HWY #20 TO COALINGA-CA~Diamond In The Rough

August 30th: Was up at 4:30 AM, drinking coffee & doing low-key exercising; I went to bed early last night (before 10 PM), to make sure I'd be up at 6 to be packed up and ready to roll towards Coalinga-CA, around 10- or 11 AM …

Results~1 set.

I've seen much of what we'll be driving through to Hwy #20, so Holland has already been clued in that I'll probably nod off as soon as Betsy's wheels are in motion on the freeway: the freeway hum has always lulled me to sleep.

Coalinga-CA from Tillamook-OR; 12 hr 36 min (804.5 mi) via I-5 S

We're kissing rain goodbye; thank the Lord.

A couple miles into the Hwy #20 cutoff road, I was noticing the landscape, and said, "I have been this way before - I recognize the scenery … and during my widowing yeas of solo lobo adventuring, I've actually thought of this place many times; I just couldn't remember where it was, or how, to get here. We would take this road sometimes after visiting, picking up, or dropping off our granddaughter in Lincoln City-OR. Bob knew I like long drives, so he'd humor me. I'm not clear on why we would take this particular road since it's so far off the beaten trail - and we had no connection at all to Corvallis. But, I'm glad to have been on this road then - and now. Thanks, Holland." Holland said, "I'm pretty sure he took this road because  it's actually shorter for the return trip home, than it would have been to turn around and backtrack up the Oregon coastline back to Longview-WA. He'd be able to knock off at least an hour on the road, by cutting over this road to I-5."

Hwy #20 to Corvallis-OR

Hmm. All I know, is that the memory of this road, has prodded my gray matter from 2019 to 2022; and now, I'm finally back on it.

Different Husband though 👩‍❤️‍💋‍👨

Passing through Eddyville-OR, Holland told me he knows God is chipping away the rough edges to polish him into a diamond finish; so, "don't pay any attention to my spouting off, Baby - I know God's working on cleaning up, and polishing, my rough edges. You & I both know that polishing is never easy. I'm in this thing for the long haul. I know diamonds aren't your thing, but I can guarantee you'll like THIS diamond when I'm smooth and all polished up". 😘

Armored Survival Tactics undermine a love relationship.

Eddyville-OR; Hwy #20

When we started out this morning, we agreed that if the air was pretty clear of wildfire smoke, we'll be stopping twice 🤞 (once in OR, & again, in CA) before we actually reach Coalinga-CA; this would be the best scenario. But, if the air was filled with wildfire smoke in Eugene-OR (there are 2 fires burning in the general area we'll be passing through), we'll drive straight through. We have a space secured in Coalinga, for September 2nd, but Holland thinks we'll be able to slip right into place if we arrive early 🙏

Smoke-haze mucking up the horizon; seen from Hwy. #20-OR

We could taste the pungent odor; Holland made the decision to push on towards CA

FB Post Update

The decision was pretty simple to make driving along Hwy. #20-OR, smelling the heady pitch-burning odor: my nose actually likes the smell of woodfire - but my lungs do not.

The day was beautifully pleasant with sun-warmed scenery & peaceful vibes.

Driving through Canyonville-OR, we turned into the Seven Feathers Rest Area, just off I-5 in Canyonville-OR

Seven Feather locale-OR

The Seven Feathers Rest Area, just off I-5 in Canyonville-OR

I looked across the parking lot, and saw a house nestled in the trees; Canyonville-OR

Hauling Independence's bulk behind Beast Betsy, we were eating time and miles (far more than google predicted), but we were still making good time 😊👌

Wildfire smoke very strong passing thru Grants Pass-OR

I have GOOD Friends.

Nearing CA … smoke haze still pretty thick.

CA's Mt. Shasta; taken before we crossed the OR-CA border. 12 miles from Weed-CA

Ancient Cinder Cone, Black Butte-CA

Black Butte-CA: 

(https://www.usgs.gov/volcanoes/mount-shasta/science/black-butte-domes)

Turntable Bay~Lake Shasta; Holland has swum here.

