Nomad Life - Day 343

Sadly, I was awoken several times during the night by some smelly weed wafting through the cracks (visible light) in my door jam and strange noises in parking lot.  Fortunately, I still managed to sleep OK and ultimately woke up (no alarm) at 0530.  After that, I teleworked for a few hours (used PTO for half of the day) at the Motel 6 (Carson City).  Along the way, I skipped breakfast (although I ate some snacks.  By 0930, I'd finished both my work day and week.  Beyond that, I made and ate some lunch with the microwave in my room.  Also, I caught up on some blog and birding entries.  The main reason I decided to take leave for part of the day was that the weather was awesome outside (76 F, sunny, clear blue skies) and I wanted to take advantage of this.  So, at 1105, I departed Carson City and made my way towards Lake Tahoe.  For some reason, there was lots of traffic on US-395 as I drove south - the volume thinned out when I got on US-50 and headed west.  The climb into the Sierras was pretty easy (no chance of ice with the temps) and I was soon crossing over Spooner Summit (7146 feet).  Just after that, I entered a major construction area but got away from that quickly when I turned on to NV-28.  My target destination was Spooner Lake State Park and I arrived at the entrance by 1130.  They had a little automated park pass machine at the gate kiosk and the price wasn't bad.  As I paid, I realized that I could take advantage of the situation even more than I'd planned - when I was in the same area last November, I had avoided state parks because of the cost.  Now that I'd paid today, I had a green light to visit as many of the nearby parks as I could.  Back to the present, though - I wanted to take a stroll around Spooner Lake and had to gear up for the high elevation hike.   The parking lot was pretty busy so I initially despaired of having any solitude.  Fortunately, I found that the further I went from the Visitor Center area, the fewer other people I saw.  As a result, I walked deep into the park and was soon on the opposite end of the lake from where I'd started.  Sounds from US-50 were louder in that area but I still found a large number of interesting bird species as I tracked through the trail system.  At one point, I saw a sign for the Tahoe Rim Trail, which could apparently be accessed using a connecting trail.  As much as I wanted to head in that direction, I resisted the urge and continued my walk.  The day was warm and dry and my body was not used to the higher elevation.  Somehow, I'd forgotten to grab my water bottle so I soon started worrying about my hydration levels.  Needless to day, I drank a LOT of fluids when I reached my car (1250).  Since it was still early, I decided to drive further north on NV-28 so I could visit Sand Harbor State Park, a place I'd gotten close to (during a walk on the Tahoe East Shore Trail) in 2025.  This time, I went right into the queue for park entrance and was pleased when my pass worked to get me inside.  It did take a bit of patience to find a place to park but I eventually found a spot (1310).  From there, I walked around near the sandy beach on the south side of the point and even checked out the "harbor" area (and another sandy beach) while walking on a new part of the Tahoe East Shore Trail.  However, my main goal soon became to locate the kayak rental area because there were signs that said they were open!  Once I realized I needed to get to the farthest southern point on the beach, I walked back to my car and moved to a new parking spot in that area.  Next, I walked to where I saw a tent for "Clearly Tahoe" and got in line.  While waiting, I noticed that very little English was being spoken nearby.  It was also clearly a popular day for rentals because, by the time I reached the front of the line, I found they would only rent "sit on top" kayaks or stand-up-paddleboards for one hour (mostly because they'd run out of inventory but also because they were worried about incoming high winds/waves).  Undeterred by these limitations (and the prices), I rented a kayak by 1335 and, after a short safety brief (lots of rules, including "we have to be able to see you"), I was on the water five minutes later.  With a recommendation from the staff, I paddled south to the famous Banzai Rock formation.  The water was very clear, even when it was deep but I spent much more time fighting the wind (which was coming from the south) and unfamiliar boat/paddle.  Regardless of these difficulties, though, I was so glad to be out on the water on such a wonderful day - and it was LAKE TAHOE!  