solution and I drove north towards Nevada.  The car seemed to be handling and behaving normally so I started to wonder if the best solution was to return to Carson City.  With my confidence growing (and very good weather on my side), I got on US-50 and drove to Spooner Summit.  After I didn't have troubles in the climb, I continued eadt until I arrived at Subaru dealership just after 1130.  With a Saturday schedule and staffing, it took a little while before the Service Department was able to check the codes on their computer.  Somehow, I got lucky and it was only a misfire of one cylinder - I was told that it might just be a function of driving around a higher elevations.  While this diagnosis was, by no means, assuredly good, I felt better about continuing my Nomad Life journey and requested they reset the system.  With a clear dashboard (1205) and temps in the mid 40s, I decided that it made sense to return to Lake Tahoe.  Before leaving the Carson River Valley, though, I drove to a nearby Taco Bell and got lunch (1210).  Even though the order was "to go", I ate half of it inside the restaurant and then took the rest on the road.  Back on US-50 and headed west, I crossed Spooner Summit again.  During the climb, it occurred to me that I'd used so much of the day already that it would be better to focus on the East (Nevada) side of Lake Tahoe instead of the West (California) side (my earlier plan).  As a result, I took NV-28 and drove north.  Almost immediately, I encountered frozen ponds (I was still above 7000 feet) and got pretty glimpses of stunning white-capped mountains through the trees.  Continuing along the Lake's edge, I tried to stop at several places - unfortunately, there were so many "No Parking signs" (they were everywhere) that this wasn't possible.  Eventually, I found a place that looked promising (roadside parking for Chimney Beach) and stopped (1245).  This decision gave me a chance to take my first real pictures of Lake Tahoe!  Instead of descending all of the way down to the water, I hiked around on some of the trails nearby.  Everything looked so great!  After getting back in the car, I drove north again.  As before, there were several places where I hoped to stop but I was unable - most of the roadside overlooks were one way entry only from the southbound side.  The most promising opportunity came when I reached Sand Beach, which was located inside a prominent State Park facility.  However, the $15 entry fee was not enticing.  Instead, I drove a little farther north until I could park along the side of the road.  This turned out to be Emerald Beach and, with such a beautiful vista (by now, the weather was perfect), I took a chance of violating the parking rules and walked on the bike trail that paralleled the road (1315).  (Note - I believe this was called the Tahoe East Shore Trail.).  During this brief stop, I got some good photos.  After that, I continued driving north until I reached the town of Incline Village (1330).  Once again, I encountered many more parking rules and fees there.  However, after checking all the lots, I found an area with cars parked and no meters nearby.  A local lady who was just getting into her car told me that it was free and that she parked there every day for her morning walk.  Trusting this advice, I made my way south on the sidewalk through the parking lot.  Along the way, I talked to the driver of a TART bus (it only services towns in the North Tahoe area) and then encountered signs that read "Bonanza Parking Lot" and "Ponderosa Ranch".  (Note - I later learned that this was the site of a "Historical Park" that was loosely associated with the "Bonanza" TV show until it closed in 2004; I texted Mollie about this because she loved the show).  Next, I explored the area nearby and, behind the Tunnel Creek Cafe, found the Flume Trail Mountain Bikes business.  Sadly, it was closed - seems like mountain biking would be a good activity in this area...  Nearby, I found signs for the Monkey Rock (I'd read about it online) and decided to hike up there (1345).  The trail began as part of (paved) Tunnel Creek Road but then turned into a dirt path.  I had no map and got different answers from other people about length, elevation and viewpoints.  Fortuitously, there were views of the Lake and surrounding mountains all the way up - I was not disappointed.  All the high peaks around me had snow and the lake was shimmering in the sun.  During this hike, I only saw a few people on the way.  One, a lady from Thailand, asked me a lot of questions...  The higher I got, the more amazing the views were.  At the top of the trail, I found a pile of huge boulders and some snow/ice (1415).  As I was marveling at the peace and solitude, I realized I was not alone.  This realization led me to meet and older couple, Don & Sandy (from Dayton, OH, who had been visiting Markleeville, CA because it was named for someone with their last name).  I spent some quality time relaxing and talking with them until I noticed the Thai lady.  She was searching all around near the summit and then asked us where the Monkey Rock was.  None of us knew but I later learned that it had been located only about 50 feet from where I was sitting (Note - I never saw it but have heard that other hikers have had the same experience).  As I started my descent to the road, I stopped to help a young lady (and her husky) with photos.  I then walked downhill again, using a steep shortcut that made the return much easier.  For the third time, I encountered the Thai woman and we talked a lot longer - she showed me her photo of the Monkey Rock, which she had actually found on her own, and I realized what I'd missed.  Oh well...  By 1515, I'd found my car and departed the area.  