Saturday the 2nd
I forgot to add on previous day. Drove over the new bridge that by-passes the Hoover Dam. Couldn't see a darn thing, sides are too hi. They do have a walk way on the side though, so next time I want to take the time and walk over it....maybe when its not so hot. Second thing is...I wish I knew how to post pics. I have tried several times before but no luck. I think someone will have to literally show me how to do it.
So, on to the second day. I woke at 5:45 and started my morning stretching exercises. My back is feeling good but I can't move around in my Van without support myself. I did build shelves, cabinets, a bed and table in the Van so it is somewhat like an RV now. Still lots of detail work to be done though. Anyway, fixed myself a couple bowls of cracklin oatbran cereal, then cleaned up...me and the inside of the Van and went to find a little diesel fuel. I only needed a little bit to help me make it to Reno so I put $30 at $3.99g. Headed out, weather was cool, about 68 but warming. Love the no traffic! Stopped at a long abandonned hotel, garage, truckstop and investigated for about 30 minutes. It was out in the middle of nowhere! Sure would have liked to seen it in its heyday. Those flourecent lights flickering in the night back in the early 80's.....man, that is some cool stuff to imagine. Left there and next quick stop in Hawthorne, Nv. 100's, if not 1000's of weird looking bunkers dotting the desert to the left and right. Clearly it's a military town, I need to google it and find out what the story is. Just stopped there for a quick break and was on my way again. Not much more to report from there to Reno but did go by a large lake just north of Hawthorne (Walker lake?). Arrived in Reno and needed fuel. TA truckstop was $3.99. I figured I could find better so I fired up the laptop and went to "gasbuddy.com" and found a Sinclair right down the steet for $3.75g. Awesome. Saved me $6.50. I have the Verizon aircard thing so I can get online anywhere I have service which helps me alot. The drive north of Reno to Susanville is nice but was uneventful. After Susanville I turned on 44 and headed to Burney falls. I wanted to find the Railroad bridge from the movie "Stand by Me". I did find it but kind of dissapointing because the track has been pulled up and the bridge was blocked by big concrete barriers. Again, if my back was better I could have gotten around the barriers. Just sad to see tracks pulled up and bridge blocked. Headed back down the road. Oh, forgot my hitch hiker story. So, I see this guy in his 60's with a back pack. First I think homeless traveler but then I see his hiking poles and can tell that he is a real hiker. So I pull over and ask him where he is going. He said a few miles down the road, in "Old Station", opposite of what I'm traveling, is a camp ground, RV resort and hotel rooms. I say hop in. His name is John, he is from Orlando, and is hiking the Pacific Crest trail. The real kicker is he has now survived 3 forms of cancer. Lung, prostate, and throat. Now he is hiking the trail. Amazing. So I dropped him off and headed north again. Well, 45 minutes later I look back and see that he left his hiking poles. OH NO!! I don't want to turn all the way around but he has to get his poles back. So, I turn my Van around, park on the shoulder and stick out my thumb while holding the poles. First a real jerk pulled over and didn't want anything to do with helping. Then a few minutes later a woman in an SUV pulled over and was more than happy to help when I explained the situation. She was going to drop them off at the resort so I can only hope that he got them. So, coutinuing on north on 89, I saw abandonned tracks from the McCloud railroad which is no longer in business after like 95 years. The old RR bed looked good so I took it. Followed it for a few miles in the Van and finally came to a cross road. It led me back to 89 because the old track bed was blocked further on. Well, not much longer I rolled into my destination, Weed, Ca. There is a Pilot truck stop here so I pulled in the back. Its about 7pm so I unload the TW and headed to some trails I found on my V-Strom last May (2010) on my trip to Portland. Trails a loaded V-Strom does not belong on
But perfect for a TW. So, following the trail beside the
tracks I came to the wet section where I had turned around on the Strom a year ago. Well, it was nasty looking still so I turned around. Found trails on the otherside and came to another flooded area. Well, what the heck, the ground is mostly gravel so I should make it. I run along the side where it is shallow and do ok but of course have to put my feet down so now my shoes are soaking wet but no worries. I guess it was about 30-40 yards of water. After that it got nasty again. Mud and stagnent water lay ahead. Nope, not this time. So I head back through the water again. Should have stayed more on the side because it got deep and the TW stalled. Ahh, and a little stuck. I had to lift up on my cycle rack and try to get it to the side to restart. This is not ideal for my back. Just keep in mind that I had surgery barely a month ago and now have a plate and screws in my back. Should I be doing this? Hmm, maybe not, but sitting around doing nothing is not so great either. Well, TW starts fine in the shallow water and I need to start heading back. Following the trail along side the tracks I took a different way. Thought I might have gone too far and about to turn around but took a side trail instead. Turned out perfect, the trail took me behind the truckstop and literally came out directly behind where I parked my van. haha. How perfect is that! So, locked the TW up, gathered my stuff and went and took my shower in the truckstop then ate at BK because I didn't feel like cooking. So, thats it for that day. I will report again for July 3rd but its late now and bed time. I will say that I intend to watch the fireworks over Lake Shasta tomorrow night.