Near the rocks, I found a lot of other people some in clear bottom boats) and spent time taking a lot of photos as I paddled through some narrow channels between the huge rocks.  There was one tall rock with some sprigs of evergreen growing out of them, which I recognized from some photos.  Sadly, my own photos were marred by another kayaker who climbed up to the top so I could get photos (he did offer to take a photo of me but I declined).  Mindful of the limited time I had to finish my paddle, I turned around and headed north again.  This time, I stayed much farther out from the shoreline and was rewarded by an unexpected treat - there was a PBY flying around and landing/departing on the lake!  I watched him for a long time and wished I was a bit closer to his "landing strip"...  Meanwhile, I paddled towards the point that extended out into Crystal Bay (close to where I went hiking at the Incline area in 2025).  There was enough time to nearly reach the point before I had to turn back towards Clearly Tahoe in time to return my kayak.  My rental period was finished by 1440 - even though I would gladly have accepted another hour on the lake, the staff of the rental company secured paddling (closed down the rental queue) due to rising wind, which they said could be identified by the dark blue line that was visible on the California side of the late.  Altogether, I'd logged 2.5 miles of paddling - score!  After stopping by my car to dry off (my pants were soaked), I did a little exploring inside the Visitor Center and walked some more nearby.  I finally departed the State Park at 1500.  Back on NV-28, I had a good drive back to US-50 (which was fortunate because I'd seen a blocked lane on the way to paddle); however, I started to have problems when I re-entered the major construction zone just west of Spooner Summit.  Just at that moment, Brenna called and we played a kind of phone tag (poor signal for each of us) for about 30 minutes.  Meanwhile, I made it through the long drive through the construction on US-50 and arrived at Stateline (NV) by 1525.  Just as I reached the Bally's Casino (where I'd stayed in 2025), I was swept into TONS of traffic - it got even worse as I entered South Lake Tahoe (CA).  On top of this annoyance, I was floored to see that gas was nearly $7 a gallon - ugh...  By this point, I was getting very hungry and decided to stop for some dinner.  After checking out a few places with lots of visitors and/or that were closed, I chose to park next to Big Daddy’s Burger.  Inside, I found some great menu selections and ended up having a very delicious burger.  I ate inside the restaurant (which was not busy) and was ready for my next adventure by 1605.  From there, I drove west towards El Dorado Beach, where I'd walked on a trail before.  Sadly, I found more construction when I arrived there - the parking lot where I parked last time was closed.  Somehow, I located an alternate spot - because I was nervous about parking tickets, I started checking out the rules.  This investigation also yielded a sign about Happy Hour at a little building called the Paddle House (noticed at 1610) and I went inside to find they had a great selection of drinks for great prices.  I tried several of the local brews they were offering and sat outside on a nice Adirondack chair.  At one point, though, I got a huge amount of sap on my ark (from the tall evergreen trees all over the property) - I guess I'm really in the Sierras!  My visit wrapped up at 1640 and I walked (using the South Lake Tahoe Bike Path) down towards the beach.  Even though the beach was closed (more construction), I still got beautiful views of the whole lake and saw evidence that the wind/waves that were mentioned at Sand Harbor Beach had finally arrived.  Beyond this beach area, I  ended up exploring some of the neighborhoods nearby (including several between US-50 and the Heavenly Ski Resort) before finally stopping at the parking lot of  Van Sickle Bi-State Park (arrived at 1710).  By this point, the fact that trails and road access was closed (more construction) made me ready to depart for Carson City.  I headed back (via US-50) through the construction zone, over Spooner Summit and back to my hotel (arrived at 1755).  Before going into my room, I walked near the Motel 6 so I could get the last steps for my day; in the end, I logged four miles total (3 in NV and 1 in CA).  In my room again (1815), I made reservations for later in the month (including a timeshare deal & room upgrade) and exchanged communications with Kerith.  Beyond that, I spent time updating eBird (lots of progress and new species for Nevada) and watching movies.  I struggled to stay awake but eventually made it to my "normal" bed time of 2200.  What a great day on Lake Tahoe!

