VISALIA-CA TO LONG BEACH-WA; A Long & Winding Roadtrip

We pulled stakes in Visalia-CA Thursday morning, and headed north.

Holland was looking like a pirate - he had called Bleu into the bedroom Tuesday morning and got Bleu so excitedly frisky that Bleu raked him across his right cheek with a sharp claw. When I saw it, I asked, "Did you spank him, so he doesn't do it again?" Holland said, "No, because he didn't do it on purpose." And I replied, "That's why I don't let him near my face when he gets on the bed with me … he's still a rambunctious puppy." Holland put peroxide on the scratch, but it worried me because Holland's skin if fragile and he bleeds easily due to his medications.

It was raining when we left and CA … and raining when we touched down in WA: it has been a very wet, very cold winter for us snowbirds who had hoped for more sunshine than we experienced.

I'm arriving back in the PNW as pale as I left this Fall.

Holland is arriving back here in as much pain as he had when we left for a warmer climate. He was in burning pain when we left Visalia and had hoped to stop many times along the route, but an incoming winter storm urged him onward; and Elohim's hand on him kept him from screaming in anguish.

There were many memories he had shared with his brothers Scott, and Steve (nicknamed, Tito), along the route: and when we came to the towns and cities where they had worked together on several construction jobs, he told me stories about those times. They are good memories. The death of Tito is still hard on Holland.

We 3 are on the road again …

Redding-Ca from Visalia-CA; 5 hr. 40 min (372.5 mi) via CA-99 N and I-5 N

Redding-CA is today's goal.

We'll be wrapping things up in WA quickly, to get back to Laton-CA by March 15th.

Modesto-CA; Holland lived here for 6 years. 11:35 AM

Modesto-CA from Visalia-CA; 2 hr. 3 min (136.3 mi) via CA-99 N

Holland claims he is a country boy - but he really likes big city living.

I had prayed that Elohim would give Holland peace of mind and ease of pain on this journey … and that He would send our guardian angels to walk beside our vehicle (1 on each side: like logging crews do to help the crummy driver, on foggy mornings: a 'crummy' is the vehicle transporting loggers to the work site) to get us safely through whatever was before us. It was raining, sometimes heavily - and snow was in the forecast prediction, somewhere along the route northward.

Heart-shaped clouds were everywhere I looked: both sides of Betsy ;-)

Heart clouds started showing up as we passed thru Ripon-CA

Ripon-CA from Modesto-CA; 14 min (11.8 mi) via CA-99 N

A DOUBLE HEART cloud!

I've never seen SO MANY heart clouds in one area - Elohim's loving care was very evident ;-)

I was glad Elohim was covering us with His love in a big way - a bit further down the road (between Galt-Ca & Ione-CA), a car filled to capacity jumped in front of us … fish-tailed wildly, and nearly sputtered to a dead stop in front of us! Betsy was doing the speed limit, which is 55 for us hauling our big 5th wheel (and Independence carries a 15,000-lb. payload fully loaded: we are fully loaded): flashbacks of our near-hit episode in Long Beach earlier this year, flashed before my widening eyes - if that driver did not get his car under control and up to speed, we would run right over it: Holland braked cautiously because of the rain, but there was no way we could avoid a direct hit if that car stalled. Even at a reduced speed, the contact would have been disastrous. The driver did not try to control his car - instead he jetted across the two left-side lanes and nearly caused a wreck over there. Thankfully, no one was pulled into a death scene :-(

Freeway drivers make me nervous - thank God,  Holland is driving.

August 29th, 2023 Blog Post: HOQUIAM-WA ~ Our Morning Miracle-Bleu's Afternoon Exploration (https://roadgypsiesvalandholland.blogspot.com/2023/08/aberdeen-wa-our-morning-miracle-bleus.html)

The road was very rough along the Sacramento route (no matter what lane you use), and the drivers were very rude: tail-gating, hand gesturing, road-hogging, and road rage is the theme of the traffic there.

I am glad Holland is a calm driver, with a clear head and a controlled response.

