Thursday, 26 December, 2013 through Friday, 04 April 2014

I spend the entire day at the w-mart and continue with the photo gallery work. At six-thirty pm, I head for the hall to get ready for the meeting. I particularly enjoyed reading in the book of Revelation this week with the new Bible to read from.

Arriving several minutes before seven pm, I decide to make a short entry in my journal. Upon opening the journal Quire ten, I find that it has been corrupted and is blank. I am so glad that I have been keeping up with my backups and I don′t think that I have lost too much of the journal, possibly only a couple of days. I replace the corrupted file with the backup and patch in the missing information.

Awake, drive to the w-mart, and continue the computer work.

The last few days, I have been working on updating the links in the ten journal Quires. The first four are now complete and will continue today with Quire Five. When the first nine Quires have been completed, I plan to upload all the new Photo Gallery documents to the web site. After that, I will continue to update Quire Ten with links and add more new photos to the Photo Galley including those photos that previously were taken this year but not yet included.

Arrive at the hall for the morning ministry meeting and go out with Alfonso but we only stay out for a short time before stoping. He does ask me if I will join him tomorrow morning to go on a Bible study with him.

Then I go to the w-mart to resume the work on fixing the blue links in the online journal. After working steady until long after sunset, I complete Quire Eight and now have only Quire Nine left to correct the old links. After that is done, I will then begin installing new links in the current one, Quire Ten. I now feel that this will all be done before the end of the year and I will make the online Photo Gallery upgrade during the first week in January 2014.

Since there is a beautiful sunset this evening, methinks I will stop working on the web page early this evening and go for some Mexican food. Then, I will take a bucket bath and get to sleep early so that I can get up before the sunglow tomorrow morning to check out the bay for a colorful suntouch.

In the late morning, I go to the hall and meet with a small group to go out into the ministry and we only stay out for a little longer than an hour before stoping for the day. Since there is still time left in this day I decide to drive to Susan′s and do some work on the Windjammer.

The Windjammer has been running rough for a while and I have determined that the most logical reason for it to have the rough idle is that the spark plugs need to be replaced due to the many miles that I have put on the vehicle since the last tune-up.

I had previously purchased a new set of plugs and today I open the hood to begin replacing them. After installing the second of six, I find a plastic vacuum canister hanging down along side the engine with one vacuum line missing. I reach over to the side of the engine and retrieve the loose vacuum line that was there, cut off the deteriorated end and plug the line into the canister.

Then, I start the engine and listen to it purr like it use to do. I suppose that I don&prine;t have to replace the rest of the spark plugs and I won′t do it now since the problem has been corrected especially since the last three are so hard to access, but then next time I find myselƒ in a warm spell, I will think about finishing this tune up.

Afterwards, I clean up and spend some time working on the oak tree in the front yard before stopping and retiring for the night.

For the last several day, Susan and myselƒ have been fully occupied with the trimming of the oak tree in her front yard. When we began, the tree had many large limbs that were hanging onto her home in some places and near the ground elsewhere. That is when I told Susan that this tree resembles a bush instead of a tree; that we needed to turn it from a downward drooping tree into an upward reaching tree. So for many days now, the two of us have been busy at cutting limbs from the tree, reducing them into piles and wrapping the piles into bundles for pick up by the city garbage collection workers.

At sunset this evening we finished with the Oak Tree work after putting the last bundles on the grass next to the street. Afterwards, we sit down on the curb across from her home to look at our handiwork and watch the waning sunglow in the sky. At first the entire sky was bright red but as the sun drew closer to the suntouch the red in the sky continues getting lower until the red could only be seen between the large trees lining either side of the street turning the bright red horizon in that one spot very intense.

Up to a crisp sunrise, and notice that the sky is clear blue which means that the temperature will not get above the forties today. I go directly into the d-mart and afterwards to the w-mart to work on my web site. Yesterday, I uploaded the new Photo Gallery upgrade and gave it a quick test for errors and only found a few. I plan to do a more thorough test today and to correct any errors that I find.

The day comes to a close after spending long hours working on correcting and adding GPS coordinates and other information as I continue with the proof reading of the Photo Gallery.

The early morning is at the w-mart and at ten am, I join a group for the ministry who stay out until noon after which I return to the w-mart to continue working on my computer. There is still much to do on the proof reading and trudge on in the work until about three pm when I go for a meal at a Mexican restaurant where I have found the food enjoyable. It must be all that sugar, salt and fat.

Afterwards, I return to the w-mart and continue the work at hand. My anticipation is that since I have already achieved my initial goal of uploading the entire Photo Gallery revision no later than the eleventh of January, now, my goal is to have the proof reading completed no later than the end of February. Finally, I retire to the d-mart for the evening.

I awake shortly before and watch the suntouch as it slowly rises into the day sky and then drive to a f-mart for coffee and the internet. After uploading several pages that I have corrected over the last two days, I head back to the hall to meet for the ministry at ten am. It has been raining off and on this morning so I wear my leather hat and black overcoat.

The rain stops, the wind picks up and the temperature begins to drop, as just one more cold front begins to blow in. It is shortly after noon and I arrive back at the w-mart listening to Carl′s music on the album he gave me. I really like several of his songs.

These extreme temperature variations for the last several months that confront me here in southeast Texas prove that this is not my ideal place to winter.

The weather variations are likely due to this area having a continental climate, which variations are also due to the jet stream flow in the upper altitudes but ultimately due to the ruination man has brought upon the Earth. The cold that this area is now experiencing is from the arctic blast traveling southeast above the continent, causing nearly the entire continent to be affected by the severe temperature drop.

Since I have repeatedly confirmed that the southeast coastal Texas will not remain the place for me to winter, I however, continue to wonder where I will choose to spend future winters as I have not yet found the perfect winter hiatus and instead, intend to keep looking.

When the w-mart where I have been today closes, I retire to my sleeping location and continue reading in the Bible.

It is hard to get up this morning but I do so early, before suntouch and go inside the w-mart and begin typing words into this journal.

Then after staying indoors all day, I retire to the jammer for another nights rest.

The new birding photo gallery is fully functional with work now underway to upload more photos into it′s many photo pages. Just last evening, much work was accomplished on the photos from Tule Lake wildlife refuge and dozens of photos were uploaded to populate the birding gallery.

These bird photos were taken on Day 57 JO during April last year, during the several days spent in and around Tule Lake Wildlife Refuge in the Klamath Basin wildlife area. While there, I was able to take thousand of photographs of birds, many of the bird of which I had never seen before.

Many of the photos taken during that tour still need to be sorted, cropped and uploaded into their appropriate locations. This is the work I have planned for the next many days and weeks.

Awake, drive to the w-mart to continue working on the photo gallery by sorting, cropping, inserting photos into the gallery and finally uploading them to the website.

A lot of those new birds have already been uploaded to the Photo Gallery and more will be uploaded in the coming days and weeks. As I begin to sort through the photographs collection from last year′s tour, I will continue to upload the choice photo to many of the several pages throughout the Photo Gallery.

Up early to begin driving, stopping shortly at the w-mart to check email, then connect to Texas highway 6 and drive west to US highway 59 in Sugarland where I have learned that there is a living food g-mart. When first arriving, the large size of the store makes it appear to me as just another grocery store but after going inside and walking along just two isles, I am convinced otherwise. A short way down the third isle and already finding several items that are now in my cart, a store worker, Barbara, asks if she can help me find something. After a short discussion, I find out from her that there are absolutely no GMOs or HFCs in this store. I tell her that I will be shopping here in this store for a while.

Shortly before one pm, I pack the newly acquired living foods into the jammer and drive south on US highway 59 to Victoria then US highway 77 (this is the corridor for the future I-69 highway (Interstate 69) from east Texas, through Houston south to the Valley) arriving in the Valley by eight pm and drive first to the w-mart and afterwards to the d-mart.