Nomad Life - Day 105

With my catch-up with Allison and Johann completed last night, I was excited to be on the move again towards the Pacific Northwest!  Since a new work week had begin, I woke up (alarm required) at 0430 and started teleworking.  Along the way, I skipped breakfast.  Somehow, I missed a meeting (it was a last minute "pop up" and had not been sent to the calendar on my cell phone).  Fortunately, I was not the only one and the entire things was rescheduled - I was able to attend later.  I'd asked for a late checkout and the Travelodge (Eureka) was able to give me one (1200).  However, I needed more time to complete my work day.  Therefore, I worked for another 30 minutes in the parking lot (still on hotel WiFi) to wrap up my day.  With work completed, I departed (towards the south on the one-way US-101 in Eureka) and made a stop at a nearby Wendy's, where I got some lunch (1235).  I had hoped to take it with me but it seemed too messy; instead, I finished eating everything inside the restaurant.  It was a nice day (50s and sunny) and this brought out even more homeless people than I had seen last night.  Like yesterday, I was shocked at the number of dispensaries in the downtown area.  Lunch completed, I turned back to the north on US-101 and made my way, across town, until I could turn on to CA-258.  This road allowed me to drive towards the town of Samoa on the other side of the little bay north of Eureka.  I had to cross Woodley and Tuluwat Islands before I could head north towards my hiking target: northern end of the Humboldt Bay National Wildlife Refuge.  I arrived at the trailhead 1305 and, after exploring the signage and admiring the good views, started walking (1315).  From a map I found, I learned that I was inside the Ma-le'l Dunes Unit-North, located on the ocean side of Arcata Bay.  The location offered excellent opportunities for birding and, by the end of the day, I'd seen 39 species!  Along the way, I encountered members of the California Conservation Corps - they were cleaning up fallen limbs and removing poison oak.  It was sunny and warm on the trails in woods - a perfect day in Northern California!  Before I was finished, I hiked on the following trails: Tsoutsgish, Dap Loop, Vighul and Hout.  The last two allowed me to spend time walking on the huge sand dunes and I eventually located a pretty beach.  Signage was not easy to follow and I probably logged an extra mile in backtracking and trying to find my way through the scrub trees along the water.  Somehow, though, I made it back to my car by 1445 and realized I'd walked about 3.5 miles total.  Once back in my car, I made my way back (via a gravel road and then pavement) to US-101 and drove north.  During the rest of the afternoon, I enjoyed driving with very little traffic and, occasionally, great views of the ocean and/or mountains nearby.  At one point, I was crossing a causeway south of the famous Redwood Parks (State and National) and encountered a large crowd of Elk - wow!  Soon after that, I detoured off the Freeway into Prairie Creek Redwoods (1545).  I have very fond memories of these groves of Redwood Trees, both from my tips to the area in the 1970s/1980s and because I spent a nice vacation with Mollie there in 2018.  I would have tarried longer but I wanted to keep moving north and get set up for my next day of work.  After exiting the Redwood forest, I stopped for gas at Klamath at the Pem-Mey Fuel Mart, located on the property of the Yurok Nation.  (I recalled that we'd stopped here in 2018).  I was able to get a gas fillup at a reasonable price (1605) and also got snacks ("dinner" and breakfast for the following morning) inside the little store (1610).  Back on US-101, I followed the winding road up and over a mountain pass until descending back into a flatter area where Crescent City was located.  After that, I passed a lot more beachfront views.  During this time, I listened to audiobooks, tried to see through the misty conditions and began to deal with much more traffic.  Before long, I passed into Oregon!  Just when I thought I had the route to my hotel (Blue Coast Inn in Brookings, OR) wired, Google Maps threw me a curveball.  This was my fault, of course, because I'd earlier tried to manually type in the location, rather than use the name of the lodging establishment.  As a result, I exited US-101 just before the Chetco River and turned on to South Bank Chatco River Road.  The key mistake I'd made was the words "South Bank"...  After driving about six miles into increasingly dark and remote woods (I was on the edge of the Rogue River - Siskayou National Forest), I came to a dead end and a "Private Property" sign,  It was at that point I realized I'd made a mistake.  It didn't take long to find the correct location (although I'm very glad I had cell service) and I was soon driving back the way I'd come.  Once on US-101 again, I found the Blue Coast Inn about two miles north of my mistaken turn (1735).  The Lobby Area had a sign about being closed due to a fire and I had to call a number for the staff.  When the Front Desk clerk answered, she told me she was out shopping - it took about 15 minutes for her to return to the hotel.  Only then was I able to check into my room and get approved for a late check out time the following day.  In my room, I was surprised to find that there was no desk.  Resourcefully, I used the ironing board - the computers fit on it just fine!  From about 1800 to 1900, I caught up on work-related tasks, resolved some finance stuff and tried to get caught up on some more blog entries (I've been falling behind since the end of November).  I watched a few movies and fun with playing with an old heater - I'll probably have to wake up during the night to reset it...  Bed time was at 2145.  So excited to be starting my week on the Oregon Coast!