We reached our destination in the timeframe Holland predicted (992  miles & 16 hours driving time) - and we were a couple days early; so, we sat in Betsy relaxing & enjoying the early morning warmth … and Holland contacted the Park Management to secure a space for the night:

We arrived in Coalinga-CA; the weather is wonderful.

Tentative Plans …

We got one: pulled in, slid the slides out, and fell into bed.

Setting up could wait until later on.

FREEWAY, SYMBOLISM, & 3D BREASTS HUMOR; Eugene-OR

April 9th: It was wet when we pulled stakes in Redding, this morning:

Heavy dew, this morning; Redding-CA

Hooked up & ready to roll …

Deerwood RV Park, Eugene-OR from JGW RV Park, Redding-CA  5 hr 12 min (315.0 mi) via I-5 N

We made good time 👊

I got a new shot of Mt. Shasta 😊

Mt. Shasta-CA

We saw a newly painted rooftop 🦅

Rooftop 'Old Glory' & National symbol, the Eagle; Hornbrook-CA

The American Flag, with its 13 stripes and 50 stars is a powerful symbol of national unity, patriotism, and the ideals of the United States. The American Flag symbolizes the nation's foundation, unity, and ideals of freedom, liberty, and justice: the 13 alternating red and white stripes represent the 13 original colonies that declared independence from Great Britain. The 50 white stars on a blue field represent the 50 states of the Union. 

The flag's design and colors are deeply rooted in American history, representing the struggle for independence and the formation of the nation - it's colors represent America's hard-won freedom.

Red: Symbolizes hardiness, valor, and bravery.

White: Represents purity and innocence.

Blue: Symbolizes vigilance, perseverance, and justice.

The flag is displayed on military uniforms, flown over military bases, carried into battle, and draped over the coffins of those who made the ultimate sacrifice, representing the ideals service men and women are fighting for and defending. 

The Bald Eagle was chosen as the national symbol of the United States in 1782, appearing on the Great Seal, due to its association with strength, freedom, and power, and its unique presence in North America.

The Bald Eagle is the only eagle indigenous solely to North America, adding to its significance as a symbol of the United States. 

Secretary of Congress Charles Thomson finalized the design for the Great Seal in June 1782, incorporating the bald eagle, which exists only on this continent. 

While the bald eagle has long been a symbol of the United States, it was recently officially designated as the national bird in 2024.

The eagle on the Great Seal holds an olive branch and arrows, symbolizing the powers of peace and war, and the shield is "born on the breast of an American Eagle without any other supporters, to denote that the United States of America ought to rely on their own Virtue," according to Charles Thomson, an Irish-born Founding Father of the United States; and secretary of the fledgling American's Continental Congress.

I saw an interesting mountain peak:

Don't know what Mt. peak this is, but I like it ;-)

We saw patches of new green hued roadway along the route …

New, spruce-green asphalt - it's actually eye-appealing.

And when we pulled over in a rest area to eat a quick lunch - I snapped a pic of the mistletoe balls I saw along the entire drive through Grant's Pass:

Mistletoe balls growing in most of the trees of Grant's Pass-OR & another good weather day for traveling.

When we reached our destination in Eugene-OR, I was delighted to see that it is in a forested area with ferns, birdsong … and later on in the evening - frog courting serenades 😊

This country gal will sleep country happy, tonight 😉

This is a very nice Park; & a new memory for both of us; Eugene-OR

On another note … as much as I enjoy giving free rein to my gypsy bone, I have to admit that I'll be glad to be in one place for a while where I won't be stuck indoors because of tempestuous dust devils - I need to trimline my hourglass shape, and I am hoping the PNW climate will allow me to be outside more getting some walking in; I do have a stepper, but with my lungs messed up due to the dustings, I have not been able to utilize it. The weight gained is starting to be hurtful.

I have gained back all that weight lost during widowhood, and I am not happy about that. I have little to no waist; and my boobs and butt are pulling my curvaceous figure in separate directions, causing discomfort with my spine & joints.