Up before the suntouch, walk into the d-mart to wash my face, then drive to the w-mart, sit near to an outlet and begin working on my computer because I still have some of the links in this Quire to update. I have completed the Quire 10 through all of August 2013.

The w-mart here stays open until midnight, the first one that I have seen that stays open this late but I stop well before then to go to the jammer and drive to the d-mart to get horizontal.

Up before the suntouch, repeat yesterday but do not go into the w-mart but stay in the jammer today. Today, I work on the days of September in Quire 10 and complete all of this month&#prime;s blue links, which like yesterday, require me to create several new photo sections in the National Park pages. Since I have redesigned the entire Photo Gallery, the creation of each new photo section takes less than an hour, but since the cropping of the photos takes the most time, I only use the park entrance sign photo as a place marker for each section and plan to add more photos for each park later. This allows me to return and continue with updating the Quire blue links.

At one pm, I drive to the e-mart to check the price of a new camera but do not buy one because my camera is still working however slightly. Then, I travel to Benson State Park to take a shower but the shower building just went through a remodel and still needs to be inspected to pass the permit. While I am here, I do go into the park to take bird photos which I plan to add to The Valley Birding Gallery. Finally, I head north along the river on a portion of the new interstate highway 2, then back onto US highway 83 and finally stop in Salineño, Texas for the evening, parking outside of the Wildlife Refuge. Methinks, that for the next few days, I will drive northwesterly on the US highway closest to the border.

The Salineño Wildlife Refuge does not open until eight this morning so I spend time updating my journal. Then, I go in to sit with Cheryl, the host, to watch the many birds that frequent this preserve.

After two hours my camera battery dies and I return to the jammer to recharge it and eat my Daystart. While sitting in the jammer, three more vehicles arrive and the birders go into the preserve. Soon, my battery is ready for another go at birding and I head back in.

Just after one pm, my camera battery dies again so I go back out to the jammer to take my nutritional supplements and need to wait thirty minutes before lunch which is a meal shake and spark drink. With the temperature soaring into the eighties, I decide to return to the road to drive north up the Rio Grand River to find a stop for tonight, as well as a place to get online and find a meeting for this weekend.

After driving for some time, I arrive in Laredo and stop at a w-mart to upload the new journal entries and photos. At nine-thirty, I drive across the street to the d-mart and decide to finish my journal entry and check to see if there is a WiFi connection available here, which there is. Amazing, the d-marts are now becoming w-marts, truly a one stop for everything market. I get horizontal before ten pm.

Up at the end of Sunglow and go into the d-mart for my morning routine then drive to the w-mart on Del Mar avenue to work on my computer. I spend the morning here and in the afternoon go to the English public meeting.

After the meeting, I go to Lake Casa Blanca State Park to take a shower and cook my Repast. While cooking the sun goes down and I take a photo of it setting over the lake. Then, I retreat to the d-mart for the evening.

Up well before daybreak and drive to the w-mart, go inside and begin work on my computer with a cup of hot by my side. I am so enjoying the redesigned Photo Gallery, especially after just creating and uploading photos for the Casa Blanca section in less than half an hour. I can creating the new photo pages at the rate of three or four an hour. Wow, methinks that I will get caught up soon. I continue until nine, then put on my suit and drive to the hall for the meeting.

Afterwards, I board the jammer and resume my drive northwest along the border, first on US 83, then on US 277 and finally on US 90 arriving at Amistad National Recreation Area by four pm but the visitors center is closed so I continue towards Seminole Canyon State Park and check in for the evening.

The camping fee for a place to park with a picnic table is eight dollars, more than the d-mart, cost wise, but better in so many other ways. Immediately, what comes to mind is the absence of parking lot lights and no car noise to contend with all night long. I park in my camp site at five pm and begin cooking my Repast. I am out of onions and garlic but add chicken and some hot sauce to spice it up.

Methinks that I will never get tired of this Repast because of the many variations that are available. Last evening, I sprinkled Parmesan cheese on top after putting it in on my plate, which except for ice cream are the only dairy that I am still eating.

At sunset, there was a display in the sky but because I am on the east side of a hill, I did not get the full display until it went three-sixty. Tonight is very comfortable and there are no bugs here like there were in Laredo last evening. While entering today′s journal entry, I notice that there is WiFi in the park and when I check to see what it is, find one with the name TPWD-Public.

I check to see if I can log on and amazingly, I am online. This feature brings the CRS score up to a 9 and placing Seminole Canyon in a class with very few other campground, yes, right along with the high point champions: Falcon state park here in Texas, Valley of the Fires in New Mexico and Harris Beach state park in Oregon, all of which currently hold a CRS of 9 points. ¹

So, here at Seminole Canyon, the fee to camp being at eight dollars nets zero points for the Cost of Campsite category, but it excels in other categories such as hot shower and view. I know that this will be a park that I will be returning to again. The reigning champion is still Harris Beach on the south coast of Oregon with an amazing 9.8 which it obtains by having a laundry mat and an ice cream truck driving through the park during summer.

At seven pm, the sunglow is almost completely gone and it is totally dark outside. I am still working on the computer with full WiFi access.

Up later than normal and work on my computer while waiting for Richard to get up, which he normally sleeps in on his day off. When he walks to the outback, we then go in his car for breakfast during which we talk about several things, one of which is my blood pressure and he offers to take a reading when we get back to his home. He also asks me to help him purchase a computer and after we eat, we go to several stores to check the prices but end up back at the same store where we bought my computer last August; he buys a Toshiba computer as well. Then we return to his home to set it up, connect it to his WiFi network so we can copy all of his business files from his old computer to the new laptop and then connect to the internet.

While we are busy in this set up work, Kim comes home from working in the ministry and begins cooking supper. At six, she says the meal is ready so we stop to eat, after which Richard and I go on a Bible study with Joey at his home. When we return to Richard′s home, we work on the laptop for a while longer but at ten pm I return to the jammer to write a journal entry for today. This has been a long, busy day, but it has been enjoyable being with my good friends, Richard and Kim.

Upon awaking, I arise and wash my hair, prepare my Daystart and turn on my computer to work on the photo section for an hour. Then I get dressed and go with Richard and Kim to meet for the ministry. At noon, we return home to continue working on setting up his network.

Kim prepares the lunch again today and it is nice to have wholesome meals while I am here. We get the front computer set up and hard wired to the network, then we clean up some old computers that Richard wants to give to friends and finally clean up the mess we made in the living room. After the sun sets, we go back to the e-mart for cabling for his network and then out for supper. It is after nine pm when we return and I head to the jammer tired from the long day.

Awake and I wash my hair this morning, turn on my computer and begin writing in my journal to complete yesterdays entries. The sun has not risen above the mountains yet because the mountains stand one hand above the eastern horizon making the suntouch come at seven am this morning and up to an hour later than the actual sunrise this morning. The temperature this morning is crisp, so I turn on the small electric heater to take the chill out of the jammer and when it become fifty degrees inside, I am comfortable. I begin my Bible study for this morning′s meeting and by nine-thirty, Richard and Kim are outside getting ready to drive to the hall. I tell them that I will be driving my vehicle there also and leaving Yucaipa after the meeting.

Shortly after the meeting, I drive to the interstate and begin the transverse across and out of the southern California waste land that is known to me as the Los Angeles Red Zone. Crossing through San Bernadino and up interstate 15 to US 395, I avoid the traffic in the city. Then I turn west on California 58, stopping briefly at Chavez National Monument before continuing to Bakersfield, where I take the central valley highway, California 99 all the way to Sacramento. Then, I cross over to Interstate 5 and head north. Not long after leaving Sacramento, I begin to feel sleepy so I stop at a d-mart and park for the evening. It is almost ten pm when I arrive here and only spend a few minutes finishing today′s journal entry before climbing into the back of the jammer.