Nomad Life - Day 104

Today was the day when I hoped I'd be able to make up some of the time I lost due to my trip to the East Coast.  By this point in my rough Nomad Life plan, I'd hoped to be in Oregon...  Without an alarm, I was awake by 0600 and had time for packing, reservations for the coming night, reading, puzzles and Duolingo before my scheduled call with Heidi V. (0700).  We had a nice time talking and, when we finished, I completed my morning routines.  Next, I went walking near the hotel (0955).  The estuary behind the buildings was definitely affected by the tides - this is why I'd thought it was flooding, I guess...  Morning temps were in the 40s and it was overcast again.  As I was departing (1000), I began to show signs of still being in the "wrong" time zone: I forgot to turn left for gas at Arco.  Realizing my mistake just before I got on US-101, I returned to the station and, when I got to a pump, started to have trouble with the special nozzles.  End result: I ended up overfilling my tank.  I didn't realize this, though, until I heard a girl almost screaming at me (1005).  Chastened (but with a full gas tank), I got on US-101 and drove north to Santa Rosa (listened to audiobooks on the way).  The Redwood Highway took me from Marin County into Sonoma County and I stopped at Russian River Brewing Company, a place my New Hampshire friend (Ed) had been talking about for years.  I parked right in front of the restaurant/bar at 1050 and found local fans lined up to get inside.  They provided info and grief (about my New Hampshire license plate).  Once inside (1100), I sat at the bar, where I met John and Steve, brothers who were a wealth of knowledge about the area.  Along the way, I got to try all of the 12 California Style beers (taster size pours) - it was a LOT of beer!  To chase it all down, I ordered some "Drew Bites", which were basically pieces of a pepperoni pizza.  In addition to talking with my new friends, we watched football.  Before I was done with my visit, I got recommendations to visit Geyserville (actual "old faithful") but was advised not to go to Mendocino ("it's too far").  I departed the pub at about 1300 and resumed my drive north on US-101.  Almost immediately, I noticed signs for the Charles M. Schulz Sonoma County Airport.  A bit later, I reached Geyserville - sadly, I never saw any signs for the geysers that I'd been told about.  Not wanting to get distracted and/or lost, I didn't stop in that area.  Instead, I took US-101 until I reached CA-128 - from there, I drove west towards Mendocino.  Fortunately, there was hardly any traffic going westbound and I was able to take in the many views of local vineyards and other scenery in the rolling hills without someone on my bumper.  Meanwhile, the temps rose to the 60s!  Perhaps the most amazing and welcome scenery was when I passed through long stretch of road inside the Navarro River Redwoods State Park (1450).  The long rows of stunning trees almost took my breath away!   A bit later, I arrived at the coast near the outflow of the Navarro River.  There were many rocky islands and I really wanted to stop.  With the sunlight being limited, though, I kept driving - this time, I was headed north on PCH (CA-1).  When I arrived in Mendocino (1520), I parked in town and then went walking on the trail system in the Mendocino Headlands State Park.  I got amazing views of the coastline, witnessed the awesome power of the Ocean waves, saw surfers and seabirds and enjoyed watching the sun as it dipped closer to the horizon.  After my hike, I explored the little town - in several places, I saw strange "water towers" (not sure what they were).  All told, I walked for about 1.5 miles before departing (1600).  At around this time, I learned that Notre Dame had not been selected for the CFP - this was a bit of a disappointing surprise...  Trying to forget about the news, I drove north on the PCH, a winding road with big cliffs.  There were many places for good views of the ocean but, also, a LOT of construction.  After Rockport, the road headed into the mountains and became the epitome of "curves".  Through the trees, I could see the ocean at times, along with some mist shrouded valleys between the hills below.  I took my time, watching my brakes, but was surprised to be passed several times by Oregon folks in a big burry...  As it got dark, the redwoods all around me made for an eerie scene.  When I finally reached the bottom of this amazing route, at the town of Leggett, I found a "drive through tree" roadside attraction (didn't stop).  I got back on US-101, which then was only two lanes, and made my way north (on more very curvy roads).  The speeds started to pick up soon after that and, with lots of fog (low visibility) and complete darkness, I was VERY careful.  Surprisingly, the temps were still in 50s.  I passed by (or even through) the Richardson Grove, Humboldt Redwoods and the Avenue of the Giants.  Altogether, I think the Redwood Highway is a well earned moniker.  The road eventually got wider and, consequently, the speeds began increasing.  Upon arriving in Eureka (1850), I first stopped at my hotel, the Travelodge on 4th Street, and checked into my room.  Almost immediately, I departed for the restaurant where I was supposed to meet Allison (M) and Johann W.  They were waiting for me at Shamus T. Bones BBQ, which had a menu of very fancy food.  Allison used to work for me (back in DC) and I'd last seen her (and Johann) at her dad's memorial service in New Hampshire (2023).  Not feeling like a burger or steak, I ordered Texas brisket.  I was a bit disappointed that it ended up being almost solid meat...  The macaroni & cheese and veggies lifted my spirits a bit, though.  Our conversation was good and we stayed until the restaurant was just about to close (2050).  After saying goodbye, backtracked to my hotel and (in my room) set up for next day of telework.  Realizing I was still short of my 10K step goal (2130), I took a walk on the streets near the hotel.  At first, I stayed close to the building and my car - I found a lot of cannabis dispensaries!  When I also encountered several hookers and homeless people, I followed signs that led me down to the Eureka Waterfront (Madaket Square).  In the end, I spent more than an hour walking roughly 2.5 miles.  When I was finished (2230, I returned to my room and spent the rest of the evening watching movies, reading, etc. As a result, I didn't go to bed until after 2300.  Another amazing day of California Coast Highlights!

