Staycation Log day 1 phase 1(actual date 8.4.9)

Up @ 6am busy, busy, busy.  Ellen offers to let me sleep while she showers but I will feel guilty.  So I get up & make coffee & look @ computer.  Ellen is quick shower today.  She thought no time for dilly-dally. (Donald only allows 2 hour street parking 6am-8pm so we need to move.)  I tell her there is time for dilly, but not for dally.  Then I bring her coffee.   We hit the road by 7am coolness.

   First stop mechanic.  Drop the albatross Rav off  and park it neat and tidy.   Leave the key and a note in the drop box provided for that exact purpose.  Then it's off to get rid of the U-haul.  The Internet said U-haul place opens at 7am.  So figure we can kill all our birds on the fly and go home to duck soup.  It's further to the U-haul place.  I am following Ellen because she has the directions, and am trying to be trusting.  Then like some kind of beautiful sunrise there is a lot full of orange & white vehicles.  WOOHOO.  Pull into the parking lot and we see a guy getting a fan out of his car.  weird but okay.  

  Turns out that's the guy we need to see, and he is a little put out because he was under the impression that he opened at 8am and had just shown up early to take care of some paperwork.  But we are there so he deals with us.  He is a little surly.  He goes & checks the truck and comes back and says  "Didja Haul alot of dirt cause that's mostly what's in there?"   I will admit I reacted poorly.  I got defensive and grumbled about camping stuff and was starting to warm up into a really fowl tirade, but I got the opportunity to sweep out the truck.  That gave me a chance to cool my temper down decide not to slit some tires, or even write nasty things about him on the internet.  When I came back in he was being fairly reasonable I don't know what kind of charm Ellen worked, but he and I were nice to each other.  I told him about the engine and he charged us $18 extra because we wen't over our mileage.  And everybody parted happy.   Ellen & I rushed home to take a nap.

Vacation Log Day 6 Phase (actual date 8.3.9)

(Disclaimer: due to the lateness of arrival this was actually written on 8.4.9)

ROAD NOTES:
   Next day so some of the edge is taken off, but here goes.  Marty the Mechanic is a horrible person.  He recommended I remove part of the drive shaft to keep from ruining my transmission.  I am sure he knew it couldn't be done with a wrench.  But it did cause us to sink another $20 (rounded) & 2 hours. 

Then I got stuck being helped by a an incredibly generous yet reeking of alcohol transient fellow.  Which got a little bit weird and threatened to involve the whole of Crescent City.  He literally knocked on the window of a Jeep as it pulled into the parking lot to ask the operator how his drive shaft worked.  Finally I gave him $7 for his "help" and talked him into leaving.  (Mostly so that we could get on the road ourselves because we were resigned to another hotel or travelling, but couldn't go anywhere while he was "fixing" our troubles.)  So it's 8pm and we finally start the long slow march home. (at 45mph) 

The agreed upon goal over everything else:  GET OUT OF CALIFORNIA!!!!  The plus side was that it was very pretty for the 2 hours the sun was up.  Very scenic:

  Would have been more enjoyable in our own car but apparently vacationers cannot be choosers.  WE do settle into a slow but cramped:

 routine and things were as good as can be expected.  But we hit our first steep grade.  I engage the brakes in an effort to control our descent and suddenly the engine starts revving like a first time driver trying not to kill the engine after a stoplight.  (Except this has an automatic transmission)  The Tachometer is up between 4 & 5K RPM  & it only goes to 6,000.  I say words I am certain my teenage daughter has never heard her friends say.  And fight it back under control.   This fight repeats itself over every steep grade all night long. 