The sun set earlier, the sunglow almost gone from the sky now and I sit in the co-pilot seat at a State Park in southern Oregon and have some cacao beans to snack on while I begin writing my journal entry for the travel today.

This morning begins long before suntouch as I get up and go into the d-mart. Next, I drive to a w-mart for a cup of hot and a spinach-fetta egg wrap and finally resume my drive north on interstate 5 towards Washington and I want to be Oak Harbor by the weekend to go to the meeting there.

At Redding, I turn west on California 299 towards the coast stopping briefly first at Whiskeytown National Recreation Area and then upon arriving at the coast, the Redwoods National Park. Next, I continue north on US 101 into Oregon and stop at Harris Beach State Park, find a space to park, clean up in the jammer, take a shower, and then fix my supper. Now, it is six-forty and it is totally dark outside and it seems odd that it is dark so early but it occurs to me that I have traveled north considerably during the last two days and have arrived in the northern parts of this country where the daylight is much shorter than that where I winter.

I work on fixing some more of the links in this Quire, now at the end of September. Later, I work up the Campground Rating System for this park and because the drive by ice service is not available during winter, the park rating is down just a little to 9.5. I have been planning on doing my laundry here for some time and will start it in the morning. The space that I choose last evening is across the street from the one used last time and even closer to the laundry mat. It is really quite here during the winter with only a few campers in the park.

Awake at five-thirty to go to the restroom and upon returning to the jammer notice the waxing crescent moon in the east with a planet one hand above the horizon; the sunglow is barely noticeable. I don′t go back to sleep but turn on the heater and begin working on the links in this Quire starting in October. By Six-thirty am, I notice the ocean through the forest and see the distant horizon with the bright sunglow in the sky.

Sitting in the co-pilots seat, I continue until nine am when I get up an take my clothes to the laundry to wash. It is a dollar for a wash and a dollar twenty-five to dry for one hour. After putting the clothes in the washer, I return to cook pancakes covered with molasses for breakfast. I continue working on the links while the clothes dry and when they are all put away in the jammer, I climb in and take a nap lasting almost two hours.

Upon arising, I go to the bath house for a shower, then return and continue to work on the Quire links and creating new photo pages. At three pm, I begin cooking a late lunch and once it is done, I retire to the co-pilots seat and eat while working on the computer. By six pm, the sun has set and the sunglow is diminishing rapidly but I continue pounding the keyboard right into the evening. Then just after seven, someone taps on my door, to which I open the door climb out and Joseph says that he and his family are camped just down the way and saw me here when they went to the restroom. He then said "When my wife cooked supper, she cooked to much, she always cooks to much. We decided that we would make your a plate." I am glad that he brought me a plate of some of the extra. We talk for a while and after he leaves, I enjoy a nice comfort food supper: beef and potatoes stew, cauliflower, sourdough bread, a soda and even a chocolate desert. It amazes me that there are still some nice people left in this world.

I continue to work on the links until late, then climb into the back of the jammer.

It begins raining during the night and I get up at six this morning to an overcast, wet day, pack out and begin the drive north, stopping at a f-mart for a coffee to go.

As I move northward, the rain turns into sun and views along the coast are pleasant during my drive. In the early afternoon, I stop again at another f-mart and purchase a couple bean burritos minus the sauce. I reason with myselƒ that if there is only beans, onions and cheese on a tortilla, then it must not be so bad, but I know that I am fooling myselƒ; there is good reason why it is called fast food.

Using my GPS, I look for a w-mart in Coos Bay, North Bend and Florence but all I find are those inside of g-marts at which I do not stop. Finally, upon arriving in Newport, I find a real w-mart, one which I have stopped at before only I did not remember it location. Stopping and going inside, I buy a cup of coffee and upload my journal entry page as well as some photos. Shortly before sunset, I resume the drive north and stop at Beverly Beach state park, find a space near a hot shower and set up my camp. Like Harris Beach state park, there are few camper in this park but appreciative that some state parks are open during winter months.

First, I take a shower and find the water to be really hot and needs to have some cold water. This is the hottest shower I have found in any park and plan to make this stop a winter hiatus when I am in Oregon. However, I don′t think it would be good in the summer due to the backwater ponds throughout the park which would be home base for mosquitoes. Next, I cook my Repast using a lots of garlic and retire to the co-pilot seat to eat while pounding the keyboard. I am able to do much with the links and have completed through October 2013 and have now begun on the month of November. Long after the sunset, I retire.

Hours before morningtide, a symphony of rain on metal begins and increases through to morning. I awake during the sunglow and go to the bath house for another hot shower. Upon returning to the jammer, I work on yesterday′s journal entry and also study the Bible. At nine am, I resume my northward drive looking for a cup of hot.

After a short drive, I arrive in the town of Lincoln, Oregon and come upon a w-mart. Stopping, I park, walk inside, buy a tall blonde and begin working on my computer. Checking the jw.org, I have found a meeting that is held tonight in The Dalles, Oregon which is near to Deschutes River State Park, a camp ground that I have enjoyed before and decide to drive there today.

I leave the w-mart at three pm and by six-thirty pm, arrive at the hall in The Dalles, Oregon, just in time to get dressed for the meeting. Inside, I meet many of the friends and enjoy the association. Afterwards, I drive to Deschutes River State Park to set up for the evening and find that the park is in winter mode with the bath house closed. I suppose on this side of the mountains there is need for this to be done, however, there is electricity in the camping space and I plug in and turn on my small heater.

For supper, I have a can of beans and a can of greens but upon looking at the labels, between the two cans notice that there is a lot of salt. Nevertheless, I eat both the beans and greens despite being determined to lower my salt intake but methinks, that future can purchases will be with no salt added.

Tomorrow, I will cross the river into Washington and drive to the Island. It is after eleven pm when I get horizontal.

Awake at seven and despite the fact that the sunglow has begun, the sky is overcast with nothing but gray above me. I get up immediately and drive to the w-mart in town and purchase a cup of hot and begin working on my computer setting up this new chapter and finish the task about the same time the service group arrives for coffee. This is a welcome reunion and there are several car groups that show up.

After the friends leave, the key pounding continues until two pm when I pack out and head to city beach for a shower. Upon arriving, there is one ahead of me, so I await my turn and then enter the shower stall, get undressed, and put a quarter into the slot to get four minutes under the magnificent hot. Magnificent in this case means the hot water has high pressure and needs some cold water so it is not too hot. I have been a bit chilled since yesterday morning when I was not able to take a shower at Deschutes River campground. Now I am clean, burning from within and able once again to withstand this freezing weather. This time of the year continuously reminds me of my Life Lesson Five, and I am repeatedly amazed at how much a shower does for the body′s warmth and overall well being. Afterwards, I return to the w-mart until seven-thirty when I go to the d-mart to ready for the evening. Before sleep, I study for the meeting tomorrow

Up at sunglow and like yesterday, there is only gray and lo and behold the gull noise is back this morning in full volume.

Today, I begin early in the morning with researching why coconut oil is good for health. Right away, what I find is that this oil helps the body to fight off viruses and bacteria, but even more important to me, it also helps to fight off yeast, fungus and candida. Furthermore, it increases insulin and improves how our body handles sugar; it helps thyroid function to increase metabolism, energy and endurance; it increases digestion to help absorb fat-soluble vitamins; and it also has positive antioxidant action on the body, both internally and externally.

From my research, I find that coconut oil is also good to cook with, both in baked goods like zucchini and banana bread and with vegetables. It can make bitter greens like kale taste better and it can provide a pleasant taste when used as the oil for sautéing onion and garlic. It can even add creaminess to hot oatmeal. When Buying the oil, look for virgin or extra virgin on the label because these are cold pressed and retain most of the antioxidants. Expeller-pressed has additional processing which results in a milder flavor and a higher smoke point (450°) than the virgin oil at 350°.