A loving reminder that Elohim is keeping His eye on us ;-) Galt-CA

Thank You, God!

Galt~CA

Sacramento-CA from Galt-CA; 29 min (26.8 mi) via CA-99 N

Another double cloud, along Hwy 99; Holland spent a lot of his childhood & young adult life on this 'old freeway'; I'm lovin' the show of love ;-) Sacramento-CA

Sacramento-CA; Holland had worked here quite a bit. 12:57'noon

Happily traveling along, laughing-talking-intermediately petting Bleu's furry little head … Holland noticed that we were climbing in elevation instead of traveling across flat terrain: we had missed our turn. Holland was not happy (we had burned precious time going in the opposite direction) that the road crew had taken the road sign down while they fiddled around with whatever they were sent to do. So, we turned around and I surfed my Tablet seeking an alternate route; I had lost cell signal, but the Tablet connection was still strong. Alternate route directions led us along a rural route with pastoral scenery … and another narrow "miss" - this time involving a semi truck. Thank the Lord, Elohim sets us "as the apple of His eye" ;-)

Eventually the Tablet connect frizzled; so, Holland tried his phone. It worked (my spendy Apple Phone, still did not). His phone connection stayed strong as he gingerly aimed Betsy & Independence through my happy patches of rural delight: these are also places Holland has never been, so my heart was happy to be experiencing these places "for the first time", together. I like that we are making first time memories as we build our Life together that includes some building on - and restructuring of Past memories.

Rerouted to a rural bypass road - Holland felt a migraine coming on.

CA-193W leading to Old Hwy #65 … not where Holland would like to be; but close enough to stop his migraine: and a rural want was granted to me by a reroute not wanted ;-)

We passed a semi-truck barreling towards us with front tires IN OUR LANE … Holland accepted that happenstance as a divine answer to his prayer: I was thankful for Elohim's divine hand of protection.

Lincoln-CA; my rural fix for the Day ;-)

Lincoln-CA: 

(https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lincoln,_California)

If Elohim allows it, I want to come back here when we get the slide-in camper, and explore Placer County.

Passing through on our way out of town, a large building operation caught my eye, and I recognized the Business Name (McBean) as a Family Name connected to Bob's mother's side of the Family Branches; so I snapped off a pic, and researched it later on; to pass to Michelle for her genealogy collection.

Charles Gladding, along with Peter McGill McBean and George Chambers, established Gladding-McBean in 1875. Its original product was clay sewer pipe. By 1883, the company had grown to 75 employees, and it then evolved into a major manufacturer of architectural terra-cotta: everything I have viewed online was beautifully crafted artistic pieces of work.

In 1976 Interpace Corp. "announced their intention to cease operations at the Lincoln plant" where Gladding, McBean began. Pacific Coast Building Products then purchased the Lincoln factory and restored the historic name of Gladding, McBean, which remains in business today.

McBean Building; Bob's Family History, for Michelle.

Gladding-McBean: (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gladding,_McBean & https://www.gladdingmcbean.com/,  https://goldcountrymedia.com/news/42510/the-way-of-clay-a-brief-history-of-gladding-mcbean/; Peter McGill McBean: https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/176735164/peter-mcgill-mcbean, https://www.ancestry.com/genealogy/records/peter-mcgill-mcbean-24-rq0yf3, https://gmcb.com/franciscan_archive/index.php/library/historical-timeline-of-franciscan/, Franciscan Ceramics: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Franciscan_Ceramics)

CA Hwy #65 from Lincoln-CA; 13 min (11.5 mi) via Old Hwy 65 and CA-65 S

CA Hwy #65; along this route, there was a lot of zig-zagging to finally reach Redding-CA

CA State Route #65: 

(https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/California_State_Route_65)

Traveling along Hwy #65, we passed through Wheatland-CA, which is marked as a truck route: again, a very rural community.