Nomad Life - Day 103

Despite my pleasure at getting back to the Nomad Life, it appears that it might take me a while to get back to feeling "normal".  Case in point: I was awake at 0345 and couldn't get back to sleep.  I passed the time by reading, working on puzzles and completing Duolingo exercises.  Later, I did some organizing and worked on finances.  Finally, I spent a significant amount of time repacking bags (so I'd be able to find everything I needed in the car).  Through all of this, I was accompanied by the sounds of amorous activities from my neighbors.  Perhaps I need a new rating system for hotels to indicate which ones are cheap enough that they encourage affairs...  One really good thing I managed to accomplish was ordering the family Christmas Cards. Erin has offered to assist by receiving them in the mail and then sending them to the 100 people on my address list - wow!  After I finished printing all of the recent bills/statements, I figured out that I needed to order new ink.  While researching where I could get it locally, I dissevered that the cartridge I wanted was very scare at all the stores I searched.  This happened once a few years ago and was due to supply chain issues.  I finally found what I was looking for at a Staples in the nearby town of Novato.  With that ordered, I spent some time coordinating with Kerith to meet for our hike and then did some birding in the little retaining pond (still full of water) behind the hotel.  Actually, I learned later that this might be an estuary of the larger body of water called "Richardson Bay".  I finally departed the Travelodge in Mill Valley at 0930.  The weather was overcast and cool (40s) as I drove (via US-101) to San Rafael to make my first stop at Best Buy.  I hoped to use a gift card that was about to expire but couldn't find anything I really wanted; instead, I ended up buying snacks for my breakfast (0945).  Back in my car, I continued north on US-101 (after weathering a tough entry on to the Freeway ramp) until I reached the Staples in Novato.  Upon entering the store, I learned that they didn't really have any of the ink cartridges I'd ordered - the nice young lady working there looked everywhere but they ended up canceling my order (1015).  Feeling a bit disappointed, I settled for dropping off old tech (recycling) that I had in my car.  After that, I departed for Kerith's home in San Rafael.  On the way, I talked to Allison on the phone (planning for our Sunday dinner in Eureka).  After I arrived at Kerith's (1045), we ended up sitting together in her living room, drinking tea and talking, until it was time to depart for our hike at Point Reyes National Seashore (1130).  At my suggestion, we took the dogs - it seemed like it wouldn't be as fun without them...  Kerith first stopped to fuel up her car and then (1145) we got on US-101, which we used to head south.  Our route later consisted of Miller Creek Road and Lucas Valley Road.  On the way, the weather improved tremendously - it was soon sunny and in the 50's!  The rolling hills and beautiful trees made the drive very pleasant.  Kerith told me she used to regularly bike on this road - this seemed scary to me but we did pass an awful lot of cyclists along the way...  As we passed over a ridge near Big Rock, I noticed a hiking trail that looked like it would really give someone a full appreciation for the pretty terrain.  The whole place looked like Scotland or Ireland!  We passed cows and wineries in the open areas but then drove through a forest that looked like Endor from Star Wars.  It was at that point when Kerith told me we were near George Lucas' Skywalker Ranch!  For some reason, we saw a lot of wild turkeys wandering around in this slice of the "Marin Headlands".  Before long, we reached the quaint little town of Nicasio.  Since it was close to lunch time, Kerith suggested we stop for a bite - almost immediately, though, she changed her mind because the dogs were whining constantly and wanted to go walking.  With that goal in mind, we continued north (via Nicasio Valley Road) and west (via Point Reyes - Petaluma Road).  After Point Reyes Station, we got on Sir Francis Drake Boulevard and continued into the National Seashore.  Before reaching the beach, though, we passed through the little hamlet of Inverness and skirted Tomales Bay.  In the warm sunlight, the latter landmark looked very pretty and we saw some kayakers enjoying the pleasant conditions.  We turned on to Pierce Point Road and, by 1250, were parked at the trailhead for Kehoe Beach.  Kerith had researched the rules about dogs and this was one trail system that allowed canines to be off-leash.  There weren't too many other people but almost all had dogs too.  Meanwhile, the weather had turned overcast and breezy.  We had to walk through some big dunes to reached the ocean but we were not disappointed with the views when we arrived.  For one thing, there was a lot of BIG surf!  There were also pretty cliffs, mist shrouded sand hills, plentiful seabirds, interesting flotsam (including tight groups of mussels) and long stretches of empty sand.  We took advantage of the relative solitude and happily walked along the beach, playing ball with Enzo and Maverick.  There was plenty of time for good photos and we walked close to three miles.  We were finished with our visit at about 1415 and then drove back to Inverness.  