Ideally a 40 pound weight loss would be a doctor's recommendation … but knowing me as I do, a 20 pound weight loss seems a more realistic goal; I'll grab at 30, if that's a remote possibility.

Holland is a boob man, so he's a little concerned about my hoped for weight loss. I've lost significant weight before (many times) over the decades, but the boobs have remained stable from age 40, forward. But, wanting to put my new husband's mind at ease … I thought I'd go online a see what a 30 pound shearing off would mean breast-wise. According to {science}, "breast tissue is approximately 80% water". I don't know about that - my 68 yo breasts are pretty meaty … hefty meaty: they are fricking heavy, not swishy soft. I have literal grooves worn into the tops of my shoulders; and because I lift weights, my shoulders aren't all that soft, either.

If I don't wear a bra, there's really no problem - but, when I am out in public, I need to strap the boulder holder on; and that's when the discomfort kicks in.

On a lark, I thought I'd research just how heavy each one weighed; I know they are heavy - my shoulders and back testify to that fact; but just how heavy are they?

I typed into the research bar, How much does a DDD breast size weigh? I burst out laughing when I read: "The average pair of DDD breasts weighs between 15 and 23 pounds. To put this into perspective, this is the equivalent of carrying around two small turkeys on your chest every day. For some women losing 20 pounds will make them one cup size smaller."

IF by some divine miracle I can actually shave 30 pounds off my petite frame, I could live quite happily with a simple, scaled-back, D size: and my aching back and sore shoulders will be graciously thankful 😁 

Well, I've baked small turkeys and I've baked roasting chickens: a Foster Farms roasting young chicken typically weighs between 10 and 12 pounds … and I'm thinking that is closer to my actual breast size - of course, if you get a Vegas implant doctor, you can modify as large as you want. But, I have not had, nor did I ever need modification, my naturally organic "roaster chicken" sized breasts are plenty heavy enough.

I was laughing so hard thinking of these computations in reference to bra size, that when I was reaching in the freezer to haul out the roaster chicken for comparison, Holland was probably wondering if perhaps my day had been too long (I was laughing that hard) - but when I could finally catch my breath long enough to rein the laugher in, and told him what I was doing, he joined me in laughter 😂🤣

But honestly, in all seriousness, I am seriously going to trimline my shape - assuring my husband that regardless of how much fat I manage to trim off his little curvy banty hen, "there will still be plenty of breast meat to satisfy us both" 😉

Left = 22 months of married life~Winter 2024; Right = 2 years before married life~Summer 2021. My goal is to be where I was weight-wise, in 2021, again.

REDDING-CA to LONG BEACH-WA

April 14th: Last night we nipped into a Rest Stop in Corning-CA, and slept a couple hours; it was a cold and wet night.

This morning, we checked into an RV Park in Redding for the night - basically so we would have heat; neither of us can afford to come down with a cold; we left Betsy hooked to Independence, because we were not staying more than a few hours.

The roads were so bad Saturday; that we had pulled over at sundown, and spent the night in a Rest Stop, in Corning-CA

Corning-CA from Barstow-CA; 8 hr. 2 min (524 miles) via CA-99 N and I-5 N

Choosing to look on the 'positive side' of things, when we woke up; Corning-CA

I pulled my Tablet out, and did a local RV Park search: Holland called the closest one to our immediate location, and we were registered on the spot … no online registration required, and no 45-minute background grilling :-)

We were thanking Elohim that we had been able to find an RV Park that could accommodate us on such short notice - the Park Hostess was very friendly, and secured a space for us without grilling us like we are criminals on the run.

It was a very nice Park: Elohim had lovingly blessed us :-)

JGW RV Park; #6612 Riverland Dr, Redding, CA

This was a very nice RV Park ;-)

We settled in for the night: the furnace was turned on, I cooked Supper, and Holland went online to plan our route westward …

Temperature today; the rain and winds made it feel like 35-degrees!

The 6 Passes we'll be crossing, tomorrow morning.

********************

April 15th: This morning, we pulled stakes and aimed to be in WA by nightfall.