   It being 10pm Ellen Realizes she might be hungry & states a desire to stop "Somewhere" to eat.  For all my enjoyment of writing I am unable to come up with words why  would rather avoid pulling into a parking lot where I would have to back up a 24 foot U-haul with a rav-4 strapped to a tow dolly attached to the back.  In some ways I guess I thought it would be self evident.  We "compromise" on a rest area and using some of the camping food.  (which basically means Sandwiches again )  So crawling along using every slow moving vehicle turnout I can find (there are more in California than in Oregon) and breathing a sigh of relief every time I receive a passing lane (to let others go by)  and dreading steep grades. We slog into Oregon:

(a Milestone hooray)  Round about Grants Pass, just as we merge onto I-5 the Check engine light comes on.  How cool a vacation story would it be if the U-Haul broke down on us.   so dinner (sandwiches)  @ Rest Area north of grants pass  & we notice the Rav is slipping loose from it's restraints.  So we back it off the dolly.  Reload and tighten down firmly.  Also check engine fluids due to check engine light.  (because it couldn't' have anything to do with the transmission and it's behaviour on steep grades.)  They look good.  And we are off.  Ellen doesn't really want to sleep but half-heartedly dozes.  As the night drags on I notice that I am driving a little bit faster.  Never over 55mph but getting home and done with this is taking precedence over safety and junk.  Round about 10 to 1am Bug pops her Monster & gets wired.  She is bouncing & singing & talking a mile a minute.  You know the child is out of her mind when she starts telling me how much she likes love songs.  But it works she helps keep me awake and aware.  Finally we roll into Donald @ 3:30am.  We have to park downtown and drive the Camry to ferry our junk home.  2 trips and we are completely unloaded and in bed by 4am.

Questions Inspired by the day:

Do I ow stupidity tax for my foolishly taking it down the 6 mile dirt road with an empty tow dolly behind?

Excluding the Naval to Kneecap zone what part of my body has not been sunburned?

Why does California hate me so?

How successful do you expect a casino to be if it looks like a barn?

Vacation Log Day 6 Phase 2 (actual date 8.3.9)

Waiting again.  The good news is the Rav is waiting for us.  We are out & the rangers are not going to cite us, but will give us an escort out.  So safety is an option.  Bug is sulky but it's 4pm and no lunch.  Good times.  Vacation on!  Lots of cars I am glad for the escort.  It's funny how stress ebbs & flows.  And fortunate.  Mine is leaving as Bug's rises.  Bug was fine when mine was scattered.  I was packing when Ellen was uptight.  (I believe)  at least we are ll understanding & tolerant of each others stress.  I believe that once we are travelling, or at home it will all be good.  I just wish there were a better way.

ROAD NOTES:
  I haven't towed a trailer since the Army.  I hated bringing it down the road.  Apparently a the U-haul violated the 24 ft limit.  Fortunately no citation for stupidity & poor judgement.  All our camping gear looks like so little stuff in a 24ft moving truck.  Everyone is being sympathetic and cool.  IT is amazing how different a gravel road with blind corners looks when you are white knuckling a 24ft truck with empty tow dolly. Good times and another lesson learned.  I am tired of being sunburnt.

Obligatory Rav on U-Haul pictures:

Vacation Log Day 6 Phase 1a (actual date 8.3.9)

$1300 and Wednesday Night...... U-HAUL Here We Come!