Feeling famished, we stopped at the Park Market (AKA Tap Room) by 1430.  In the quaint little venue, we ate a delicious lunch (fish & chips to share, Reuben for me) and sampled a couple of local beers.  Meanwhile, the dogs stayed in the car (they are so well trained).  I learned later that the nearby Tomales Bay had initially been created then the San Andreas Fault expanded there...  We finished eating at 1530 and began our drive back to Kerith's home.  Mostly, we followed a reverse route from the morning.  This time, though, there was a lot more mist on the mountains - everything looked very pretty!  We arrived in San Rafael at 1615 - I knew I'd need to get going almost immediately because Kerith had to get ready to meet up with a friend.  Since our visit had gone so well, we ended up talking for a while before I left.  She was very proud of her Christmas decorations...  After we said our goodbyes, I realized I might have time for Mass.  With that in mind, I headed to San Raphael Church, located on the site of the historic Mission San Rafael Arcangel (founded in 1817) and arrived there at 1640.  Initially, I had trouble finding a place to park but, thankfully, a nice person helped me to get inside the church grounds.  Mass began at 1700 and I felt like a small insect inside the large building - regardless, the interior of the church was very pretty.  There seemed to be some language problems with the group of priests saying the Mass - this was exacerbated by the echoing cavern of a church.  Fortunately, there was one priest who spoke very clearly...  When the service ended (1750), I drove back to my hotel via US-101.  On the way, I thought about stopping for gas at the Arco (very cheap prices) nearby.  For the second night in a row, however, there was a huge line for the pumps.  Instead, went back to my room and packed up the car (prep for departure the next day).  Since I still had a little walking to do to reach my 10K steps, I explored the area near the hotel.  After that, I worked on my blog, ate leftovers for my dinner and watched movies until bedtime (2300).  It's been a great few days of catching up with Kerith - hope we can get together again soon!

DC Business Trip - Day 5

Today was the day when I truly had to pay for the overall decision (by others) for me to fly from the West to East this week.  It didn't start well, either - by accident, I was awake at 0245 and thought it was time to get up already (it wasn't).  Somehow, I dozed until 0345 (or, more accurately, 0045 Pacific Time) and then got ready to leave my hotel, the Holiday Inn (Washington Capital) National Mall.  After checking out of the room, I spent some time waiting outside in the cold (low 30s).  I felt sorry for myself until I noticed a homeless man wandering around with a huge blanket...  My Uber arrived early (after I let driver know I was ready) and we departed DC at 0405.  We then drove to Dulles (via I-395, GW Parkway, I-66, VA-267), accompanied by snow flurries and dropping temps.  The ride seemed to go well but I'm not certain the driver was happy with me.  I gave him my the best rating and a generous tip but later got an email from Uber, warning me about improving my passenger rating.  Not the best way to start a long day...  Anyway, I was out of my Uber by 0440 and made my way to the security line.  Sadly, I immediately encountered lots of annoyed people who seemed determined to complain about nearly every part of the screening process.  Despite this, I was done with TSA by 0450 (only 10 minutes!).  The quick progression was (again) delayed while I waited for the mobile lounge.  Perhaps it was only my imagination that time was slowing, though, because I arrived at my gate by 0505.  Certain that I was good to go for an on-time departure, I bought some breakfast and lunch food from an airport store (0505) and spent a little time walking nearby.  The boarding for my United Airlines flight started at 0540 and I was able to get on the aircraft quickly because I'd paid to upgrade to Group 2.  Another wise choice I'd made earlier in the week was to switch from a middle to an aisle seat.  However, I was still sitting in the way back of the plane, a B757-200, and there was VERY little overhead bin space.  All my travel prep paid off, though, and I felt good about making a smooth transition at SFO.  Today would have been a really bad day to need to check a bag because of warnings I'd received about San Francisco baggage delays - several passengers ended up with that problem before we pushed back at 0630...  Before we could leave, the crew took us to the deicing area (by then, the snow was quite steady).  Somehow, I'd missed all the inclement weather in the forecast when I was planning this trip - thank goodness I was (again) on the first non-stop flight of the day.  We finally took off at 0710 and I spent the next several hours watching movies, reading and checking in with Kerith (we planned to meet up in the afternoon).  Along the way, I drank a rare cup of coffee (it definitely felt warranted!) and stayed hydrated (this made my aisle seat even more crucial by the end of the flight).  We flew very close to Carson City and Lake Tahoe and I was able to see both through some distant windows nearby.  We ended up landing (over the Bay) at SFO by 0940 local time.  After everyone in front of me deplaned, I followed them through the Terminal (a long walk) to the AirTrain (Blue Line), which I took to the Long Term Parking (1015).  