Before making my way back to the south, I drove around near the waterfront of Incline Village,  There was, apparently, no public beach in the town, even though there was a long strand of pretty sand.  In the same area, I noticed a LOT of fancy houses - I'd heard that "Billionaires Row" (featuring Mark Zuckerberg) was nearby.  Before long (1530), I found the North Tahoe Visitor Center (on NV-28) and made a stop for maps and local information.  The guy who worked there shared a lot of good detail, including me possibly renting in the area.  By 1545, I was back on NV-28 and headed south again - I didn't stop at all and soon reached US-50.  After descending from the Spooner Summit area, I started thinking about attending Mass (scheduled for 1700 in Zephyr Cove).  With time still left to kill, I started looking for Cave Rock, which I figured out was right where US-50 passes through a tunnel on the edge of a cliff.  To view the landmark, I was fortunate to find a boat launch - got some photos from that location at 1610.  Sadly, this parking lot also had lots of signs about restrictions and fees.  Keeping my (unpaid) parking spot in view, I briefly talked to some fishermen who informed me that they were having some good luck with trout.  My next stop was at Zephyr Cove Resort, where I learned about their tour boats (open year round because Lake Tahoe doesn't freeze).  I got information about upcoming day trips and dinner cruises on Emerald Bay.  While in the resort area, I walked on Sunset Beach and watched sun drop below the mountains on the horizon (1620).  Next, I drove south in search of access to Nevada Beach.  After finding a parking area along Elks Point Road, I left my car near the (closed) State Park entrance and walked down to the water (1635).  Wow!  I was treated to beautiful views of the southern end of the lake.  In the west, the Sierras were silhouetted by the sun, which hadn't fully set below the horizon on the California coast.  There were brilliant colors on the hills inside the Heavenly Mountain Resort (reds on the mountains that were taller than lakeside).  While watching this spectacular scene, I touched the water and found it to be chilly but not too cold.  When the air itself got colder (without the warming sun), I walked back to my car and then drove a short distance to Our Lady of Tahoe (arrived at 1645).  The Mass started at 1700 and I enjoyed the service.  The building seemed very rustic (it fit in with the rugged Sierras, I think) and my fellow parishioners (there weren't very many) seemed to be a good mix of local and visitor. After it ended (1755), I drove back into town.  Like last night, it was difficult to get into parking lot ("Lot Full" signs) but I managed to find a spot on the 5th deck (1810).  Hoping to beat the dinner rush, I skipped going to my room and, instead, walked across the street to the Golden Nugget so I could get some food at the Saltgrass Steakhouse (a favorite of our family when we lived in Texas).  I ordered a new beer (on tap) and the soup and salad combo.  At the crowded bar, I was sitting next to couple from Gardnerville (in the Carson River Valley).  They gave me lots of good information about conditions for residents (it was clear that they really liked where they lived).  Everyone else in the restaurant (and, apparently, all the parking garages nearby) was there for a "farm team" of the Las Vegas Golden Nights, the Tahoe Knight Monsters.  The people I talked with had season tickets and the games were played at the Tahoe Blue Event Center.  Therefore, it wasn't surprising that the bar cleared out suddenly (1845), when the fans departed for the game. I left the restaurant myself at 1855.  As I walked back across the street to Bally's, I noticed that it had gotten really cold (low 30s).  In my room, I did some reading, Duolingo and blogging.  To top off the evening, I watching movies.  Bedtime was at 2315.  Despite the small heart attack I had in the morning about my car, today was a perfect day at Lake Tahoe!

Nomad Life - Day 93

This morning started like all the other work days while I've been living in the Pacific Time Zone - I was up at 0430 (alarm needed) and started teleworking.  I had lots of meetings and phone calls initially but there was a break at 0830.  I headed to the gym (the pool was still closed) and rode stationary bike for 20 minutes (4.55 miles) and then used my Starbucks gift card to get some late breakfast (ham and Swiss baguette) at 0915.  After that, I went back to teleworking and continued with that until noon.  From my room, I could see Lake Tahoe (behind the Golden Nugget tower) and noticed white capped mountains beyond the water.  I could also see lots of birds from my window and my curiosity was aroused by observing buses driving near the hotel - I wondered where they went.  One of the big downers of my entire day was that I had to make a lot of travel reservations for an upcoming trip to DC (first week of December) - I'm not a fan of interrupting Nomad Life right now...  Meanwhile, back to the present, I consoled myself that the main reason I was in the area was to attend a Holiday Inn Club Vacations "sales pitch".  In fact, I was staying at the Bally's with their discount - that motivated me to stay focused on the potential for additional good things that might come from the kind of time share Holiday Inn Club Vacations touts.  My "interview" was scheduled for 1330 today and, since it was going to take place at the nearby Tahoe Ridge Resort, I figured I could work until about 1300.  Before that, though, I got a call that it would be possible for me to arrive earlier.  As a result, I headed out of my room at 1215 and drove the five miles to the Preview Center.  