Even with all the above information, I still want to know why it is considered a good food when it contains a high percentage of saturated fats (90%) when compared to the amount of unsaturated fatty acids, both mufas and pufas. What my research shows is that coconut oil has a saturated fat called lauric acid, a type of medium chain triglycerides which is easily broken down in the liver and leads to efficient burning for energy. Now, this convinces me that using coconut oil will maintain my overall health, but I have also learned, like any oil, I need to use it in moderation, about a tablespoon per day.

Looking at the clock, I see that it is nine am so I get ready for the meeting and arrive at the hall before the parking lot becomes populated. Soon, cars begin to arrive and I go inside for several warm hugs. Afterwards, John asks me if I have lunch plans and we go to the grill and order food. By one-thirty, I am driving to the w-mart and go in to work on my computer.

Before done with the day′s activities, one final stop to talk with friends helps me realize my need for a temporary residence this summer and I know there will be need to pray much about this in the days and weeks to come. Long after dark, I return to the d-mart to rest for the evening.

Up late this morning and notice that the cold does not bite like the last two days but seems warm in comparison. After a visit to the d-mart, I drive to the f-mart for a cup of hot on my way to the hall for the ministry meeting and arrive with enough time to get dressed and drink my coffee.

I Join several brothers and Debbie in John′s van for the ministry. After first making a few return visits, we begin walking to some homes in town but when it begins to rain, we leave town to the rural′s to begin driving to the homes. At half past twelve, we return to the hall and go out separate ways; myselƒ to the local vehicle licensing office to renew my license plates and with that done, I now only have my driver′s license to renew which I hope to do tomorrow at a separate office. From here, I drive to the w-mart to work on the remaining blue links in Quire Ten, which takes until after sunset to complete. Too, I have now completed creating all the new photo sections and what remains is to populate these areas with the photos.

Upon leaving the w-mart, I stop by a g-mart for some brown rice and rice milk. Inside, I see and talk with Joanne for a while showing her where the grape seed oil and rice milk are located and while at the boxed milk section find a package of flaxseed milk which I purchase. Then I drive to the d-mart for the evening to get horizontal.

One more day of being awaken by the gulls but I remain in the bag until seven before getting up. There are many night noises here at this d-mart which include the gulls who begin at about six am. Too, since being in town since Saturday, I have not seen the sun with the exception of yesterday afternoon when it almost broke through the clouds; and neither has the drizzling rain let up, not even for a moment, but I digress. I continue here despite these inclement weather conditions because I am waiting for my eye doctor appointment at the Veterans Administration tomorrow. This past Friday is called to mind, when I was parked atop Pass Island, amazingly under dry skies, and methinks that hopefully after my eye appointment, my ebb to better weather will resume.

At ten am, I leave the w-mart to renew my drivers license and get that done with out a hitch. I am told that it will arrive at my address in seven to ten days, and immediately I think that a short trip to the Oregon campgrounds is in order after my doctor′s appointment tomorrow while I await the arrival of the driver′s license and that I could be returning south about Friday the 14^th of March.

Returning to the w-mart, I work on my computer until five pm and then decide that it is time to begin the drive to the VA hospital, but stop first at the shop and to find Mark at home this time. He invites me in and tells me that Cheryl has gone out of state on an errand. We talk for a little while, mostly about the conditions here and his final words are "Thom, you need to get off of this Island." I tell him that I am heading to Oregon tomorrow but will be back to pick up my driver′s license and ask him to call me when it arrives. By ten-thirty pm, I am horizontal in the parking lot at the VA and it begins to rain hard.

Awake and go directly in for my appointment and the young doctor tells me that he sees a tear in the retina of my right eye but it looks like it is an old tear and has not progressed. Nevertheless, he still wants me to see the ophthalmologist, schedules an appointment on the morning of Wednesday the 12^th of March to determine what should be done if anything. Even thought it is overcast, I have to wear my sunglasses due to my eyes being dilated.

Leaving, the VA, I drive to the hg-mart and after shopping for few items, I wait in the parking lot for my eyes to adjust to normal. About two pm, I return to the road south toward Oregon to camp for a week while waiting on my drivers license and the next eye appointment. It rains during the entire drive down and now I am glad that I did not wash the jammer in Oak Harbor; methinks that here in the northwet, it is better to wait until summer to do that. I arrive at Fort Stevens State Park State Park just before seven pm, take a shower, open a can of beans and write today′s journal entry but since I am tired, I will soon be in the back to sleep.

Checking my phone for the time, I see that Richard called when I was in the shower and calling him back he says he can not talk so, I assume the horizontal for the evening.

It is a bit warmer here on the Oregon coast but no dryer and very windy. I awake early, leave the park and head into town for a w-mart where inside it is dry and warm. I plan to stay here this morning and work on some more photos but then a conversation began to which resulted in several hours of discussing some Bible topics. Finally, I leave the w-mart and drive east through the gorge hoping to get out of the rain and arrive at Deschutes River State Park to set up my camp.

I am extremely tired this evening and go to bed early; I believe the tiredness stems from the eye exam yesterday, especially the prolonged prodding that was done to my right eye. The doctor said that he needed to do so to examine the eye closer.

I get horizontal and sleep comes on quickly.

Up long before the dayspring, having already slept about eight hours and begin looking up some verses in the Greek interlinear, (verses referenced in the discussion yesterday) so that I might confirm what I mentioned in the conversation and find all of my references were correct except one.

Deschutes River state park is still in winter mode which means that the water remains turned off and decide that I would rather return to the state parks on the coastal wet side than have to forgo showers here.

It is predawn as I write this so I will resume the horizontal to try to sleep for another hour before heading west. I begin driving by six-thirty and drive back to the same w-mart that I was at yesterday and stop here about noon. After going inside, I have a cup of hot and a bagel before getting to work. Starting first with the National Parks Photo Gallery, in the Arches and Canyons gallery, I begin to add GPS coordinates and photos to each new section.

At four, I drive back to the coastal state park, check in and because the sky clears, wash the jammer. In order to conserve water, I use one bucket for the wash and a separate bucket of clear water with a rag to rinse. The soap I use is biodegradable and is normally advertised to be used for fine washable′s, the same soap I have used throughout the Journey to Katahdin forward as a one soap for all uses, even shampoo. However, one drawback I have noticed with this soap is that it creates lots of suds. Now, I continue to use it only for laundry, on the jammer and other non-skin items because for my hair and body, I now use soap with tea tree oil. Even so, I have been looking for a replacement as my laundry soap and have recently purchased a citrus based liquid soap, (although I have not tried it yet) and hope it will clean as well without the excess of suds. As I sit here at a window table with a floor lamp working on my journal, I look up to my right and notice that the man next to me writing in a quire so I ask him if he is keeping a journal to which he answers yes. We talk for a while and find we have much in common; he tells me his name is Gary.

When Gary leaves, I resume the work on the photo page uploads, working until three before returning to the park for the evening. On the way back, I stop to purchase two bean burritos and methinks, this in not living food but buy them anyway.

Awake very early, and go to the restroom because something I ate yesterday has given me a problem today and I just know that it could not have been those two burritos I ate even though they were the only non living food that I ate yesterday.

Yes, this is a life lesson I have previously learned, and I really need to learn to begin living this life lesson. In fact, eating food that is not living food will now almost always make me sick.

I leave for the w-mart and set up for another day of key pounding adding small details to the photo gallery pages, stopping to talk with different ones who sit near by. Meanwhile outside, the rain resumes and continues all day. At noon, the ministry group from the Seaside Spanish congregation arrives and I approach and greet them. One sister wanted to know how I knew they were witnesses and I told her, "Only witnesses come in dressed up for the ministry, even their children are nicely dressed." I work until three pm and then return to the state park to claim my spot as the rain continues. For my evening meal, I open some can food. Later, I work on my Bible study for tomorrow and get horizontal before nine pm.

