Like most years in the recent past, I begin the year in the Valley, that is the Rio Grande Valley at the bottom of Texas. This location has provided a perfect hiatus for the three months of winter, doing so with the exact temperature needs for me at this time of the year.

However, this year, my friend in southern California calls me to ask me to come help him on his projects. I then head west in January across the desert to Hemet, California where I stay for the rest of this year′s winter.

After my stay there, I head north through eastern California, western Oregon and into Washington to renew my vehicle licence plates.

Up late this morning due to not arriving here until after midnight. When I get up, I drive down PR 46, show my Texas Parks pass to the lady in the office, she goes into here station, runs my pass through the computer and comes back with an entrance pass.

Then she says, "You have been here before." to which I answer, "Yes, for the last four years." As I drive away, methinks that it could be that I have been coming since December 2009, but, definitely it has been four years for the hot showers. After my hot shower, I drive to the recreation center and connect to the WiFi to send a couple of text messages.

I awake just before the suntouch, grab my camera an take several photos of the horizon with tall saguaro cactus everywhere.

Up after dayspring but the suntouch has not occurred from my perspective because of being deep in a valley between mountains.

Still, the sunglow is causing a 360 degree color spectacle.

Upon leaving Lava Beds NM and after going over 320,000 miles, the jammer starts to have engine trouble. I endeavor to fix it but it seems that this problem is much worse than can be corrected by replacing parts.

Thus, I spent the next three weeks in much prayer and struggling to keep the jammer running long enough to drive it to Oak Harbor. Then, on the morning of 02 April 2017, I drive onboard the ferry, cross to Whidbey Island and keep the jammer running until arriving in Greenbank, Washington less than twenty miles from Oak Harbor, which is within the towing range of my towing insurance.

Turns out, I will not need to renew my vehicle license plate, which is due by the end of April. Instead, I would be in need of obtaining a new one for the replacement jammer. During the entire three weeks, I keep thanking Jehovah for keeping the 1994 jammer running for over 600 miles.

With the next jammer outfitted, licensed and gassed up, I resume the journey, heading east across the continent.

Up just after dayspring, dress, grab my camera and photograph the sunglow.