It was a short ride and I arrived at my car by 1030.  What a great trip "home"!  I used my Pre-Paid (Apple Wallet) ticket to get out of the garage and made my way to US-101.  From there, I used I-380 and CA-1 (PCH) to reach the western end of San Francisco.  Along the way, I listened to audiobooks.  The weather was marvelous (50s with a bit of wind). During this phase of the drive, I passed many interesting (and familiar?) buildings, which were described by Google AI as "famous colorful Victorian row houses, often described as looking like gingerbread, but are officially called the Painted Ladies".  After entering the Golden Gate National Recreation Area, I made my way to the Presidio (arrived at 1115).  When I was last here (1980s), the grounds were part of an official military installation and not accessible to everyone.  Now, they are (like Fort Mason, which I visited the previous weekend) green zones for the public.  From a vista point inside the part, I got amazing photos of the Golden Gate Bridge.  While there, I met a USAA employee who struck up a conversation with me about the area - fortunately, I had some personal knowledge of things for him to visit...  After departing the Presidio (1130), I checked out nearby Fort Scott and then drove to Fort Point NHS (arrived at 1140).  This place, which I'd vaguely remembered from movies and a possible visit in the 1970s or 1980s, did not disappoint.  In addition to marveling at the massive walls of the fortress (built in the Ante-Bellum "Third System" style like Fort Sumter), I heard (but didn't see) Sea Lions, climbed up a tall tower and took more photos of the Golden Gate Bridge.  The weather was so nice and I got a good view of passing tour boats and some other prominent landmarks (e.g., Alcatraz).  I reluctantly departed for US-101 and the Golden Gate Bridge crossing and got a photo at 1205.  On the north side of the Bay, I stopped at Vista Point.  In a discrete part of the parking lot, I was able to change my clothing (hiking gear).  When I got out of the car, though, I was disappointed to only get hazy views of San Francisco (1220).  Next, I drove through a big tunnel on US-1 and deeper into Marin County.  Passing through Sausalito, I encountered flooded streets and wasn't able to follow Google Maps instructions.  Evenaully, I realized I was very close to the hotel I'd reserved for the night: the Travelodge Mill Valley.  Taking a chance, I asked the desk clerk if I could check in early - imagine my surprise when he let me (at 1245)!  I noticed that the "pond" behind the hotel was completely full of water and asked him about local flooding (he assured me "we are safe").  I had enough time to unpack my car and then drove to Mill Valley Public Library to meet up with Kerith, who I'd coordinated with for a 1300 hike.  Despite the ease of making plans with her, I probably haven't seen Kerith since the 1980s.  Needless to say, there was a lot of catching up to do!  After calling an audible (pop-up work commitment she got), we eventually tagged up at 1330.  While waiting, I checked out some Redwood trees behind the library (Old Mill Park, where the town began) - wow!  When she and her dogs (Enzo and Maverick) joined me, we settled comfortably into a familiar rhythm.  It was fun to find we had so much in common in our personal and active lives.  Kerith suggested that we walk on a circuit of trails that she frequently walks with her dogs (it included a portion of the Dipsea Trail).  Of course, I eagerly agreed, even though I had no idea how long or difficult this hike might be.  We initially started walking up Cascade Drive (following Old Mill Creek) until we reached the Cascade Trail.  There were actual waterfalls there.  Next, we walked on part of the Tenderfoot Trail, which connected with Edgewood Avenue and, later, the Pipeline Trail.  There were some great views of the valley and we passed several other people.  I learned later that we were walking pretty close to Muir Woods - we also saw Mount Tam (Tamalpais) in the distance.  The trail had a lot of switchbacks and wasn't too strenuous.  We eventually reached the top of the Dipsea Trail Steps near Sequoia Valley Road.  From there, it took three sections of the (over 600 stairs) to reach the bottom. We eventually found ourselves on Cascade Drive again - we'd done almost five miles of hiking!  After putting the dogs in the car (1550), we walked from the Library over to "the restaurant section" of Mill Valley.  With several choices available, we agreeably settled on dinner at Boo Koo (an Asian Fusion Restaurant) at 1600.  I ordered a Russian River "Pliny the Elder" beer (Kerith got one too).  We then had some delicious potstickers, Bánh Bao (Vietnamese Steamed Pork Buns that I'd seen, but not tasted, near Vung Tau), Pad Thai (me) and Pho (Kerith).  All the food was excellent and we also had a good (nice, intelligent, funny) server.  Our conversation flowed nicely and we made some preliminary plans for a meet up the following day.  Dinner was over by 1730 and we walked back to the cars.  After saying goodbye, I headed back to my hotel (arrived at 1800).  I spent the rest of the evening desperately trying to stay awake until some sort of "reasonable" bedtime... I passed the time organizing and reading - I also worked on the Christmas card.  Without much trouble, my eyes shut on their own by 2100.  Whew - let Nomad Life resume!