Heading Westward …

Long Beach-WA from Redding-CA; 8 hrs. 26 min (525.6 mi) via I-5 N

It was a nice, colorful drive to view Mt. Shasta - lots of new green growth on trees and bushes, patches of california poppies, and pretty purple flowering bushes the color of old-fashioned lilacs. The air was crisp, but I didn't mind. I like the feel, and refreshing smell, of mountain air :-)

Lake Shasta: 

(https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shasta_Lake)

Holland remembers when Lake Shasta was severely depleted.

Lake Shasta Drought: 

(https://www.redding.com/story/news/2021/09/28/lake-shasta-water-level-so-low-docks-dry-its-going-get-worse-in-2021-drought-second-worst-year/5903187001/)

Pretty, colorful bush along the highway.

Holland says we drove thru here, before; I must have been sleeping.

I laughed when Holland quipped, "This is the first time I've driven through here, in the day time."

I laughed because I know he prefers (as most men do) to travel quickly and more relaxed, in the early morning hours; or the evening hours: there isn't much to see but the white lines on the highway, when daylight fades to twilight … or before the cock crows before sunrise.

Plus, he was jetting from job site to job site: sight-seeing wasn't a high priority with him until we married in 2023 ;-)

I also laughed because he mentioned that we'd been over this same stretch of road together 5 times with Betsy & Independence - and I don't remember a single time, because he drove in the evening hours, and during those times I was either sleeping … or it was pitch black and I couldn't see a thing beyond the dash light glow; so, I'm glad we are passing through here in daylight hours - and I will finally get to see Holland's favorite; Mt. Shasta :-)

There she is! Holland's favorite mountain; Mt. Shasta-CA ;-)

Poking her head out from the creeping cloud shroud …

Mount Shasta-CA: 

(https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_Shasta)

Mount Eddy-CA

(https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_Eddy)

A little bit of snow …

The weekend 'chain up!' mandate was totally unnecessary …

Oh!

This was eye-catching … Holland says this is called 'Black Butte' -  another view of Mount Shasta.

Beautiful!

Black Butte: (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_Butte_(Siskiyou_County,_California))

Dierks Bentley - 'Gold' Lyric Video: 

(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jYf1qjiGeGk)

I noticed as we drove along, that there were markers placed along the shoulders that read "Historic Highway #99"; I know what Historic Route #66 is, but Highway #99 is something new to me … so, I asked Holland about the sign ;-)

When he told me that his mother would pile all the kids - and luggage - into the car and drive from Kelso-WA to Texas (of course his father would fly the skies, free as a bird :-( ); or wherever his Father decided to eventually abandon his wife and kids … my respect for Ruth grew.

I wish I had been able to meet her; she sounds like a worthy woman. Everyone Holland knows & I have met, speak very highly of her. On the other hand … they have nothing good or kind, to say about his Father, Jerry.

And that is why Holland did not reveal his paternal sir name to me, even though I repeatedly asked: I literally did not know his actual last name until we were in Reno-NV getting married ;-)

Holland and I have a lot in common when it comes to fathers, malicious relatives, and sketchy childhoods: I don't talk a lot about my family branches, either - and the only people on my side of the aisle that Holland has ever met, is my SIL Merry … and my Granddaughter, Alyna. That will probably never change.

Historic #99 - Holland explained it to me ;-)

Kudos to Holland's Mother, who drove this highway for years - with 6 kids!

Holland telling me about Highway #99 - before the freeway was laid.

Ford LTD Station Wagon similar to what Holland remembers.

1970 Lincoln Continental Town Car; similar to the one Ruth drove.

Remembering both vehicles …

Holland didn't care much for the 1973 Chevy Caprice … nor for the way his Mother was treated.

1973 Chevy Caprice; similar to what Ruth drove.

My promise to my husband - and everything marriage vows entail.

The sting of a father's rejection - and malicious lies gossiped about among relatives, hurts for a lifetime; Elohim brought us together to heal each other, with love - agape love, when other love is struggling.

