Wallie b loggin'

Get it...Wallie b loggin'? Walliebloggin'...HA!  I so funny!

I ended my Two Men and a Truck, Plus a Woman and Another Truck saga a few days ago and have reconnected with my home in the heartland again.  Six states later, I'm sitting here in my garage, with the door open, a gentle rain just beginning, and dusk setting in, I think I love this like Alice  and David love Mt. Shasta.  The cool spring air pushed around by the rains drops, curls around my head and reminds me of the cool mountain breezes I left behind, minus the humidity.  

A couple of days after we arrived in Mt. Shasta, another of my sisters, Betty, joined us from Morro Bay...the Morro Bay of last fall and our 6 weeks house sit in Los Osos.  She arrived in time to help finish the unpacking of the second truck, followed by a few days of hiking and watching Alice and David set up their temporary house, until they manifest their permanent residence close to their mountain, but out of avalanche range.

During that time, more than enough opinions ricocheted off the walls of their rental as to where furniture should be placed, pictures hung, and what should be eaten for our next meal.  But the buck seemed to stop with Alice and sometimes she couldn't keep up with the demand, so she would end the unpacking session, while we regrouped with a hike or drive, as they reacquainted themselves with a place they knew 30 years ago.  

While Alice was working on setting up their home inside, David was in the garage organizing the other stuff outside.  That would be boxes and boxes and boxes and did I mention boxes, of...let's call them items that would not be immediately needed.  With one half of a two-car garage divided into three rows of relatively neatly stacked boxes (about 4 boxes in height, some higher), it all turned out fairly impressive, considering how fast and furious it was unloaded and set at David's feet for placement.  Like Alice, David had to call a time-out from time to time, so his brain could catch up with the boxes of stuff that needed a place.  Not to mention the occasional box that went in the house first, then was referred back to the garage, and eventually ended up crossing the threshold back inside...and vice versa or verse visa, depending on how may times that box crossed that threshold!  But in what seemed a short period of time (all things considered), all but a few boxes were left for their contents to be discovered and a home came into focus from what was just a rental a few days earlier.  BRAVO!

Be envious.

It sounds like it all went so smoothly, but there were the occasional sibling footprints on toes, snoring in the night, shortfalls of the rental, and consensus on whether to play Golf (the card game) or Mexican Train Dominoes each night.  Life is hard!  So is moving!  If it wasn't, everyone would be doing it!  

So where does that leave me sibling-wise?  Instead of having two sisters near me, I have two sisters far away.  I still am ahead of the game, because I used to have all three sisters far away, plus my brother.  I was the only one here (Missouri) and they all eventually found their way back.  I figure given enough time, history repeats itself.  In the meantime, I have a sister and brother within please bring me a gallon of gas, I've run out distance.  So I'm good.

My last day rolled around and it was time to pack instead of unpack.  Betty was giving me a ride to the Sacramento International (Ha!) Airport on her way home, but first it was time for our goodbyes.  We said goodbye to Maria the previous evening, who had made our landing in Shasta a soft one.  But now it was time to say goodbye to these two, who had been nearby for the last 17 years.  For anyone who has siblings, you know you have a special relationship with each.  No two are the same, yet no better or worse than another.  At least that's the way I see it.  Eyes teared up, hugs lasted a little longer, and goodbyes struggled to come out.  But they were good tears, good hugs, and good byes.  It was kinda like I had imagined, just like the way I imagine seeing them again.  Happy Trails!


My Zen from the Road:  As perfect and occasionally imperfect as my 10 days away was, there was that feeling of coming home, seeing Beth's smile, feeling the hot water from my shower head, and sitting in my garage listening to the rain and realizing, we are where we need to be.

Bonus Pics!   
Some of the Eye Candy we chewed on...

Trippy...as Maria would put it!

Hi, my name is Wallie and I am an...

Every journey begins with a single step and this one has many and started long ago.

First, Alice and David had to sell their house.  Second, they had to pack it up and put it on a truck...make that two trucks.  Thirdly, we had to make it 1800+ miles from the heartland to a state that wants to be their own country.  And finally we had to make it there and today WE DID!  This could have easily been broken down into a 12 step program, but it all came together, otherwise I would have started this posting with, "Hi, my name is Wallie and I am an enabler."  But tomorrow they begin to re-establish themselves, where they left a little piece of themselves 30 years ago...which technically could have been called the first step.

Here are a few more sights from the final miles into Mt. Shasta.

A view from the last major elevation change towards home.

The desert-like vegetation from the previous days gave way to towering
conifers and the last remnants of winter in scattered piles of snow on the
forest floor.

Much of the drive was just us, alone on our two-lane private road,
but the rest of the world woke up and eventually joined us.
It was good while it lasted.

This was nearly impossible to capture (due to the rain and busy wipers),
but...you might be able to make out a bit of a rainbow, just left of center.
The rainbow was literally small enough, that it formed right over the road.
We could see each end right before we drove right under it...so cool!

I won't go into detail about almost running my truck right up onto the car trailer David was hauling, because the semi in front of him stopped to let a deer cross the road.  Which begs the question, "Why did the deer cross the road?"  Answer:  To kill Wallie!  But all's well that ends well.  But a few more miles down the road, it happened again, but a dog was to blame this time.  Of course I would have had photos of these events, but I'm not that adept at emergency photography with a cell phone...yet.

With high levels of adrenaline, now coursing through my veins, we crept towards the town of  Mt. Shasta, as my eyes darted back and forth, like squirrels crossing a street in front of an oncoming car.  But I didn't come this far to scatter my sisters belongings across a remote forest floor, No sir!  So, with unwavering vigilance, we drove into our destination unscathed.