Holland had bit his tongue pretty hard a few nights ago when he was night owling, and it was pretty tender; but he thought he might be able to eat some soft burrito's, so while he bought some diesel in Wheatland-CA … I walked across the way to Taco Bell, glad he was finally going to be swallowing more than ice cream and popsicles. Taco Bell may not be the most nutritious food - but it is more substantial for his body, than the sugary goodies he'd been feeding into it.

Wheatland-CA from Lincoln-CA; 13 min (11.4 mi) via Old Hwy 65 and CA-65 N

Holland filled Betsy's thirsty tank, while I walked over to Taco Bell for some soft lunch foods.

We drove through Marysville, known as "California's Oldest Little City," that was originally envisioned as a major metropolis. The city was founded Jan. 18, 1850, as tens of thousands of gold miners and merchants and capitalists flocked to the region in the days of the Gold Rush.

Marysville is an historic Gold Rush town in California's Central Valley. When Marysville was a hub of gold mining activity, it was one of California's largest cities with a futuristic view of unlimited possibilities - with high ambitions to be the New York of the Pacific.

Marysville-CA; I love driving thru these old towns, off the beaten track.

Marysville-CA: 

(https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marysville,_California)

Historic 'skyscraper' Hart Building.

Hart Building, Marysville-CA:

 (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hart_Building_(Marysville,_California))

Older part of town; Marysville-CA

The State Theatre, Marysville-CA: 

(https://cinematreasures.org/theaters/8924)

The Ghost Train (1927) MOVIE: 

(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PnAILZwU-zo)

Stopping and gawking with Independence is not feasible; plus a winter storm is brewing. We gotta keep moving.

Leaving Marysville, I saw a pretty impressive brick compound - a school district headquarters.

Marysville Joint Unified School District: 

(https://vimeo.com/ HYPERLINK "https://vimeo.com/834507907")

When we reached Redding-CA, we holed up for about an hour at a Rest Stop there. When we woke from our short snooze, Holland said a winter storm was brewing, and ready to dump more rain, snow, and bitter cold wind gusts along the route we needed to take to get to WA for his doctor appointment on the 20th; so we continued forward. He wanted to get over all the Passes along the route, before midnight. So far, we were pretty much on schedule - later than he had wanted to be, but not as late as to be overly concerning.

Herbert S. Miles Safety Rest Stop Northbound in Red Bluff, CA; we snugged in among the parked semi's, and napped for about an hour before hitting the road again. 4:46 PM

Holland has decided to push on towards Medford-OR to avoid the incoming winter storm.

Update on the Passes - Grants pass & the Siskiyou Pass.

Even with that short nap back in Redding, I could not stay awake to save my soul (the boredom of the freeway, and the whine of whirling tires puts me out), so when I woke and asked how soon we'd be going over the first of the Passes, Holland said, "We've already gone through the first while you slept - be thankful you were asleep; the road was slick, so there was pea gravel spread on it. But it was still interesting towing Independence through there." I asked, "Isn't it kinda dangerous to put pea gravel down instead of sand or deicing formula? The rock could be kicked up and break windshields." He said, "Yeah, that true; but what else should they do? Sand and deicer would be washed away with this heavy rainfall." Truth. Can't argue that.

We had made it over the Passes before midnight - and with no snow. Elohim had been merciful, and we were thankful.

Redding-CA to Medford-OR

Siskiyou Pass-OR & Grants Pass-OR:

 (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siskiyou_Mountains & https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grants_Pass,_Oregon)

Shasta/Siskiyou Region-CA:  (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_Shasta,_California)

It was pitch black nightfall when we stopped in Ashland for some road munchies and went over the Siskiyou Pass. The temperatures were warming up as we made Portland around 2 AM, so Holland said, "How about we drive through to Rainier-OR, and pull over to park in the church parking lot, there?" He had been driving practically straight hours with one short rest period: YES, rest please!