The weather above 7500, where the Tahoe Ridge Resort was located, was very nasty (foggy, cold, snow on all the roads).  At one point, I noticed a sign that was talking about Carson River Watershed and realized I had crossed the ridge...  I arrived at my destination by 1230 and was able to meet with my sales representative (Thomas) within 10 minutes.  There were snacks and drinks and I made the best of missing lunch.  The sales pitch was supposed to take two hours and I wasn't committed to buying anything.  However, the opportunity to get a few more perks (free nights and discounts at some fancy reports) made me stay beyond the planned ending (1430).  Instead, I asked lots of questions and negotiated with the staff until, by 1530, I'd decided to buy an introductory package.  While waiting for the paperwork to be completed, I got my rewards (on top of the hotel nights at Bally's): a cash gift, 20K IHG bonus rewards and a cruise offer from Holiday Inn Club Vacations.  Frustratingly, though, I ended up having to wait for almost two more hours to finish up the paperwork.  The lady (Desiree) working with me and Thomas was very organized and thorough - I did appreciate this but wished I'd anticipated the longer delay.  In the end, too, the paperwork was very extensive and I realized very soon that I'd never get back to the hotel or Lake Tahoe before dark.  This irritated me a bit because I'd hoped to get some outdoor walking.  That was not to be and I finally left the Resort at 1715.  I was able to see lights in the Carson River Valley below the Tahoe Ridge Resort - amazingly good visibility after a few days of nasty weather...  Unfortunately, I got a call shortly after I'd driven away (1720) that Desiree needed me to come back to sign another page. Reluctantly, I retraced my route - along the way, I had to go back above 7000 feet and into the clouds again.  Once all the paperwork was signed, I was on my way again (1745) and I reached my hotel just before 1800.  There was some kind of event going on at Bally's so I had to park much higher in the garage (Level 4) than I had the day before.  On the way to my room, I thought I might be able to make food there - when I was already salivating over the dinner I'd prepare, I realized I didn't have a microwave.  In the end, I decided to skip dinner.  Later, when I thought about it, I recalled that I only had snacks all day.  With food (mostly) out of my mind, I finished the last remnants of my telework day requirements and then shifted to watching the Mandalorian Season 3.  Later, I caught up on finances, blogs, eBird entries and other paperwork.  Since I hadn't gotten anywhere close to 10K steps for the day, I headed out of my room again at 2000.  To accomplish my goal, I spent time walking around inside the Bally's Casino - it took me quite a while but I was satisfied with my step count by the time I returned to my room.  To wrap up my day, I watched movies until bed time (2215).  I've got a brand new "Timeshare" and can't wait to try it out - hopefully, it will led some additional fun to my Nomad Life and, even better, to the vacation time with my daughters!

Nomad Life - Day 92

My telework day in Nevada began again as it has for several weeks (0430, with alarm).  Looking outside, though, I noticed that the rain had already started.  Even worse, the snow was forecasted to start at Lake Tahoe earlier than I'd hoped.  All of this meant that the pass on US-50 (Spooner Summit) would probably also have precipitation already and make my Sierra crossing difficult.  I tried to stay on plan (I'd decided last night that I was going to leave Carson City just before 0800).  Thinking about it, I've probably never planned so hard for such a short trip (25 miles) in my life... During a break, I ate breakfast in my room.  At 0730, I finished packing (most had been done last night) and checked out of the Motel 6 Carson City.  As carefully as I could. I quickly made my way south towards the junction with US-50 and then started into the Sierras.  (I learned later that I was also following the route of the California Trail and Pony Express Route.)  There were all kinds of ominous road signs about chains and 4WD but I trusted what I'd been told by the Subaru dealer and the folks at AutoZone.  Meanwhile, the road climbed past 5000, 6000 and 7000 and the light rain changed into flurries and, later, slushy snow.  I noticed that lots of cars were coming in the opposite direction (escaping Tahoe?) but I also saw snowplows working on that side of the highway.  On my (westbound) side, the road conditions were fair to adequate.  Throughout, I was driving below the speed limit and just stayed in a good position behind a line of other cars and trucks that were making the same journey.  At Spooner Summit (about 7800 feet elevation), I saw signs for the Lake Tahoe Watershed and breathed a little sigh of relief because I knew I wouldn't be climbing higher.  From there, I took my time and was even more careful on the way down.  As a result, I could soon see Lake Tahoe, though it was screened by trees and fog, and rolled into Stateline (NV) just after 0800.  Whew! I immediately located my Resort/Casino for the night (Bally's) but then explored the main drag - this took me about a mile into California (South Lake Tahoe).  During this time, it continued snowing (mostly flurries but some slushy accumulation) and temps hovered around freezing.  Unfortunately, it was VERY difficult to see the Lake (too much fog and tough to get waterfront access).  With a plan to continue my telework day, though, I found a Target and discovered they had WiFi; at 0815, I set up to telework in my car.  Meanwhile, I noticed gondolas going up to Heavenly Mountain Resort and considered using one of them later in the day (Note: after looking online, it appeared to be cost prohibitive...).  