DC Business Trip - Day 1

Business Trip to DC!  This will be my first domestic flight (apart from linking to International travel) that I've taken in years (probably since before COVID).  Somehow, I thought it might be a good idea to take the earliest non-stop flight from California to Northern Virginia - I paid for this decision today...  I was awake (with a much needed alarm) at 0400 and checked out of hotel.  At that point, the temps were in the 40s - I realized that I'd probably miss that when I'm in "Real Winter" later in the day...  The drive from The Dylan to San Francisco Airport was very quick (short time on US-101) and I was able to easily find the Long Term Lot.  I'd Pre-Paid for my parking spot (second deck) and that worked well.  I rode an elevator to a higher level of the garage and was boarding the AirTrain (Blue Line) by 0445.  I got off the train at Terminal 2/3 at 0500 and was through TSA by 0515.  That all seemed good to me but the TSA agent suggested I sign up for "United Touchless" to make it even faster!  Once near the departure gates (0525), I bought breakfast and lunch at Pronto (a sandwich shop).  Almost immediately, I ate the former and saved the latter for later.  With some time to kill, I walked around in the SFO Airport and didn't return to my gate until boarding had started (0615).  With a Basic Economy ticket (Group 4), I worried about my bag not filling in the overhead bins.  Fortunately, everything worked out OK because I was onboard a B737-800/900 (middle seat near the back) and it had plenty of space.  It took longer than I'd expected for us to depart the gate but we finally took off at 0705 (20 minutes late).  As we climbed out over the Bay, I could barely see the scenery through a distant window...  I spent my time inflight watching movies.  I was pleasantly  surprised that we got two drink services (I even got a Stroopwaffle).  The flight time was definitely less than five hours - we landed at Dulles by 1440 local time - and I was off of the plane by 1500.  Things looked good until I was delayed by having to use the mobile lounge to reach the main terminal.  After that, it was a long walk to the Metro Station (arrived there at 1520).  During any trip I've taken to Dulles prior to this, I would have had to take a cab or Uber.  However, I was able to board a Silver Line train at 1530 and begin the long, slow ride into DC.  Actually, this was the first time I've ridden any "new" sections of the Silver Line track since they opened the section west of Wiehle Reston Station.  On the way, I exchanged texts with Arnie (making plans for happy hour) and my daughters ("I'm on the East Coast").  For some reason, there were lots of delays ("train holding") and lots more people boarded as we continued.  Despite all of this, I was off at L'Enfant by 1630.  I screwed up (forgotten habits) almost immediately and took the wrong exit.  To top it off, the escalator was out of service on an extremely long stairway.  I ended up at the L'Enfant Plaza Food Court and had to do even more walking (to the east).  On the way, I passed a team of National Guard with DC Metro Police - they are keeping each other safe after the recent murder of one of their comrades.  I arrived at the Holiday Inn (Washington Capital) National Mall by 1640, checked into my room and then quickly dropped my bags.  Almost immediately, I returned to the Metro Station and boarded a southbound Yellow Line train (1650).  It was, thankfully, a quick trip to Virginia.  I got off at Pentagon City at 1700 and headed towards the old Sine Irish Pub (later called Mattie and Eddie's).  Unbeknownst to me and Arnie, the business had permanent closed.  Fortunately, I was able to reset my meetup with Arnie to Nighthawk Pizza.  Even better: it ended up being Happy Hour there and I got good deals on Boneless Wings, Pepperoni Pizza and three bourbon lemonades I first sat town at 1705, Arnie arrived at 1720 and we had a great time catching up on each other's lives.  The food and drinks were good and we stayed at the bar until 1850.  After saying goodbye to my friend, I walked through the Fashion Centre Mall again and took a Blue Line train to Pentagon Station, where I switched to a Yellow Line train.  I was able to get to L'Enfant Plaza by 1920.  I spent a little more time walking nearby (to finish 10K steps) and plans for an Uber in the morning.  After everything, I was back in my room by 1940.  An added bonus was that I got a call from Kerith, who I hoped to see during the coming weekend and we talked for a while about our plans.  With the time I had remaining tonight, I worked on finances, blogging and my work week schedule.  In the end, I went to bed at 2230.  What a day!  My body has no idea what time it is and I hope it figures things out before I fall asleep in any meetings...

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 (at a wide point that may have been called the Carquinez Strait) 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!