Relatively easy passage through the Siskiyou Pass …

By the time we pulled over in Rainier-OR, we'd been on the road for 17 hours/30 minutes & 864 miles traveled. We slept in Betsy's cab for 3 hours before pulling out onto the highway towards Astoria-OR - and onward to Long Beach-WA, where we had been invited weeks ago to park and hole up while in WA, to take care of business there :-)

Rainier-OR from Ashland-OR; 5 hr. 22 min (336.9 mi) via I-5 N

Moving on after a brief stop in Ashland-OR …

Portland-OR, around 2 AM

When we woke up, we debated driving onward over Ocean Beach Highway-WA, or Hwy #30 through Astoria-OR - I said both are dicey this time of year: landslides on the KM, on the WA side of the Columbia River … and road washouts along Hwy #30, with wild waves and high ocean winds on the Megler-Astoria Bridge we needed to cross to get to Long Beach on the WA side.

Thoughts of crossing that horrible, dangerous bridge, during stormy weather gave me more concern than the possible risks on the WA side :-(

Astoria-OR from Rainier-OR; 58 min (48.2 mi) via US-30 W

Long Beach-WA from Astoria-OR; 30 min (19.1 mi) via US-101 N

Elohim was faithful, and merciful - and we got to Long Beach with no heart-stopping complications. I called David to let him know we were back in WA, headed towards his property: he said the sand there might be too soft with all the rainfall … but if we thought it was okay, he'd see us there next week. Holland walked in, and checked the ground out - and we were set up by 9:20 AM; and peacefully sawing zzz's for a few hours ;-)

Breezy trees in Long Beach. 8:55 AM

Set up & so ready to snooze a couple hours away ;-)

We'd been 20 hours in the truck: and Holland had driven 937 miles with burning pain in knees and shoulders - hopefully that pain will get some  relief with cortisone shots on the 20th. There are days it is unbearable, and this cold wet weather that has had the south, as well as the north, in a death grip has not been kind to my kind-hearted, loving husband.

I am hoping his doctor can provide some kind of relief from the unrelenting pain that torments his body, before we head back to Laton-CA to meet and greet cousins … and bask in the love that flows freely and warms Holland's heart, there :-)

POST THIN TONING EXERCISES~My Senior Exercise Plan 2024; #8/Visalia-CA

There is another article out that claims fat causes cancer. Hmmm. I’ve known people as thin as a rail that have been struck with cancer, so obviously cancer isn’t particular about what size body it chooses to strike. Am I worried? Not particularly – I’m not fat … I’m menopausal, and according to several articles submitted by doctors, menopause takes women on a roller-coaster ride for roughly 10 or 15 years before things start mellowing out; I figure I’m well over 2/3’s through the gauntlet without estrogen supplements WHICH WILL GIVE A PERSON CANCER.

I have tried dieting to no avail.

I have skipped meals with no discernable notations that would lead to serious and joyful celebrating.

I eat healthy foods and cook health conscious meals.

No matter what I do, that spare tire just will not go away!

And the Dolly Parton boobs I longed for in my younger years? They finally decided to blossom now that I am over the hill with an aging back that groans under the weight.

Despite being heftier at this time in my life than I have ever been at any time in my life, the angel of encouragement on my right shoulder tells me that I am not fat, just ‘post-thin’. But giving the devil's advocate on my left shoulder his due, I’ll concede that perhaps I am fatter than I need to be … but even if the menopausal fluff refuses to go away, I can tone that fatty mass. Hopefully, I'll be able to successfully harness those rebellious fat cells, and get back into a balanced weight zone by 2027 … the 15 year "menopausal mellowing out" era of my life ;-)

Meanwhile, I'll take refuge in the Spirit that whispers to my heart that Scripture says, “All the fat is the Lord’s” (Leviticus 4:16b KJV).