Awake at six am, before dayspring and before I want to but just can not sleep any more. With the night time still more than twelve hours, I find the need to spend some of the darkness awake and working on something so this morning, I choose to work on the birding photo gallery pages, especially since I have a new birding page, the Chihuahuan Desert. It is after seven am when I notice the light in the sky and then go for a shower. Next, I drive to the w-mart for the internet to locate the hall in Astoria and notice a brother doing his study for the meeting. I approach to introduce myselƒ to which he says his name is Will and we begin talking. He tells me of his invention, an attachment for a cane that serves as a support when you are not holding your cane and has a light attached. He wants to create a website for it and I offered my services. We then head for the ten am meeting and sit together; afterwards, we go to a f-mart for a sandwich.

Upon returning to the jammer, I decide that since the day is without rain, I will stay in the north wet another night and as I drive, I see the sign for the Lewis and Clark National Historical Park and follow it to Fort Clatsop. In the parking lot, I change from my suit into my jeans and Hawaii print shirt and then go in. On the wall behind the registration counter is a display of Junior Ranger badges and patches. I notice that there are three patches for the Lewis and Clark site so I ask about obtaining one of the patches and the park volunteer hand me a Junior Ranger guide book. I immediately begin filling it in and later return to the counter to talk with ranger Tom; we have a nice conversation. He checks my guide book and then awards me with the junior ranger patch.

One thing that I learn from this guidebook is that instead of the acronym GPS meaning global positioning satellite which I thought it did, it actually means global positioning system. I know, it is a small detail but I have always been one for details. Returning to the state park and with it not raining, I get out my stove, set it up on the table to cook my Repast and then enjoy my meal sitting in the co-pilot seat while working on the computer.

Upon rising at six am, I go to the restroom and then drive into town for coffee at the w-mart. Last night, I noticed that there was a glow in the sky during most of the night so this morning I check the moon status on my website at my current moon display to see that it is waxing gibbous and thus find the reason for the glow in the sky all night. It amazes me that the more I live my life without the confinement of walls, the more in tune with the natural elements I find that I have become. Even in the pacific northwet, the natural elements show themselves despite the constant cloud cover and rain. As much as I dislike the cloud cover and rain, I am learning to endure under such inclement weather.

Continuing on the computer, I upload the latest photos taken last month at Salineno Wildlife Refuge with two newly photographed birds: brown thrasher and olive sparrow. John calls to tell me that he received the tea that I asked him to order for me and I tell him that I will see him at his work to pick it up after my eye doctor′s appointment in Seattle Wednesday morning. Looking at my clock, I see that it is almost six pm so I will upload my latest journal entries and then drive to the state park to prepare my supper. The sun is still out and portions of the sky is blue, however, other areas have very dark clouds but I am glad the sunny area surrounds myselƒ. All day a stomach problem has bothered me and go to bed early.

Awake at four am with the need to go to the restroom and while walking back to the jammer, notice the Big Dipper in the sky with the handle end star directly overhead; there is no sign of rain. Upon returning to the windjammer and after having slept nearly eight hours, I sit in the co-pilot seat and begin pounding on the keyboard to wait and see if I need to go back to the restroom which I do. Then I take a shower before driving into town to stop at the w-mart and arrive by six am. Upon checking to see what time the historic park nearby opens, I find that it will not open until nine am so I will stay here at the w-mart until then and crop photos.

At the historic park, I receive my second of three junior ranger guide books and begin working, this being the 13 and older guide, which takes even more time to complete due to the need for me to search for several answers in the museum displays. When I have completed the guide, I return it to the park volunteer and while she is grading it, I ask another park volunteer if they would like more of the Junior Ranger badges to pin to their display and smiling, she shakes her head yes. I go out to my car to get the eight badges that I have and returning, hand them to the park volunteer at the counter. By then, the whole crew is there to see which badges I have donated to the display. After that, the park volunteer grading my guide book hands me the patch and two rank emblems, the sergeant and the captain.

I leave with my new patches and begin driving to the VA in Seattle. Crossing the US 101 bridge from Astoria, I then drive north on the highway along the Willapa Wildlife Refuge and see a kingfisher jumping from a stump into the back bay water and then flying back to the stump to enjoy his meal. He did this several times before he was satisfied. Continuing north on US 101, I take state highway 107 east and then 8 east to arrive in Olympia where I take Interstate 5 north to Seattle. At the VA hospital parking lot, I find a good spot and park for the evening.

I awake just before six am and because it is colder here, I start the engine in the Windjammer to warm up the inside while I complete my journal entries for yesterday. The eastern sky behind the hospital begins it illume by six-thirty and at seven, I go inside to see if the veterans coffee pot is ready and find that it will not finish perking until almost eight but I wait and afterwards walk to the eye clinic to register on the new kiosk check in station.

It is almost ten when I see the doctor and she tells me that she wants to do a procedure on my right eye today and schedules it for two pm. Also, she wants me to come back in a week for a follow up visit so now it looks like I must needs stay around for a bit longer. The procedure does not begin until three pm, takes about an hour during which a metal instrument is intrusively pushed into my right eye socket causing much pressure pain, almost unbearable at times. Still, to endure the treatment I use my breathing routine and try to keep from gritting my teeth. When I leave, my eye feels like someone has hit me with a wooden bat and I return to the jammer and try to sleep. Very seldom do I take any kind of pain medication but this evening I take three aspirin and then again later two more when the pain persists. Before I am asleep, both John and Mark call, John to check on me, to which I tell him that I survived the eye procedure, and Mark to tell me that my drivers license has arrived at his home.

When I awake, the first thing I notice is that the pain in my eye is gone but now it seems that the eyelid is nearly closed. Upon looking in a mirror I notice the reason, my right eye is swollen almost shut. I go into the VA hospital to the veterans coffee pot to acquire a cup of hot black and a scone with raisins. I sit on one of the chairs, eat my breakfast, return for a refill and then walk back to the jammer. At about eight am, I begin the drive north on the interstate which except for the short section from the VA hospital to downtown Seattle, there is no traffic and I drive at the speed limit all the way to Mount Vernon. Parking across the street from the Stamp and Coin Place, I wait until it opens.

At nine-forty, John walks out of the coin store, crosses the street to get coffee and when he sees me, comes to the window and says "Have you had coffee?" Of course, I am all about having coffee when someone else asks me and join him to go into the w-mart for coffee. (I only learn that it is a w-mart after going inside.) We then head back to the coin store and he gives me the tea tree tea that I ordered from him as a gift together with some tea tree oil. Shortly after, I return to the jammer and work on finishing my journal entries for the last two days.

Next I head for the island and stop at the shop to pick up my drivers license which arrived in the mail and while here, meet Harlow, Mark and Cheryl′s granddaughter. Then, I go back to town and stop at the w-mart to work for a while on the photos in the my several galleries.

I am able to crop, size and upload many photos before I must needs stop and get dressed for the meeting. After the meeting, I head for the d-mart to park for the night. I have noticed that my eye is still quite swollen and it remains sore even though there is very little pain now but I am slowly getting my visions back to where it was before the procedure.

Awake at seven-thirty am and go into the d-mart restroom and then purchase some luetin supplement for my eye. Then, I drive to the w-mart to get a cup of hot and to continue with the work of adding photos to galleries. Joanne walks in to say hello and tells me that she saw my van as she was going into the store next to the w-mart.

After completing one photo gallery, I decide to go for supper at a local restaurant but before I actually head out, Mark calls and asks me if I will join them to go out for supper. We meet at the restaurant and after eating, drive to their home for a cup of tea and conversation until nine pm when I excuse myselƒ for the night and head to the d-mart. Before sleeping, I wash my face and then rub alcohol around my eye to help heal the redness that has occurred from all my rubbing it. The area burns but that tells me that it will heal. Then, I get horizontal.