At this location, I managed to get about three more hours of work done before a suspicious parking lot enforcement truck stopped near me for a while - I decided to move after that.  Repositioning to a nearby Whole Foods (they also had WiFi), I waited for a "pop up" meeting from my boss in DC.  After this (15 minute) meeting ended (1215), I was basically done with my (shorter than normal) telework day.  Feeling a bit famished, I went in search of lunch.  I first tried to find parking near the McP's Taproom (I wanted to go there because I've always liked the McP's Coronado) - however, with construction, threatening signs and other deterrents, I couldn't get near enough to that restaurant (or any eating establishments, frankly) without entering a costly parking garage.  At one point, I did manage to find a place (Lakeside Beach), that had free parking - I'll need to remember that for later in the trip...  Giving up on food for the time being, I stopped at the Bally's (1245) and tried to check into my room early.  The desk clerk told me to return at 1400 so I decided to drive north (back into Nevada) in search of a restaurant.  At Zephyr Cove, I finally found somewhere I could park for free and scope out eating establishments.  I ended up choosing a place called "Los Mexicano's Grill and Cantina".  When I entered (1300), I found that I was the only English-speaking patron - the rest of the guests were talking with the bartender and it was clear they all were comfortable with Spanish.  For my lunch, I ordered the Taco Combo (chicken, carne asada and chili verde), with rice and beans - the food was all very good and it didn't cost me an arm and a leg.  After getting done (1320), I decided to try to offload the bags of aluminum cans and glass bottles that I've been accumulating since Arizona.  With an online search, I found a place nearby that advertised redemption for cash so I headed there.  To reach it, I had to drive about seven miles on US-50 and got a much more comprehensive tour of South Lake Tahoe - there were so many parks, trails and interesting businesses!  I also finally got a better look at the Lake.  When I arrived at the South Tahoe Refuse Company location where Google Maps sent me, I found out that I had to drive a bit farther to the actual recycling facility.  Fortunately, I didn't need a map for that... After arriving, I had to figure out the correct procedures (more Spanish speakers).  Somehow, I managed to get through the process easily and received $1.30 for the roughly 20 cans/bottles I had - not too bad but it definitely is harder than NY and VT (where you can use machines that give you credits)... Finished with this little project, I returned (via US-50) to Stateline (the Nevada side of the border).  I briefly considered stopping at a few breweries that I passed but I figured it would be better to get settled in my room.  After arriving at Bally's (1410), I checked into my room (set up by Holiday Inn Club Vacations) without much difficulty.  There was, however, a LOT of walking required to get to/from the room, retrieve my car, find the parking garage and ensure it fit (luckily, it made it under the 6' 8" sign).  After parking, I returned to my room and got set up for my next few days in the Lake Tahoe area.  Almost immediately, I realized there was some kind of problem with the heating (the room was stuck at 60 F).  It took repeated calls to the Front Desk (to ask for maintenance support) but help was never dispatched.  Instead, I cranked up the heat to 90 degrees and crossed my fingers.  Meanwhile, I watched the snow starting to taper off outside my 11th Floor window.  At 1700, I left my room and, on the way, encountered a sign inside the hotel that talked about a Happy Hour at the HQ Center Bar.  Since Thursday was the only night of my stay where I'd get to take advantage of the half price drinks, I headed to the bar.  In the end, the deal wasn't very good and I only had one (bottle) of beer.  Finished at 1715, I walked around in the hotel, hoping to find some of the amenities.  I learned that the pool was closed ("through November 21) and that the fitness center / spa used the same entrance (they seemed to only be open from 0800 to 1600).  It looks like the stay won't have a lot of extras at this "Resort".  At about 1725, I departed the Bally's and walked towards South Lake Tahoe.  As I passed Harrah's, I noticed a Pony Express monument ("it's following me").  Without much trouble, I walked across the street to the McP's (it was located in California).  While there, I had a Black and Tan (Guinness and Bass Ale) and then ordered the Shepherd's Pie.  Both of these items were the kind of thing I'd have ordered back during my Navy days whenever I visited the Coronado franchise of the restaurant.  I got to watch a bit of Thursday Night Football - there were Buffalo Bills' fans dressed in team jackets.  When I finished my meal (1810), I spent the next few hours walking inside of the four main Casinos on the Nevada side of the border: Caesar's Republic, Harrah's, Golden Nugget, Bally's.  I found lots of interesting restaurants, amenities, etc.  Everywhere I went was very smoky, though.  Finished with my 10K steps (1900), I headed back to my room.  Fortunately, I found that the room temperature had finally increased to 70 - I monitored it for the rest of the evening and never had any further problems.  Even better (from an amenities standpoint), I realized that someone had forgotten to sign out of their Disney+ account on my TV.  This got me started on watching several episodes of the Mandalorian: Season 3.  It also caused me to lose track of time and I ended up going to bed at 2245.  What a day of driving, exploring and new experiences!