Amen! And I rest my case 😉

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

Our Independence has a spare bunk room that I use as my She-Cave, where I can do my exercises, crafts, and draft posts: I am thankful Elohim blessed us with this Home where I can tone my body without disrupting Holland's time in the livingroom area :-)

Still keeping things 'light' ;-)

I like this musician … his tunes set the perfect tempo for a good workout :-)

Ed Sheeran Best Song Playlist 2022: 

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

15 Minute Senior Strength Workout w-Weights: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HLdcBgl35u4

*STRENGTH~My Senior Exercise Plan 2024; #7/Quartzsite-AZ https://roadgypsiesvalandholland.blogspot.com/2024/02/my-senior-exercise-plan-2024.html

THE MOST DANGEROUS TIME IN {PRESENT} HISTORY – The Olive Tree Ministries

I don't support Calvary Chapel 100% because some chapels have gone off the rails and embrace the vineyard heresy - BUT I have listened to Jan's broadcast for decades, and find her to be balanced in what she shares.

I am a Christian, a Messianic Christian, but I don't automatically go to services just because it's expected of me as a Christian: I fellowship where Elohim's Word is honored, Yeshua's teaching is practiced, and the Ruach HaKo'desh is welcomed - THAT is where I fellowship. It is very difficult to find a house of worship that is as balanced as it should be.

I am picky about where I fellowship; Holland says I'll "never find a perfect place"; I'm not looking for {perfect}, I'm looking for balance. I have to endure the worldly nonsense 6 days out of every week … I want that 1 day a week where Elohim is to be honored TO HONOR HIM. I don't think that is "expecting too much".

If a minister speaks only of the Gospels and declines to speak of prophecy - I don't fellowship there.

If a minister speaks only of prophecy and omits the Gospels - I don't fellowship there.

If a minister refuses to include the WHOLE Scriptures (excludes the Old Covenant/Testament) - I don't fellowship there.

If a minister teaches that "God has abandoned the Jews, and replaced them with the Church" - I don't fellowship there.

If a minister teaches that a woman's place is under a man's thumb - I don't fellowship there.

If a minister teaches the obamanite ABC alternate lifestyle and the blm woke terrorism - I don't fellowship there.

If a minister is focused on politics, and works a personal preference into his "message" - I don't fellowship there.

If the church leadership panders to the teens with a rock concert atmosphere … and totally ignores the adults & elderly among them - I don't fellowship there.

If the church leadership weaves pagan practices into their "ministry structure" in order to instill a wrong spirit in the Body (palm reading, head reading, soaking rooms, angel worship, UFO, Sasquatch & Nephilim obsession's) - I don't fellowship there.

If the church leadership decides those who tithe gets special privilege's and attention … and everyone else gets snubbed and "isn't saved" (meaning their salvation status, according to the leadership, depends on how much $$$ they fork out) - I don't fellowship there.

If the church leadership places political pamphlets, promotional business sales items (books, music & teaching CD's, prayer shawls, ect.) in the Sanctuary - I don't fellowship there.

If I notice that people only fill the pews when it's Potluck Sunday (in other words, they are not there to be fed the Word of God, they are there to fill their greedy bellies with free food) - I don't fellowship there.

And when I shop, I shop as my conscious leads: if stores promote obamanite wickedness (and funnels their gains to promote the obamanite agenda), I don't shop there. I may not find everything I want at other stores, but when I hand my $$$ over, I can enjoy what I have bought with a clear conscious.

It may sound like my Life is spartan - it isn't. Elohim always makes sure I get what I need, when I need it 😉

When you honor Him - He will honor you.

SUPERBOWL GATHERING~Laton-CA

February 11th: Neither Holland, nor I, are football fans … but most people are; so, the gathering at Kelly's house today was focused on (and centered around) Superbowl Sunday.

The whole family would be gathered, so I dolled up a bit: not too much, but some.

(Left) Sparkly Maybelline Designer Chocolates; (Right) Sparkly Cover Girl Fard Accents.

Glittery Profusion Chocolates - 'Lionheart'; Brow Gel; Mascara; Lipstick for blush & tinted Burt's Bees Lipgloss.

MDChocolates sparkly 'Cream' for browline; CGFAccents sparkly 'Pale Pink for entire eye shadow; 'Rose' for  eyelid color; 'Brown' for both eye liners; PChocolates glittery 'Lionheart' for inner eyelid accent; 'Auburn' Brow Gel; 'Deep Violet' Mascara.