'Lakewood' says it all; Holland's family religion is definitely Vineyard ;-( Holland and I do not share the same outlook on Christianity; we agree to disagree - and studiously avoid vineyard arguments.

Holland is able to provide background insights about places, that most people do not have knowledge of: he has worked in, lived in … and horsed around in … most of the States from Louisiana & Oklahoma across ALL the States, from Texas straight up to Canada (and once across the border to work in Canadian oil fields) - and across half of America to the West Coast; 18 States that I know of, and probably more.

I enjoy hearing him talk about these places we travel through; his remembrances are enlightening background information - he has first-hand & 1-on-1 personal experience of things you can't learn from books, political leanings, or tourist brochures.

Holland literally makes the best traveling companion: a few years ago, when I seriously decided to start this traveling journey - I had petitioned Elohim for someone to tour the USA with … and He delivered :-)

I am thankful that Elohim gives ear to me.

I am thankful that Holland is in my Life.

I'm glad Holland is agreeing to take the time to relax, and see all the beautiful scenery with me - that he previously missed when he drove through these places as a solo lobo :-)

Holland pointed this metal sculpture out to me, as we drove by; Montague-CA

Siskiyou Summit-OR

Siskiyou Summit: 

(https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siskiyou_Summit)

I like this little rocky hill, in Dunbar Gulch-OR; the rocky top looks like it has been crowned with a natural ornamental diadem. LOL

I have been faithful to use my Peak Flow Meter Reader - and my emergency inhaler when needed (I don't want to put Holland through another harrowing and intense situation); before we hit the road this morning, it read 350 … so, I sucked down 4 puffs, to be repeated every 4 hours if the reading was still in the cautionary zone.

It was a little after noon when we drove through Dunbar Gulch, and I noticed that we had dropped below 2,000 ft. in elevation: I was breathing well, but blew into the Meter Reader anyway to assure my husband.

WHOPPIE! 600, on the nose (a good reading) - no need to use the inhaler :-)

Coming into Portland-OR & the Portland Aerial Tram.

Portland Aerial Tram: 

(https://www.gobytram.com/)

I do not like concrete jungle cities … Portland-OR

Light Rail MAX/Portland-OR: 

(https://trimet.org/max6/)

Downtown skyline; Portland-OR

Holland worked on that gray building; he had to walk a mile EA way from a parking garage to the work site.

Holland worked on this building for 9 months - this building is situated on a steep incline; Holland had to walk a half a mile EA way, from the parking garage to the work site … carrying his tools, lunch cooler, ect. up and down that steep incline. Holland parked at PSU Parking Lot (his Union paid for his Work Pass).

I can't even imagine: his tools are heavy; the street is steep.

Campus Apartments.

People living in the City, like canned sardines … I do not like Portland-OR; I feel about Portland, as Holland does about CA ;-)

This Victorian era house sits on it's own corner island, with roadways surrounding it.

Leaving Portland - and rush hour traffic behind …

Instant relief.

Long Beach-WA from Portland-OR; 2 hr. 14 min (111.2 mi) via US-26 W, US-26 W and US-101 N

We both like seeing the St. John's Bridge, come into view ;-)

St. Johns Bridge-OR: 

(https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St._Johns_Bridge)

Then, we were in Long Beach-WA, setting up and relaxing :-)

Enjoying the 'Good Life'.

Decisions for future journeys, will be made here; physical abilities concerning both of us will be major points considered - Holland will be getting 2 more cortisone knee injections soon, and possibly a mini oxygenizer he can use at high altitudes.

I have an upcoming eye exam scheduled; and I'm considering a visit to my Dr. about asthma flareups, and angina frequency (basically for Holland's benefit). Neither are curable conditions, and I've come to peaceful mindset about both conditions - but I am no longer a solo lobo, and my husband's concerns must be considered.

We'll be WA at least until the middle of June; the rest is in Elohim's hands - and right now, it looks like a crap shoot.

Proverbs 16:33 = "The lot is cast into the lap, but its every decision is from the LORD" (a) We may throw the dice, but the LORD determines how they fall (b) Make your motions and cast your votes, but God has the final say.