Nomad Life - Day 91

After a pretty restful sleep, I woke up (with alarm) at 0430 and started teleworking in my room at the Carson City Motel 6.  Actual meetings started at 0600 and, during one short break, I made breakfast in the room.  Otherwise, I kept at it until my East Coast colleagues had their lunch break (0900).  Unfortunately, the WiFi quit on me again - fortunately, I was able to use my iPhone hot spot to stay engaged when the work meetings resumed at 1000.  Even better, the Internet returned before we were finished (1300).  I ate lunch in my room and then kept working until 1430.  Work day completed, I got ready to go out for some exercise in the pleasant weather (50s, clear, light breeze).  On the way out, I stopped at the lobby to report the information about the Internet (the clerk shrugged) and to get my hotel receipt.  My first stop was at the Prison Hill Recreation Area (arrived at 1500).  In the parking lot, I met a mountain biker and he told me a lot about good trails in the area.  When I asked about the Stone Mound and Labyrinth, which I'd read was in the area, he admitted that he hadn't ever visited it.  With his help, though, I eventually located it.  A website said that it was a relic of Native Americans but I'm skeptical.  Still, I walked the full circuit of the labyrinth before departing.  From the same area, I also got some great views of Carson City and the ranches near the Carson River.  Altogether, I hiked about 1.3 miles at Prison Hill before repositioning to the nearby Korean War Veterans Park (arrived there at 1545).  This latter parking lot gave me access (by a series of meandering paths) to a more northerly section of the Carson River Trail than I'd hiked yesterday.  Once I found my way through the large field within the park, I walked all the way to the Carson River Park (where I'd been the at dusk the previous day).  The trail in this area (including Buzzy's Ranch) was, apparently, a migrating bird sanctuary and I found lots of new species.  Perhaps most surprising, I watched several huge crowds of Canada Geese going North (why not South?).  Overall, I hiked another 2.7 miles - it got dark while I was finishing (1650).  With my 10K steps achieved, I headed back into the historic area of Carson City (near the Capitol) and found the marker for the Pony Express that I'd missed the night before.  By then, the sun had completely set and it seemed much colder - however, the temperature gauge said it was still almost 50 degrees.  Maybe the wind picking up was the culprit?  Taking my friend, John B., up on another of his suggestions, I next drove to the nearby Casino Fandango.  For some reason, it was tough to find a spot to park (and it was even harder by the time I later departed).  Once inside, I had to avoid the ubiquitous smokers in this area (many more, compared to many other stops I've made on the trip).  After walking through the casino floor I sat down at the bar inside Duke's Steakhouse and ordered a beer from the adjacent Craft 55 venue.  There were a lot of good things to choose from on the menu but John had said this place had the best steak in the area.  Throwing financial caution to the wind, I ordered a 6 oz medium well Filet Mignon (with Bearnaise Sauce and Crumbled Gorgonzola to dip it in), minestrone soup, beans and carrots and a baked potato.  All the food was excellent and I really gorged myself.  When I went to pay (1815), I realized that I didn't have one of my credit cards.  Panic set in until I realized I'd last used it at dinner the night before (at Red's Old 395 Grill).  So, after paying for my meal with a different card, I called the restaurant to ask if they had my card.  The girl I talked to said "no" so I hurried back to the Motel 6 to try to see if I'd left it there (on the desk or in some other clothes).  After checking everywhere in the room (and looking on my bank website for unexplained charges; there were none), I deduced that my missing card was, in fact, at Red's (despite their claims).  This meant that I was not surprised, when I called back, that the girl said "I've been trying to call you back because I found it!"  With a wave of relief in my heart, I returned to Red's Old 395 Grill and got my card (1835).  On the way back to the Motel 6, I stopped at a Valero Station to get gas - I had a lot of trouble making several different pumps work but eventually was able to fill my tank (1900).  With my evening winding down, I returned to the hotel and did some preliminary packing of the car (to avoid having to do it in the cold morning).  I also took care of blog entries and checked the weather forecast for Carson City and Lake Tahoe (to determine when the best time to depart my hotel in the morning).  During this time, I also concluded my (unsuccessful) attempts to meet up with my old Navy friend, Dave M., while he was in Truckee.  He'd initially had a three day window but, sadly, he told me this evening that he had to depart early because of the weather.  I'll admit that I was exhausted (mentally and physically) by the time I turned out the light at 2215.  It's been a great week in Carson City but I've got a big drive across the Sierras in the morning!

Nomad Life - Day 90

My day started even earlier than I'd planned this morning - Mollie texted me at 0400 and I ended up getting out of bed to start teleworking.  For the first time during my Nomad Life, I had early meetings (e.g., 0500) scheduled.  When the first one was postponed for 30 minutes, I prepared breakfast in my room.  By 0530, I was enmeshed in an all day "Lessons Learned" exercise!  We kept working until 0900, when my East Coast colleagues took a lunch break.  This was hard to reconcile for me, still it was still very early in the morning, but I succumbed to temptation and made lunch in my room, which I managed to avoid eating until we all went back to work at 1000.  The subject matter was interesting but I still felt tired throughout the day.  Seems like I should probably go to bed earlier...  I encountered yet another Carson City Motel 6 SNAFU at 1100: the free WiFi quit (it had some sort of suspicious "download and scan" requirement on the home page of the motel's website) and I had to use my hotspot for a lot of the work day.  Fortunately, my calls to the Front Desk and a visit from the maintenance man resolve the problem before 1300.  Meanwhile, my co-workers and I continued online until 1400 (1700 for them).  The meeting facilitators suggested that we resume in the morning.  Oh goodie!  By this point, I was absolutely ready to end my workday!  Fortunately, the weather today was much better - temps in the 50s and clear skies!  Following advice from my friend John B., I drove a short distance to the parking lot for the Kings Canyon Trail System (on the east side of town). On the way there (via National Forest Road 39), I saw signs for the Lincoln Highway - I learned later that this was the original route (maned the "Kings County Grad") of the road that connected Carson City to Lake Tahoe.  (Note: Google Maps informed me that NF-39 meets the current route of the Lincoln Highway, US-50, at Spooner Summit). [Also, California Trail and Pony Express Route] After arriving (1410), I started walking on tightly packed cinder towards the Waterfall that I'd heard about from my friend.  It didn't take long to reach it and I enjoyed the views there.  Next, I took a different trail that branched off the main one and climbed almost all the way to the top of the ridge.  