At first screaming seagull, I awake and get up (the dayspring not begun yet) and go into the d-mart for the restroom. I wash my face, especially my eye which feels much better today and then go back to the jammer to drive to the w-mart for a cup of hot. Most times when I say a cup of hot, I usually mean a cup of coffee, however lately when going to the w-mart, I have been getting just hot water so as to use my melaleuca tea bag to make hot tea. ²

By noon, I need to get away from the w-mart so I go to city beach to take a shower after which, I go to Franks to check on my vending machine there. It is in a corner, needs cleaning but is not empty of product so I decide that I will return with cleaning materials later. Then, I drive to the w-mart and instead of going in, I climb in the back of the jammer and take a nap. After sleeping for several hours, I determine that there is still much healing going on with my eye. Then, I sit in the jammer with the motor running to charge the computer battery while I upload photos to the Monument sections including Arkansas Post and Cedar Breaks.

Several here in Oak Harbor have asked me where I am going to retire and my answer continues to be "I don′t know yet." What I do know is that I am done with of all the rain both here in Washington and on the Texas coast. Therefore, I have definitely ruled out Whidbey Island and Southeast Texas as to the location where I will retire. After going to the meeting in Astoria, Oregon last Sunday where I met a couple who said that they are from Patzcuaro, Michoacan and that the English congregation there remains intact.

Also, I learn that I will probably not qualify for a residence visa but will instead have to acquire and keep renewing a six month tourist visa. Still, the option in the South of Mexico is still available for me and I will pray about this. Later, after eleven, I drive to the d-mart and climb into the back of the jammer glad to get horizontal.

I hear it raining throughout the night and after the sound of first screaming gulls, I arise and go into the d-mart, then the w-mart, which in Oak Harbor is in adjacent parking lots. At nine-thirty am, I drive to the hall for the meeting where I see Don for the first time since being back. After the meeting, Don asks me to join him for lunch and offers to buy mine. There are four of us at a local f-mart, Don, Walt, Joanne and myselƒ, all of whom are retirees. I get the full size salad and we all sit and talk for quite a long time. Then at two pm, I drive to the w-mart and continue the work on the photo gallery.

Then at five, I begin uploading more updates and changes to the photo gallery after which I turn in for the night.

There is no rain during the night but I awake to an overcast sky at first seagull scream and go directly into the w-mart. Like many days before, the cold wind blows here as I wait for the next VA appointment to see the eye doctor. At nine am, I go in to the hall for the morning ministry meeting and work with Larry, Curt, and Bob until almost one pm. The cold wind continues all morning but the overcast gives way to clear blue sky for the rest of the day. When the sun nears the horizon, I head to the city beach to sit for a while and watch the ocean before returning to the d-mart for the night.

This will be the last night in Oak Harbor as tomorrow I will drive to the VA hospital to spend the night for my appointment on Wednesday morning. Hopefully, this will be the last time I need to see the doctor for several months which will allow me to head south.

During the night, the need to get up and go into the d-mart to purchase an allergy relief syrup hits me about midnight and after taking the syrup, I can then get back to sleep. My allergies always flare up within the first week of arriving on the island and this time is no different.

Before I leave the island, I go to both stores where my two vending machines are located to service them and collect the quarters. While at the bank, I roll the quarters and trade the fifteen rolls for cash.

Next, I stop briefly at the shop to find Mark and Harlow there and visit with them for a short time before driving off the island and south to Seattle.

At nine pm, I park at the VA and climb into the back to get horizontal.

I awake several times in the early morning only to lay back down to sleep until seven am. Like on the island, it rains during the night here. Then, I get up and go in through the inpatient entrance to use the restroom and get a cup of coffee and a scone. Arriving back in the jammer at eight am, I see some blue sky and a small display of color from the morning sunrise. Then I go inside to wait for my appointment, during which the doctor says that my eye looks good and methinks that finally, I can head south out of the Northwet.

On the road by four pm heading through south Seattle and down the Interstate 5 corridor to Vancouver, then through Portland and only a short way past, turn off of the interstate toward the Champoeg State Park, arriving during sunset with a colorful display. I drive into the park and choose space A1, hook up my electric, plug in all of my chargers and lights and begin working on my computer to finish today′s journal entry. Richard from Yucaipa calls at eight pm and asks where I am and when I should arrive at his home. I tell him that I want to stay in Oregon at the campgrounds for a few days and stop at Harris Beach state park to do my laundry. I tell him, possibly in a week. Then I turn off the lights and get vertical in the back of the jammer.

It is nice not to be awaken by screaming gulls, instead, there is total quite here along the Willamette valley in this rural setting and I get up at my normal time, early sunglow. First task is to visit the shower house and get under the hot water. My sinuses have been clearing up during the last two days since leaving the Island, so much so that I called Mark to tell him so and he said that he notices that my voice is much clearer now. I sit here this morning for a while and eat my daystart but I do not make a cup of hot as I plan on driving soon and will stop at a w-mart for one.

Leaving the campground at eight am, I drive south on the French Prairie road along the Willamette River, a scenic rural farming area with many agricultural types and then stop in Keizer, Oregon at a w-mart. While here, I check the weather at Crater Lake National park and it will have a high in the fifties and sunny for the next several days and may make the side trip there tomorrow. Arriving at the state park by five pm, I set up camp, cook brown rice and add soy sauce for supper. Then I clean up the Windjammer and organize the food purchased while on the island. Since I have been able to find several rolled grains, including: oats, barley, rye, spelt, and flax, today, I mix them all together to use as my Daystart. Next, I go to the shower room and when returning to the jammer, get out the computer to pound the keys for a while.

Awake to the dayspring and get right up to a clear sky and freezing temperature. I had turned on my electric heater last evening and let it run during the night on a low setting which kept it about fifty degrees in the jammer. A short time later, I am at a w-mart with a cup of hot in hand. While online, I find out that the drive on the Crater Lake highway requires tire chains so I will not be going there this trip. Instead, I will work on the photo gallery here at the w-mart and will drive to the coast later today with a short stop in Cave Junction.

At one pm, I drive up to the home of Eric and Johanna, walk up to the front door and receive two big hugs. It has been nine years since they moved from the island, to better places, and I am amazed that neither one has changed a bit. Eric offers to cook my breakfast and I accept. Afterwards Eric shows me the homestead and then I show Eric mine. Leaving Cave Junction on US 199 south into California, I enter the Smith River National Recreation Area with a clear-water river far surpassing what I have seen the waters of the Buffalo, Obed and Ozark rivers in mid-America. The color is a dark turquoise especially in the deep areas of the water and akin to the ocean water I have previously seen in both Hawaii and the Florida Keys.

It is sunset now at Harris Beach State Park and I have done all my evening chores including setting up my camp, cooking my Repast and now I sit in a heated jammer enjoy supper while working on the computer. It is nice to be back here at Harris Beach; I continue to say this is my favorite state park, especially since I save my laundry until I arrive here. Methinks that my like for this park is evident by my campground rating system score. Just before getting into the back, I take a short walk in the campground during the post sunglow evening to look at the stars and except for the light emanating from the shower house and a few nearby camps, the forest is quite dark and many stars are visible tonight. The Big Dipper, high on the east side of Polaris is climbing and Orion in the southwest is descending.

Morning comes early, about six am but the sun does crest above the raised earth and forest horizon until after eight am. Upon arising, I make my way down to first take a shower and then return to the laundry room to begin doing my wash, two full loads of clothing. Once they are in the machine, I return during the first thirty minutes and start today′s journal entry. After putting my clothes in dryers, I return to the jammer and boil a pot of water to make coffee; then return to the keyboard to hone my entry from yesterday.

Next, I retrieve my dry laundry, hang and store it in the jammer and then begin making my Daystart with a second cup of coffee. By the time I am back in the jammer enjoying breakfast, it is ten am and the sun is high in the east. I work all day organizing my Journal photos and backing them up to my external drive. There are a lot of photos and it is so easier to access them if I have each folder named appropriately.

