Today was a long driving day; I’ll probably run into Idaho tonight, already. Assuming that is, that I can find someplace to camp, or at least pull off the (ugh) freeway. It’s been raining all day long, some times a lot stronger than others. But before heading out I felt like having a decent steak. I considered sitting in the “Lounge” but it was way too smoky – again I recall how spoiled we are in California.
Earlier I mentioned the Democrats. The signs in Seattle were strongly Kerry, but as I headed into the backcountry they’re more and more Bush. I haven’t yet ridden up to Canada, but I suggested to someone that I might, just in case Bush-Cheney-Rumsfeld-Bin Laden family-Big Oil-etc manage to steal another election and I need to move there. I get a little annoyed by the demos, dragging out Jesse Jackson (tho I love his voice), Ted Kennedy, and Al Sharpton, as well as pandering to the unions, and the fear that they will start more expensive wasteful government programs (not that their opponents don’t). But my biggest concern lately has been the people that don’t vote. Apparently the R’s prefer to have as few people as possible voting; they not only like the election to happen on rainy workdays, but they block motor voter and voting holiday proposals. Not that I think the majority of people in the country is brilliant, but it seems like a democracy is better served if more people have their say in it. Frankly, every time I go to vote I’m a little confused; I don’t really know any of the local candidates, I vote knee-jerk NO on most proposals, and even the major candidates I tend to see benefits (and more likely, liabilities) of both, present presidential election excepted. And of course there’s the issue that in California most of the time the Democrats landslide, in which case I often place a protest vote for the insane Libertarians (you know I loved having the choice of Governor Mary Carey, Gary Coleman, and Larry Flynt). So please, if you’re reading this, just vote. You still have time to register if you do it, soon. If only to cancel out my own insanity. And if you’ve just moved to Florida, well, good luck with that, but you might as well vote anyway just in case they do count it.
When walking briskly or hiking, my pace is about 1000 paces per mile, which is easy to figure if I bother to count as I hike; don’t have a pedometer with me, probably should spring for the new SportBrain that displays paces right on the unit. I figured this out on the beach in Washington, walking along in the misty fog trying to find a manta ray carcass. Yes, I’m enjoying myself! I didn’t do a lot of hiking today, due to the rain, but I need to get out and practice so I’ll be in good shape for Ranger walking.
Need to give some consideration to what to do when I get back to “the real world”. Naturally, I haven’t managed to get much of any work done while on the road, tho the laptop is functioning fine. My thoughts at the moment are to start looking for an apartment or a sublet somewhere in central San Diego, then start working on the open source product(s) and/or job hunting, depending upon my inclination; I’m hoping I can put off the “encounter with stuff” in the storage unit for a while, but if I move in someplace I may need fridge and furniture, which are buried at the back of the box.
This place looked good from the highway; it’s a dark, ski lodge style decor with a fireplace and lots of steaks; I think I’ll pass on the “Rancher: A 24 oz Porterhouse & 20 oz of Sirloin! The 44 oz combination” even though it’s enough meat to last me for a week, at least. It’s a lot harder to pick a good place I’ve never heard of, than it is to stop at Outback (if I run into one), but I’m usually more pleased with myself for choosing the non-generic.
I’m wondering if I’ll be able to bother myself to journal at Burning Man this time. In the past I just couldn’t muster the strength till afterward, when I’ve decompressed into a journal while stinking up a restaurant in Reno. May not even pass through the Biggest Little this time. Still pondering the 100 miles of dirt road vs 200 miles of highway I’ve done before, between Winnemuca and BRC. Dirt roads don’t bother me that much, the van has decent clearance (tho about 3″ to short for big camping spot rocks, apparently…). Washboards are the worst, as well as quite common, especially in Mexico where they use a plow to level the road. The problem with washboards being they’re a lot more comfortable, and less damage to the car, if you go 40-50 than if you go 10-30, because basically you fly over the tops of the bumps rather than landing in each one; but you also lose most lateral and braking control of the vehicle. Should I keep this truck (still not sure) I’d like to be able to drive it on dirt roads in Mexico. I don’t notice any lasting effects of the big rock, tho an alignment probably wouldn’t be a bad idea at some point soon. I’m fairly bad at dealing with car problems as my first reaction tends to be to keep driving and hope they go away – which they often do.
Gave up on the weather station, they’re all too expensive and crappy besides; got a fine Radio Shack inside/outside temperature gauge, and the kite to tell me wind direction if it’s blowing (still sorta hope that having a kite at the ready will scare away the wind gods). I haven’t hooked in the solar panel yet, but the RS tempogauge also apparently tells me the level of the battery charge, which might be convenient. I’ve sort of figured out the fridge, which cools well on gas, maintains a temperature fairly well on battery, gas blows out while driving, battery drains in 4-6 hours when stopped, dead battery doesn’t affect other vehicle condition, battery charges in an hour or two of driving. And may or may not work when plugged in to AC. But my cooler is nice and cold and I’m good at choosing foods that don’t need to be cooled, for a week in the desert.
Am a little concerned about where I’ll sleep tonight; I certainly don’t need the services of a campsite most of the time, but the roadside rest areas suck because of noise – I may settle on one for tonight tho. Left my hot springs book back at Chez Hubbard, I believe. It’s still fairly light out, and I could drive for several more hours if I wanted to, but I’d sort of like to get a look at Coeur d’Alene in the daylight. Hubbard, by the way, tells a motel secret: refuse the first room you’re shown, especially in cases (like small places in Europe) where they take you up and show you a room. “I’d heard this was a nice hotel, but this room isn’t that great. Do you have anything nicer?” For the same price of course. Then again, he’s also an expert at sending food back if there’s anything at all wrong with it or if it isn’t precicely how he ordered it – he’s right that they should make it the way you ask, but I usually tend to just eat whatever is put in front of me.
Speaking of which. Mmph, steak and beans. Good thing I’m sleeping in the camper by myself, I guess. Even have a bit of steak left over to have with my eggs tomorrow – if I’d remembered to buy any eggs and they’d survived the refrigerator roulette.