From my very steep perch, I got some amazing views of the Canyon and Carson City.  The climb didn't continue but I did have a chance to cross the creek (source of the waterfall below) and return to my car from the complete other side of that ravine.  Birding was good in the area - I heard some new species and witnessed behavior in the scrub-pine, lower Sierra environment.  Back at my car again (1505), I took John's advice again and drove across the city to reach Carson River Park (arrived at 1525).  By this point, the dusk was already approaching because of the high peaks of the Sierras to the west - this gave me more than an hour of the "gloaming", though, and was very welcome.  There were large ranch fields adjacent to the park property on one side and the Carson River bounded the other.  I saw so many magpies gleaning in the fields - the sun behind the ridge made for some awesome photos.  After doing a little bit of exploring, I found the Carson River Trail, which passes through the park from north to south.  Since I still needed steps to reach 10K for the day, I started walking south.  For the next 75 minutes, I was treated to wonderful views of the remote area (east side of Carson City), learned about local history, found some new bird species and enjoyed my energetic walk to the southern terminus of the trail at Mexican Dam.  Backtracking to my car, I was treated to a beautiful sunset that glinted off the snow capped Sierras in the distance.  By 1445, I was at my car again and decided to (yet again) follow John's advice, this time for a dinner venue.  Before that, though, I made my way into the center of historic downtown Carson City and, after parking near the Capitol, had a few drinks at the Fox Brewery (started at 1700).  The original brews were all good - the bartender told me that one of them, the Blood Orange Lager, was poured from the only keg the brewery planned to make all year so it was really rare.  This required me to create an entry on Untapped! While enjoying the libations, I had some interesting discussions with the bartender and several local patrons.  Once again, I felt quite welcome in Carson City.  The establishment was located inside the St. Charles Hotel, which I learned was a residence for Mark Twain when he was living here in the 1850s.  My recent read of the Chernow biography of Twain came to mind...  Finished at 1820, I took a photo of the well-lit Capitol building (under construction) and then drove a short distance to have dinner at Red's Old 395 Grill (John's recommendation).  After arriving at 1830, I encountered my first less-than-friendly person in the area: a nonchalant bartender who completely ignored me until I asked about a menu after she'd handed one to people who sat down 10 minutes after me.  From that point, I just ordered my food (The Assembly Club), ate quickly and didn't chat with anyone.  The ambiance was interesting (lots of antique items, video poker on the bar, lots of strange photos - it was a shame that I didn't have a fun person to chat with to maximize the vibe...  Instead, I was done eating by 1900 and drove back to the motel.  In my room, I spent most of the evening reading and watching movies.  Unlike the other days this week, I managed to be disciplined tonight and was "lights out" by 2215.  I guess the Motel 6 is located in a great area - I've been able to do almost everything John recommended without driving more than a few miles.  I'm sure I'll find some more things tomorrow but my mindset is shifting towards the task of getting across the ridge above Carson City on Thursday - a snow storm is coming!

Nomad Life - Day 89

Before my Nomad Life began, I had considered a few places where I might be happy to live.  Among a short list, the Lake Tahoe to Reno area was near the top.  However, I only had a short period of my life (in the mid 1990s) and a couple of subsequent visit to NAS Fallon as a frame of reference.  I wanted to change that with a full week in the area and that time has finally arrived.  Unfortunately, a cold rain began overnight and it was clearly going to stand in the way of me getting much outdoor activity on my first day.  Even worse, though, was that I did NOT sleep well last night - I was tossing and turning until (at least) 0130.  Eventually, I fell asleep but then had to wake up for my 0430 alarm (ugh).  The reasons for this was that I had a full morning of teleworking.  The only breaks I had during the AM was when I fixed breakfast for myself (in the room) and when the Carson City Motel 6 maintenance man knocked on my door (at 0700 to fix the TV.  Despite my exhaustion, I managed to get through all of my work meetings and power through to the end of my work day (1400).  By this point, I'd been convinced that I needed to investigate use of chains in the area - I didn't want to be non-compliant with State laws or, even worse, have an accident because of my unfamiliarity with the conditions.  Fortunately, there was a Subaru dealership located immediately across the street from my motel and I was able to get immediate assistance from the helpful service staff there.  They advised me that the wheel clearance for my car, coupled with the AWD features, made it imperative that I NOT use chains.  Instead, they advised that I buy some "cables" that could be kept in my car, served as legal "chains" for law enforcement purposes and could serve as an emergency driving tool if I ever got into trouble on the mountain roads.  As I was leaving, I asked them about my recent series of "low tire pressure" warnings (I'd seen it since Los Angeles).  The helpful team gladly filled my tires for me (35 psi and no further problems) and (when I returned to my room later) I completed an unsolicited "Thank You" form online.  Next, I went to Applebee's and ordered their special (cheeseburger) for lunch.  The bartender there was nice too.  Finished at  at 1435, I stopped at a nearby AutoZone for the recommended cables and got some additional help and advice from the wonderful staff there.  At 1450, I returned to my room so I could take some phone calls from both Erin and Brenna.  Between 1500 to 1800, I had a wonderful time talking with my daughters!  Since I didn't feel like I'd completely wrapped up the work projects, I spent some time online after the calls and only knocked off for good at 1815.  Sadly, it was still raining by that point - even worse, it was miserable and cold.  Hoping to stall for better weather, I took the opportunity to drive a short distance to the nearest grocery store (Raley's) and went shopping for groceries to support me through the next few days of all day meetings.  Finished at 1840, I went back to my Motel and unpacked everything in my room.  I also took care of some financial stuff (including supporting Brenna's Book-A-Month Club fund drive) and ate dinner in my room.  Realizing that conditions would never fully improve, I departed my room and took a two mile walk near the motel, trying to keep my birding streak alive.  Unfortunately, the miserable weather must have forced all the birds into their winter hiding places and the conditions were so unpleasant that I really regretted walking so far.  A bit dejected, I returned to my room for the last time (2030).  For the rest of the night, I worked on my blog and watched movies.  Despite being tired all day, I didn't get to sleep until 2300 - hope I don't pay for this again tomorrow...  As I dozed off, I realized that my goal of getting a feel for the area has already been a partial success - I'm encountering some very nice people!  