At five pm, I prepare my Repast and add Quinoa and sesame seeds along with the rice, garlic and seaweed. After supper, I continue working on organizing photos until almost ten pm and then get horizontal.

Out early for coffee and stop in Brookings. After a short stop in town, I head south through the Redwoods stopping at the park visitors centers. Along the highway, in the gutter there is a black bear apparently hit by a car. He looked to be an adult, two hundred pounds and most likely when he tried to cross the highway found that the center barricade was too much of an obstacle. At the next visitors center, I tell the ranger and they get busy to have the animal removed and she tells me that they need a replacement for the taxidermy bear in the museum display.

Next, I turn east on California highway 299 and stop briefly at Whiskeytown National Recreation Area. It is interesting that the area where the entire town was is now under the Whiskeytown Lake. I continue to Redding, California, stopping at a w-mart and finding out that Lassen Volcanic National park is closed. Then I continue east on California highway 44, past the national park and stop where the Pacific Crest National Scenic Trail crosses the highway to take some photos and then continue on 44 to stop at the d-mart in Susanville, California. I spend a few minutes updating my journal and then climb into the back.

Up with the sunglow and drive to the w-mart to have a cup of hot and start today′s journal. I don′s stay to long as I want to drive to Manzanar Historic Site which is about six hours south. I drive into Nevada, down through Reno and Carson City on the new interstate 580 which is so new that my GPS does not have it. At nine-forty this morning, I stop in Reno at an o-mart to purchase a new pump for my backpacking stove and browse for a half hour before getting back on the interstate to head south out of the city.

The interstate ends and I continue on US highway 395 south and I am only back in California a short distance and a Mono county sheriff pulls me over and when I ask why he pulled me over, he says "You have a headlight out." I reply, But it is still daylight! He gives me a warning and lets me go.

I continue south on US 395 and stop at Manzanar National Historic Site to find that this was an internment camp and by September of 1942 some ten thousand Japanese Americans were crowded into about five hundred barracks, some eight persons per 20 foot by 25 foot rooms. I walked into a re-creation of the barracks and eight bunks in each room seemed to me crowded. Some of the Japanese had to stay here for three years and at times in tough conditions. Years later, the government admitted that what they did was wrong and compensated each of the still living detainees with twenty thousand dollars. Methinks that twenty k was no where near enough, but that is just the me thinking, yes, just another episode of methinks too much.

Upon leaving Manzanar, I drive six more miles south and stop at Alabama Hills, a BLM recreation area, a location that I learned about from my road atlas. I asked about it in the national historic site and the volunteer gave me really good directions. Driving upwards into the park to an elevation of four thousand feet, I stop at a parking lot that has a trail to several arches and walk to Mobius arch, the one that makes this park well visited and take several photos.

Then I return to the jammer and replace the headlight that was burnt out, after which I begin cooking my supper. Finally, I put away all my gear, climbed into the copilot seat and began eating while working on the computer. Meanwhile, the day slowly gave way to the evening with out any display in the sky, just blue sky turning to gray and then to dark. There was a slight glow behind the Sierra Nevada mountains just west of me which made for a nice ambiance for the end of this day. Now, the day is gone and the night sky is filled with stars, especially since we have a waning crescent moon that will not rise until well after midnight.

Of late, methinks that it would be nice not to have to cook any of my meals. I have really got my daystart down well. However, what I have been eating for supper continues to require boiling water. Maybe there is some way to prepare supper without my stove. The kelp is easy, just soak it in water but it is a different story with brown rice. Methought then that I could soak the brown rice also and plan doing that soon to see how it turns out. However, as long as the stove fuel is readily available, what me worry!

The light of the risen moon, albeit not as bright as a parking lot lamppost, but in comparison to the totally dark night sky is more than enough to wake me up during the night. I rise up with the sunglow and drive into the town of Lone Pine, California and stop at a f-mart with WiFi for a cup of coffee and to upload my latest journal entries.

At eight this morning, I go to the Eastern Sierra Interagency visitors center and choose three of the many patches available there, only those ones fully embroidered. Next, I return to Manzanar to do the driving tour and find, to my amazement that the Japanese while incarcerated at this camp built many amazing gardens with ponds and waterfalls, all of which had over the years been filled with wind blown sand and only recently were carefully dug up. In all, there were over 120,000 Japanese American incarcerated in ten camps, all located west of the Mississippi River.

I spend the rest of the day sitting under a shade tree because here in the California desert during March, the temperatures reach the high eighties. As I sit here enjoying the shade, I notice that the wind never seems to quit blowing. At seven pm, I drive back up into the Alabama hills to spend another evening under the desert sky before continuing my journey to the south of California. Methinks, I am just not ready to go to Yucaipa and then leave again and must needs look for summer lodging. I look in my road atlas for an alternative destination and search out possible high elevation locations to go to.

The dayspring begins early after which I begin my day at the f-mart with a cup of coffee along with my Daystart. For a small community, Lone Pine seems to have a constant flow of people coming through town. Methinks that there are much in the way of recreation to attract the many to these parts.

I am enjoying the camping location but both last night and this morning I notice that there is a constant flow of vehicles on the Whidbey Portal and it is not even open to the upper parking area yet. The day is warming up quickly and seek a shady spot while here.

In the late morning, I head south from Lone Pine through the desert on US 395 besieged by cross wind with unbelievably strong gusts. Arriving at Kramer Junction, turn onto state highway 58 to Barstow so that I might have my rear tire looked at. This state highway corridor looks to be the future extension of Interstate 40 from Barstow to the coast. Once at the d-mart, the tire technician first looks for bubbles in the water and when this doesn′t locate the leak, he pulls the tire off of the rim. Upon examining the inside, he tells me that he has found a crack in a belt joint and thinks it is a manufacture defect. He then shows the manager who says to put on a new tire. I have to pay for a new road hazard warranty and balance which comes to $25.00 but that is not to bad for a one hundred dollar plus tire and that is after six months of driving on the old one.

Then continuing in the desert, I take state highway 247 south to Lucerne Valley and connect to state highway 18 driving up into San Bernardino Mountains arriving at Big Bear to stop at a w-mart shortly after four pm to a cold, overcast and wet mountain top at almost 7000 feet elevation; there is even some snow coming down at times here. Then I think that since it is Wednesday, there may be a meeting somewhere nearby and check the internet and find a hall about a half mile from here and to my surprise, the English meeting is tonight. It is now just five pm and there is plenty of time to prepare so, this is where I will be tonight.

Upon getting up I notice that there is crystal drops of ice covering the windshield and I immediately turn on the engine to warm the jammer and defrost the windshield. The sleeping bag kept me toasty all night but there was need to keep my face covered. Then I drive to the w-mart for a cup of coffee and some eggs on a biscuit but then soon return for the ministry meeting.

I work with John and two others and we walk all morning in an area near where his parents live visiting the few neighbors who were home. By noon, I am wayworn and when we return to the hall, I go to the w-mart were I find a comfortable seat.

Awaking just after Sunglow begins, it beginning quite early now and drive to the w-mart which is just two blocks down Big Bear Blvd. Then, I go inside for some coffee and to work on updating the Online Journal Home page. This is one web page that often gets updated because this is where I keep the reader informed as to the progress of the several tasks that I have going in the development of this web site as well as any new features that I have come up with.

At five minutes before nine am, I walk into the Hall for the ministry meeting, of which eight attend. I work primarily with Ron today but there are two sisters in our car group and we work in a area near Boulder Bay Park where the roads are more vertical than anything else. I must be getting into better shape because today I don′t feel so wayworn. After the ministry, I stop at a Mexican restaurant for lunch and afterwards go to the w-mart until seven pm when I retire for the evening.