First things first...Alice felt the need to rinse off 3 days of road grime from her
16 year old Honda Civic.  You could tell the pedestrians appreciated her efforts
as we paraded through town.  Not!

Downtown Shasta

A view back towards Mt. Shasta in the background, with it's
peak draped in cloud cover...all...damn...day!

We were greeted by a good friend of theirs, Maria, who fed us lunch, caught A and D up on some local affairs, and went on a walk with us to help rehabilitate our legs.  

Get to Mt. Shasta...CHECK!

My Zen from the Road:  I am in the land of cedars, firs, and pines that are easily over 100 feet tall, some 150'.  I am from the land of, not that.  So when I find myself just staring out and up and around at these giants, I have to remind myself, that like in so many situations, its all relative.  A relatively short distance away, you can find redwoods that would dwarf these old growth giants.  So the next time you are out of your norm, just remember your relatives!  Wait...what?

So cool!

Day 17 out of Three and a Half!

Day 3...deja vu all over again.  You know when I volunteered to help drive to California, I just imagined the romance of the open road, forced me time, and good think time.  I've experienced all that and now my ass is beginning to go flat!  Tomorrow it begins to re-inflate.

Actually, for driving 1800 miles, it hasn't been bad.  The cockpit of the U-Haul cab is quite comfy, all things considered, and Alice switches between the trucks to liven things up as needed.  And then there's the scenery, the weather, the roadside surprises, and the frequent fill-ups.  Sounds like I want to be an over-the-road trucker...no, but to drive Alice and David to the promise land, it's easily doable.

Below are a few more memories from today's road show...

Leaving out of Salt Lake City this morning,...what did we parallel FOR-EVER?
The Great Salt Lake and the home of Morton Salt.  That white pile will be
heading to a supermarket near you soon.

An even bigger salt pile, a few more miles down the road.

This sculpture next to I-80, along the Great Salt Lake, is called
"Metaphor: The Tree of Utah"...other than Googling that, I don't get it,
but it does get your attention away from the  largest salt water lake in the
western hemisphere...for a minute, depending on how fast you're driving.

Towards the western end of the lake, the view of the lake was less obstructed
and these were the result.

Minutes later, we hit the land of 24-hour casinos and a way more mountainous
landscape that I imagined.

Our first fill-up in the Silver State.  Here, Alice ponders getting back in the
truck or running across the street to drop a few nickels at the Rainbow.

The weather held out, but turned cloudy most of the day.

The mountain ranges, capped in white, seemed to follow us all day.

Then things began to run amok in Winnemucca.  Two things I witnessed,
mosquito-like insects so thick, you dare not breathe...

...and the other...what's wrong with this picture?  A and D where???

Eating here deformed my head, evidently.  My head caved in and my neck
disappeared into my shoulders.  Must be from the special sauce.

This pic is special, just because I took it while
driving and not really looking.  David was passing
us after getting back on the road all jazzed from his
McHigh!

Passed this in the middle of nowhere...really...nowhere!  Good paint comes from
nowhere

Coming into Reno.

After the trucks came to rest in Susanville
for the night, guess where we ate?

I'm a bigger boy for it!

I was in good company though.  This dude
ate there often.

So, another day down and a few more snapshots from the cab of a cross-country U-Haul.


My Zen from the Road:  Expect the unexpected.  I'm not sure how you do that other than trying to be prepared for anything.  Well, how do you do that?  Well...I guess just be open to whatever comes your way.  Whether it is "The Tree of Utah," or watching an odd old couple eat at McDonalds for the first time in decades, breathe it in and exhale it out, with a couple of yuks in-between.  Expect the unexpected and go with it!

Happy Easter!

We were greeted on Easter Sunday, day two, by temps in the low 30's and sunny skies.  And as we merged onto I-80, we passed the "world headquarters" for Cabela's. (Huh!)

There must be more to Sydney, NE than meets the eye.

Not too far down the road we crossed into Wyoming, where we saw the Virgin Mary, Abraham Lincoln, and more Pronghorn Antelope than I could count.

A little more visually exciting than Nebraska, Wyoming offered up many little
towns that you just wonder why are they there...there appears to be nothing there.

But then you run across a 30' tall concrete Virgin Mary.  (Huh!)  It is Easter! Coincidence?
I think not.

This road caught my eye.  If I could choose the name of my street, this would
be in the running.  Just makes me smile.

As you exit off I-80 onto Happy Jack Road, you pass a large bust of Abraham
Lincoln watching over you.  (Huh!)  It's a long story as to why he is there
(longer than I want to explain), one of those things that make you go...hmmm?

One of the few visual perks driving on I-80 through Wyoming is seeing the
mountains on the north side of the state of Colorado in the distance.

A few geologic features help pass the miles.  Here we get to go around and
through them, but usually it is up and over them.

Of course there the long straight-a-ways, with many of them beginning and
ending with a substantial elevation change.

The only issue to deal with to date, is an electrical issue involving the trailer lights.
David made quick work of it, with Alice's assistance...or something like that.

And then there was state number 4.  Thank you Utah for some visual excitement!

Heading towards Salt Lake City, we passed by Park City.  It looks totally
different that I had imagined.  Lucky for us ski season has tapered off and ski
traffic was not an issue.  One issue a day is enough.

We touched down in SLC for the night, with a day and a half left to go.  Thank goodness for NPR and a finite amount of space in a gas tank.  Tomorrow...The Great Salt Lake!


My Zen from the Road:  I obviously gave the great state of Wyoming a hard time above, and look at what it revealed to me.  That whole "don't judge a book..." thing goes for lots of stuff, including big wide open spaces.  (I'm still not sure why some of those little towns are out there though!)

P.S.  I just realized this is my 200th post on Walliebloggin'...Huh!