Vacation Log Supplemental

Reflections on a Fire stick

     Do you ever wonder about the first "medicine stick" or "shaman stick"  I wonder if it started as a fire poking stick.  We have a nice piece of driftwood with a blackened end which has been serving as our fire poking stick.  It had obviously been used by others before us.  And every other campfire I have ever witnessed or been a part of has had a special stick used to poke and never burned.  And when people want to adjust the fire they ask for that specific stick.  Admittedly sometimes in the beginnings two (or more) people will start their own fire pushing stick.  But it always settles down to one stick and the others get burned.  Generally (and to my memory always in my experience)  if there are to be multiple fires over several days (ie a camping trip)  the same stick is used for the duration.  (occasionally in a bit of a ceremony we will burn the fire pushing stick as the last item added to the last fire.)  But this is human nature.  Every campfire I have ever seen somebody has a special fire pushing stick.  And I have come across several old campfire sites which had an obvious fire pushing stick.  (relatively big, sturdy, one end blackened)  there is never more than1 fire pushing sticks at these sites.  (In my admittedly anecdotal experience)  So my theory is that way back when fire was a survival necessity rather than a camping comfort & treat, the job of keeping the fire was much more important.  Perhaps almost as important as hunting/gathering food.  Most probably a job to take pride in.  I can see how a fire keeper might decorate his fire pushing stick so it looks more like a tool of office important and worthy of pride and less like just a pointy stick with a burned end.  I can see the passing of the fire pushing stick to an apprentice being a super-big deal.  (at least to those involved.)  And, I an see how a fire pusher who keeps the secret of fire, might  when he felt slighted, try to enhance his position.  Merely by letting the fire go until he receives the respect he feels he deserves.  From there it is not a giant leap to inventing "fire spirits" who need to be appeased in order to keep the vital fire going.  From that stone it is merely a hop to inventing other spirits for other things.  Soon the fire is left behind.  The fire pushing stick has lost it's burned tip but kept it's decorations of office.  The once humble fire tender is now tribal medicine man, and secure with power locked in by shaping a culture over time fire need not be kept a secret.  It can be shared with all.  Yet the fire pushing stick remains.  Locked in human genetic memory pointing back to where it all began.  Or not, who knows.  But it's an interesting thought to play with.  I bet I am not the first to think of it.  I am going to do a Google search when I get home.

Vacation Log Day 6 Phase 1 (actual date 8.3.9)

  It's 7:16AM, the fire is started & coffee is perked.  I am telling my self that I am not going to worry about time.  But I am having difficulty convincing myself of same.  I think part of the problem is that you should not include me in plans.  If I have a plan I want to follow it.  I finally get the hint & adapt as evidenced by previous logs.  But I do believe in the value of plans AND I am admittedly a little anxious (right word?) to have a resolution to our transportation issue.  Either they can fix it by Wednesday for a reasonable cost.  Or we haul the thing back home & fix it there.  I honestly cannot say which one I would prefer.  On the one hand there is so much we have not done down here that I would like to do.  On the other hand outside the naval to kneecap zone the only part of my body not sunburned is my shoulders.  (because I refuse to go shirtless)  I guess also the soles of my feet.  And it might be nice to be home with a couple of days off to relax & get the car fixed.  But if/when we do get home Malika is going to zoom off to her boyfriend (and I cannot blame her much) and Ellen is going to "shoulder all the burdens and stresses of everyday life.  Most specifically taking care of her mother, being bullied & lectured by her sister and taking on responsibilities and commitments for the various organizations she is involved with.  And she will (after being filthy for a week) want to clean & clean & clean.  I will clean the camping gear and dishes.  But she will do laundry (maybe I can convince bug to help/do that) and just because she feels dirty from camping will start going overboard on the house.  But back to the 1st hand.  If we fix the car we have less control over our fate & time.  They call them estimates for a reason.  So, honestly I cannot say which way I am leaning.  But I definitely would like an answer.  7:40am to roust, or not to roust?  that is a question.

Vacation Log Day 5 Phase 3 (actual date 8.2.9)

     Just finished my Duck, Duck, Go! review.  It's nothing special but I enjoyed writing it.  After lunch we played Corsari followed by Bohnanza twice.  Bug didn't like the whole "can't adjust our hand" concept.  But she grasped it and never forgot.  It was fun, but as a family we are too nice for negotiation games.  And we made some very generous trades all the way around.  But they both liked it.  But that caused a late (after dark) dinner & after dark dishes & now it's bed time.  NOT the day that had been planned.  But a good day.  One with laughter, frolicking, games and family.  Tomorrow we see about the car & plot the rest of our vacation shenanigans.

Questions Inspired by the Day:
Do you think people apply to be a janitor with the forest service, or is it a punishment?

Why to they bother to perforate 1-ply toilet paper?

Who in their right mind packs SPF-4?

Why does it take so long from the time I push the button to the actual taking of the picture?