At first, today repeats yesterday in every aspect except the ministry meeting begins at nine-thirty am and there is a large number who show up. Then, after the ministry, we all sit in the Hall for lunch, tell Bible riddles and laugh. Duane, who, with his wife Sharice, are here from Patterson, New York and they have been invited here to give Bible talks at the Hall, both today at two pm and tomorrow at ten am. I stay for his talk today which is entitled "The Truth, is it In you?" and really enjoy the talk and his demonstrations.

Soon after the meeting, I get into the jammer and leave for Yucaipa, driving on state highway 38 up first to over eight thousand before beginning the descent down to Yucaipa at just under three thousand feet. Upon arriving at Richard and Kim′s home, I let myselƒ in the back gate which Kim, who called earlier to find out when I was arriving, left unlocked for me.

Upon arriving, I repair to the new RV service and plug into the electric to begin charging my batteries. Both of my hosts are away, Richard to work in the city and Kim out to walk there dog Jenny, so I set up my stove to cook my Repast and work on the computer for a while. Both arrive later and except for greeting, we don′t spend much time together. Later, I retire for the evening with much to think and pray about; particularly, if I will make Big Bear my choice for spending the summer.

Since July of last year, I have been trying to find suitable places to where I may spend the two extreme seasons, those seasons being what I call the cold and the hot seasons. ³ Last summer was spent in Yucaipa and that was really too hot for me as I would prefer a place where the occasional high temperatures are in the low eighties. Last winter was spent in League City, Texas and that was not only too cold at times but the temperatures were up and down all winter long. Too, the bay area has way too much wet weather. My constant prayers of late have been for direction to find the right place to live out the seasons and so far, what I have learned, Big Bear area has a very mild summer with very little rain. Also, the friends there are very nice and even though I have turned down the offers for hospitality, several did offer.

I awake after the sunrise; Richard had mentioned that he wants to go for breakfast in the morning but typically, early morning is not his specialty on his day off, so I boil water for a cup of coffee. He does come out to reschedule for tomorrow and goes back inside to get ready for the meeting. I too put my meeting clothes on and soon, we are on our way to the Hall. There are several of the friends that I recognize who also remember me.

Returning to the outback, I begin working on my house cleaning and later cook my Repast using coconut oil after cooking it instead of my spice blend. This turns out very nice and I will be using coconut oil often in the future. This will be my second night here and already the temperature has dropped to the low fifties.

What has been on my mind of late is to go back up to Big Bear and see what develops.

Awake at six-thirty and move up to the co-pilots chair, turn on my computer an play solitaire while waiting for Richard to get up. Not long after, he comes out and we go for breakfast at Paradise Cafe just down Yucaipa Blvd, not far from his home. After we eat, we then drive up to the Nature Conservancy and take a one and a half mile walk, part of which is a steep climb. I tell Richard that I feel good during the walk and after we finish, I still feel alright. Methinks, this is what I need to do more often. In our discussion, we talk about weight loss and Richard mentions that he has heard that to loose weight, it is good not to eat carbohydrates late in the day. I reply that my Repast which includes brown rice has some 45 grams of carbs and that to accommodate the low carb discipline, I would have to stop eating my Repast as the last meal and instead eat it for a midday meal. He concurs. Methinks, now, there is need to rethink my eating habits once again and that for me, this rethinking food is an ongoing task.

Then we return to his home and begin setting up a carport that he purchased last evening. It talks us several hours just to get the poles assembled and standing and Richard appears to be sluggish when I tell him, "Look at the sun, we still have four hours of daylight left, lets get this job done today." He livens up a little and we start putting the cloth over the metal frame. Kim came out and cleans up all of the boxes and trash that we leave on the driveway as we build the carport and with her help, we are able to get the job done before the sun sets.

Next, Richard, Jenny and I go out to eat at a Pho restaurant and to a d-mart to get a blue handled tool. Finally, we return home, both complaining how tired we are from today′s activities and we both hie to our respective beds. I take a alcohol bath and then get into my bed shortly after ten.

At six-thirty am, I drag myselƒ out of the sack, still sore from yesterday, open the jammer, pack out, and head for the w-mart in town for some hot coffee and WiFi. Methinks that since WiFi is available full time here in the outback, why is there need to go out for it? Myselƒ speaks out and answers, "It has a restroom." Methinks, too, that the hot coffee is a plus. Instead here in the outback, I need to set up the kitchen to boil water and since it rained most of the night making the external areas near the Windjammer wet, it is hard, or rather annoying to spread the kitchen gear out on wet grass. Usually, the stove is put on one of my fold-up stools and I sit on the other stool to cook a meal. Depending on the weather, I will eat my meal right there on the stool or if it is cold or otherwise inclement, retire to the co-pilots seat after picking up the kitchen. In the past, I have contemplated purchasing a tarp with poles to bestrew inclement weather when cooking but have not bought it for lack of finding the right one, however, I am still looking.

Richard just called to ask where I am, to which I answer, at the w-mart. He asks if I am sore today also and I tell him that I had to drag myselƒ out of the sack. He then asks if I will be at the meeting tonight and my reply is yes, see you there.

At about eight-thirty this morning, the sun comes out, so I upload today′s journal entries and then drive down from the mountain to Beaumont where the d-mart is located to get a haircut and do some shopping. Afterwards, I carry my groceries out to the jammer, climb in and load the pantry with the new supplies. At two pm I arrive back at the Yucaipa w-mart, have a fetta spinach wrap and continue with my web project.

Then shortly after six pm, I pack out of the w-mart, drive to the hall and dress for the meeting, going inside at a quarter to seven. Several of the friends here know my name and I don′t remember any of their names. Afterwards, I drive to the outback, plug in and get ready for the evening.

In the early sunglow, a crow caws to finds me awake; this day begins with rain and overcast skies. Rather than getting out the stove in the wet, again, I arise and drive to the w-mart to have a cup of hot.

I call to make an appointment with a transmission ar-mart to have my annual inspection, which appointment is set for the morning on eight of this month, so until then, I will spend time in the w-mart doing proof reading of the online journal while adding the connector links in the photo gallery.

After the sunset, I drive to the g-mart, purchase a Caesar salad, add onion and after my supper, retire to the outback to read.

This crow must nest close to the outback for he is getting to be a regular annoyance early in the morning and he must be as glad as I am that the rain has stopped. Even with the area dried up, I still drive to the w-mart because it has one thing the outback doesn′t, a restroom.

During the past several days while sitting here in the w-mart pounding keys, I look up at my surroundings and must needs remind myselƒ that I am not in the League City, Texas w-mart but in southern California at the Yucaipa w-mart. It seems odd to me after spending so much time in the Texas w-marts that here now, I keep feeling that I am still in Texas. At six-thirty I leave to buy some tomatoes and go to the outback to eat a tomato, cucumber and onion salad with oil, vinegar and Parmesan cheese. Then I do some reading before sleep.

Arriving at the w-mart the same time today as I have for the last several days, Kelli, the barista asks me if I get the same drink every morning and I tell her "Yes, it never changes." She says that she will have it ready the next time. Most of the w-marts that I frequent are of the same namesake and I often go to the same mart each day for multiple days. At each location, I wonder how long it will take before someone notices me and remembers my drink. When I give her my gold card I tell her "You could also remember my name." and she looks at my card and says my name.

Earlier, Richard had asked me to chip the limbs from the peach tree that we had cut off last Monday. Before we could build and set up the new car port, we needed to move the old carport to a spot next to the tree. The limbs have been sitting on the ground waiting for me to begin grinding them up and I begin working on them this afternoon. This task takes several hours and when I am done with the chipping, I grab my soap, walk to the water spigot and proceed to take a shower. I leave my shorts on and as I am finishing, Jenny, who has been left in the dog pen, begins to run in circles which indicates that someone has come home. I begin getting dressed while Kim parks her car in the new carport.