Nomad Life - Day 88

With a long drive ahead of me, I was up early (0600) without alarm.  I did my normal reading, puzzles and Duolingo before getting ready and packing up the car.  Like yesterday, I got some "breakfast" (pastries and sparkling water) - today, though, the owner engaged me in a conversation about how his Motel had been regularly used for filming movies and TV series.  In fact, a production crew had apparently been working on episodes of a AppleTV series called "Lucky" in my room about a week before!  He added that many big movies, including "Back to the Future", "Terminator 2: Judgment Day" and "Ford vs. Ferrari" (among others) had been filmed near (or even at) his Motel (he even gave me a list!).  By 0740, I was ready to depart the Sierra Pelona Motel and headed east on the Sierra Highway.  Road conditions were mostly dry but there was evidence of the impacts of heavy rain everywhere.  Before long, I got on CA-14 and continued east to Palmdale.  The weather was partly cloudy with temps in the 40s.  I got off the Freeway in Palmdale and encountered several signs for roads closed due to flooding - I couldn't follow Google Maps!  I managed to reach the SR-71 static display at the Joe Davies Heritage Air Park (at the entrance to Air Force Production Flight Test Installation) at 0810 - that was so cool!  Next, I used surface streets to make my way to Lancaster.  Along the way, I saw signs for the Sierra Highway again and others for "Historic Route 6".  [I searched online later and learned that "a portion of Sierra Highway is an old alignment of US-6. The term 'Sierra Highway' or 'El Camino Sierra' refers to a historic route from Los Angeles to Lake Tahoe, parts of which are now modern State Route 14, U.S. Route 395, and State Route 89. The section that was originally US-6 is a part of this historic route in Southern California, from Los Angeles to Mojave, which is now signed as 'Sierra Highway'"].  As I continued north and west, I noticed that a lot of homeless people were camping and others were searching trash piles in flat fields.  Sad... One of my goals for the morning was to attended Mass and I was able to locate a church nearby - I arrived at Sacred Heart Parish in Lancaster by 0820, just after the service had started.  The building was packed (standing room only, initially) and I appreciated how they used a multimedia system on the walls to help people follow along.  Around me, about half the parishioners were speaking Spanish.  The Music was also amazing!  Mass was over by 0900 and I drove a short distance so I could pick up some breakfast at McDonalds (0905).  Food in hand, I departed towards the north on CA-14.  Near Mojave, I switched to CA-58 and drove west to Keene.  By this point, temps were climbing but intermittent rain had begun.  I reached my second target, the Cesar E. Chavez National Monument, by 1005 and spent about 30 minutes exploring the museum, learning about the Latino Civil Rights Leader and walked the grounds.  The visit was more poignant because I'd just been in Ventura County, driving fields where Chavez and many other farm workers have struggled for years. Along the way, I found the burial plot for Mr. Chavez and his wife (I sent a photo to Gerard).  With help from a park ranger, I got information about my next destination, The Tehachapi Loop, an amazing engineering wonder that trains use to climb the mountains - it was located nearby.  After about 10 minutes of driving east on a narrow road, I found the Tehachapi Loop Viewpoint at 1040.  On the platform there, I met a couple from Europe and also talked with a mom with her little son and daughter - they each had little binoculars.  While there, we got to see a train starting to make its way into the Loop.  The kids were very excited and I was able (with the help of Google Maps) to find a diagram of the Loop and gave us all some situational awareness of what was happening.  Everyone commented that I was very good luck - I guess they'd been waiting for a while to witness the spectacle.  Once the train exited the Loop (eastbound), I continued back towards Mojave (1100).  Only five minutes later, I noticed a second train (opposite direction) in the canyon below the street I was following (Woodford Tehachapi Road).  At Tehachapi, I visited Walmart (to try to get rid of cans & bottles but no luck) and then drove through the historic section - I got to see the Old Train Depot.  Next, I got back on CA-58 and returned to Mojave.  After exiting on to CA-14, I made my way north until I reached the town of Indian Wells.  This same road (four lane) eventually became US-395.  Ultimately, I drove deep into the the Owens Valley, which took me north along the high peaks (eastern side) of the Sierra Nevada Mountains.  During the entire drive, I listened to an audiobook.  I passed through Red Rocks State Park (very pretty striations) and some intermittent rain.  The latter yielded a brilliant rainbow on the horizon.  I saw more closed roads (due to flooding).  Meanwhile, in the opposite direction, there was a steady stream of fire trucks.  