Revlon Lipstick 'Primrose' for Blush, & 'Rose' tinted Burt's Bees Lipgloss; dressed for outdoor face-to-face; Guess - Seductive Red Perfume.

A quick twirl of the hot curling iron and I'm walking out the door …

We drove to Wal*Mart to pick up a sheet cake to take with us: we also grabbed a quick hotdog on Lover's Lane :-)

Leaving the street we currently have Independence parked at, we noticed horse trailers and cowboys on horses in the parking lot of a feed barn … but we were surprised to see people riding their horses down main highways. In California (!) of all places. Bleu started barking his head off, but the horses were very well behaved and didn't startle. What did startle me though, was seeing a toddler seated behind the saddle horn of his mother's horse - I don't think that was very wise given they were riding their horses down the highway where anything could happen: they had control of their mounts, but I have ridden a horse on a main roadway and know horses (no matter how well trained) can get antsy & skittish on a highway.

The family gathering at Kelly's was fun: and Brenda is planning a Family Reunion in March, following Holland's Dr. appointment, and my eyes exam, so we'll be coming back this way again real soon. We are looking forward to seeing Holland's beekeeper cousin from Colorado - he'll be coming to California to collect his bee hives that are pollinating the orchards here, now … we left around 4:30 PM, and then Holland took me to see the main Meyer Ranch he spent time at, when he was a kid (his mother's sister Immajean - Brenda's mother, was married to George - the Uncle we visited with yesterday); this particular visit had been planned before we even started being Road Gypsies, so I'm glad this Bucket List Wish was a "touch down" :-)

Horses! There were people riding horses all over the place, this morning.

Venice Hills and the entire Sierra Nevada foothills, east of Vasilia-CA

Venice Hills; Visalia-CA:

 (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Venice_Hills#:~:text=The%20Venice%20Hills%20are%20a,streams%20running%20through%20the%20area.)

Freaking out flip-flop …

Wienerschnitzel Breakfast: #1400 E Noble Ave, Visalia, CA

Holland got 2 Corn Dogs & I got the Kraut Dog; Chili-cheese Fries - not what I expected, but they were tasty ;-)

A golden leafed tree; the leaves look like pressed gold coins.

Heart-shaped rock in the Wal*Mart parking lot; Visalia-CA

Holland stopped at a small store at a junction leading to Laton, and came out to the truck with a treat for me; he always lets me know he's always thinking of me ;-)

In Layton-CA, we met Brenda & Jeff at the corner junction and followed them to Kelly's house …

The Deck where everyone was congregated - it was an impressive thing.

The backyard layout is beautifully set up, and the deck overlooks the canal.

This is a place Holland knows; this was Benda's Bridal home - now passed to her daughter Kelly & husband Eric.

I think I'll skip the sauce; LOL

Portuguese Donuts are akin to Czechoslovakian Crullers.

Filozes Portuguese Donuts Recipe:

 (https://www.farmgirlgourmet.com/2012/03/filozes-portuguese-donuts.html) & Old-Fashioned Cruller Recipes: (https://www.homemade-dessert-recipes.com/old-fashioned-cruller-recipe.html)

Fried in hot cooking oil …

And rolled in granulated sugar. YUM!

Brenda's first husband Tommy, was Portuguese; Holland went to school with the older adults here - he knows everyone.

Brenda's husband, Jeff.

I love this man - he's so good for me in so many ways.

The Meyer Laton Ranch; Holland spent a lot of time here, growing up. The little cabin is where all the boys slept - and all the boys have funtime memories of their time spent together there. I love listening to their phone convo's :-)

This was Brenda's childhood home.

Texas Longhorn cattle …

The Meyer Layton Ranch was pretty expansive & Holland loved his time spent here; he talks of this place and his Uncle and cousins with great love.

Sunset tonight; Visalia-CA

*TIES THAT BIND~Hanford-CA & Laton-CA Post: https://roadgypsiesvalandholland.blogspot.com/2024/02/ties-that-bindhanford-ca-laton-ca.html