This likely tied to several warnings that Google Maps was giving me about road closures towards the north.  There was abundant snow on the Sierras to my west and I started to wonder if I would encounter any of that as I made a steady climb above 3000 feet.  I stopped at Lone Pine to visit the US Inter-Agency Visitor Center (at the junction of CA-136) and got some maps (1315).  Inside the building, I saw a PCT hiker (wow!).  There were lots of posted warnings about closed roads (across the Sierra, for snow).  When I asked about the fire that had closed US-395 (near Mono Lake), the ranger told me the road had reopened - I wonder how long it will be before Google Maps learns that fact...  Back in my car, I continued north through the actual town of Lone Pine, which had all the markings of a PCT Trail Town.  There were plenty of signs that the residents believed they lived in the "Gateway to Mount Whitney".  I saw images that reminded me of the time that Mollie and I had made part of this same journey (2019).  At 1435, I stopped for lunch (to go) at Taco Bell in Bishop and passed the official beginning of the current US-6.  This road goes all the way to Provincetown so I had thoughts of my family in Massachusetts.  However, I continued on US-395.  For the next hour, I encountered continual sprinkles and dropping temperatures.  I noticed that the snow on the Sierras seemed to mirror where the cloud layers were so that didn't bode well if I traveled through any clouds...  The road surfaces were already showing signs of recent rain and my car warned me we'd reached 37 F, the threshold for potential ice encounters.  At the same time, I started to see signs about how I was passing 7000 feet of elevation - I believe I reached 8000 at one point.  Since I'd had time to psyche myself up for this kind of situation, I tried to ignore the bothersome thoughts and drove very carefully.  Unfortunately, gas mileage started to degrade at around this time and I eventually had to get off the Freeway so I could driving (three miles) into Mammoth Lakes for a gas station.  Like during the 2019 visit with Mollie, Devil's Postpile was closed.  The elevation of town was 7881 feet and there was plenty of snow on the ground.  I got just barely enough gas at the Shell in town (1540) to make it to Carson City.  At the time, I was annoyed at the price - with hindsight, though, I feel pretty lucky that I "only" paid $5.43 per gallon.  Back on US-395, I descended (slowly) into the Mono Lake Valley.  The conditions turned dryer and, by the time I reached Mono Lake and stopped at a boat ramp lot by the side of the highway, the only weather of concern was the temps (they'd dropped into the low 30s).  The lakeside site was very remote and I was pleased to see some completely white peaks to the east (probably part of the Sierra ridge that marks the CA/NV border).  Departing Mono Lake, I climbed (still on US-395) to another high pass (the sign at the top was 8.1K).  This driving phase felt better, with the conditions improving.  After descending again, I passed through the town of Bridgeport - it was stunning to see that they were selling gas for $6.50!!!  After that, US-395 continued north but didn't climb anymore.  Instead, the road followed some valleys and creeks.  Things were going well until a large buck walked out into the middle of the road - I needed maximum breaking to miss him.  The dusk made me concerned that I might have more such wildlife encounters but that ended up being the only one.  The descent was quite steep near the CA-NV border town of Topaz Lake.  By then, it was dark but the lights reflecting off the lake itself - this was a nice effect.  As I made my way into Carson City, I pondered how my new tires and careful driving had kept me out of trouble as I navigated through steep, cold and wet mountain passes.  Over the course of the drive through Inyo and Mono Counties, I'd been forced to transition (finally) from shorts and t-shirts to winter wear.  I felt relieved to have made the journey safely!  At 1810, I arrived at the Carson City Motel 6.  After checking into my room, I spent time setting up my computers for a four night stay.  The surrounding area seemed like it required a bit of elevated vigilance - when I tried to set up the TV for sound while I wasn't in my room, I figured out that it was broken (submitted a trouble ticket).  Eventually, I was able to leave the room and spent time walking on the bike trail that paralleled South Carson Street in front of the hotel.  I ended up completing the northern 1.5 miles before stopping for a drink (Sierra Nevada Pale Ale) at the Lucky Strike Casino that was next to my motel (2000).  I had a good talk with the bartender before going back to my room.  Before bed, I organized some more, recorded my eBird findings (multiple stops) and completed some blog updates.  Surprisingly, I ended up communicating with my daughters (their request), even though it was very late for them.  I also did some light reading before turning out the lights (2300).  Excited to be working in Nevada this week!