Yosemite reflections

I wrote this piece below while sitting by the campfire in the Sierra Nevadas, the night before we left to travel home. It was a time of reflection. A time of peace and fulfillment. Yosemite, in all of its glory causes one to give pause, give thanks, and to think about the future.

So, at 62 years old, it is all about legacy. I am no longer productive. I am not going to work this year. I have signed up for Social Security. I am now a burden to society. Am I going to slide out, let the government take care of me, or am I going to continue to do something that leaves a lasting and positive legacy? Is it for my children? My community? My country? My planet? My grandchildren? Is it that I want them to remember who Grandpa Norm was? What can I leave behind so that they, especially my grandchildren, can remember me as a productive person?

Sitting by the fire, in the Sierra Nevadas, at four thousand feet, the campfire does not distract from the stars above. The only noise is the occasional airplane at 30,000 feet. I am not so sure that John Muir would be proud of me. I would like him to be. He is one of those persons that I would most like to talk to, around this fire. Muir is right there with Jesus, John Adams, Madison, Lincoln, Gandhi, Mohammad, Buddha, Bush, now President Obama and many others. They offered insight and vision. One might argue specifics in regard to each of their ideology but each did/does leave a legacy.

Tonight I tried to be there with him, Muir. But the hulking RV, something I am sure he would disapprove of, lingered near me. I rode some of the trails he forged. I admired the valley, waterfalls and peaks that he described so well. We traveled, albeit by car, to a promontory point that was one of his favorite refuges. He hiked it. Thanks, John, for the legacy that you left. You enriched me. If one truly wants to leave a legacy it is not who you are or what you have. It is what you do.

It is what you do.

Thanks, John Muir

Home

We learned in the "RV University" our Life on Wheels Workshop at the University of Idaho in Moscow in 2004, that as a RV driver, one must remember the "three 3's": don't drive 3 hours without a break; never stay more than 3 days at a friend's/relative's home; and keep your day's voyage less than 300 miles. We broke the last rule today. We drove home. After the casino stop at Rolling Hills near Red Bluff, I was ready for home. Trucks rolled into what I thought would be a casino RV parking. As we exited our RV this morning, I thought our door may hit the truck parked next to us. It was that close. However, it was free.

We are home. Almost 600 miles today and gray skys welcomed us at Roseberg, Oregon and the rest of the trip home. As I exited the RV in Puyallup I still had on my summer sandals. The rain was falling.

We bought a "low-end" RV. Our Seabreeze has performed so well. Another adventure has been completed and we thank the Lord for safe travels. Thoughts of this experience will follow. I wrote some material around the campfire in the high CA mountains when no internet connection was possible. For some reason it will not allow me to transfer to this blog. I am tired. I will transpose tomorrow.

Toward home

We left the campground mid morning, this time Barb driving the Jeep behind me as we dropped 3,500 feet in the first 20 miles. The rest of the drive was easy, mostly freeway. Tonight our campsite stands in stark contrast to last night's pristine setting. We will still have the stars and temps are in the 70's. However sitting on pavement and hearing the din of diesel engines is far from hearing the sound of birds and a babbling stream. We are in the parking lot of a casino near Redding. We are not gamblers but we did go into the Casino briefly. We gave into temptation. $10 each. Barb lost hers. I walked out with $43. Yep, a big wheeler/dealer I am.

Linger Longer

It is Friday and Barb and I will linger at the campground today in preparation for our trip home. The campground has a stream running through it which does draw some fly fisherman. We could have left this a.m. as we have little left on our agenda, but the sunshine, blue skies and the ambiance convinced us to stay. (Yes, Janie and Jens, the beauty of this area even overwhelms our yearning to see you soon.) Diane and Gary left mid morning for their trip back to their home in Sacramento. We had such a fine time with them. Tentative plans are for us to meet in May in north eastern Oregon.

Barb and I plan to arrive home on Tuesday, giving us 3 days for the drive.

Last day in the Valley

October 22

God Speed to you, Nathan, on your trip to Uganda.

On our last day in the Valley we wanted to soak up everything again. Yosemite falls continued to dwindle but she continued to indicate to us as to why we were here. The grand and the natural. Barb and Diane boarded shuttle buses to view some sites again. Gary and I boarded our bikes. Mirror Lake, near the base of Half Dome was our destination and just a short ride. Half Dome is such a unique feature. Is there anything like it in the world? It sure gave us pause as we lingered at the base and looked into its face. We revisited several sites then headed back to the campground early as Gary and Diane leave tomorrow.

Vistas and meadows

Picture on right: El Capitan on left, Half Dome barely visible in the distance, center of picture. Climbers ascending vertical walls of El Capitan can be seen in two pictures below.



October 21

We again walked and drove the valley floor. Yosemite Falls, North America's tallest, was a bit wispy today, not showing the volume of water as yesterday. At almost every junction, we stopped, paused and viewed the waters dropping some 3000 feet. El Capitan, looming 3000 feet above the valley floor (valley floor elevation is 4,000 feet), it's vertical face revealing at least two parties of climbers. The climb, based on the climbers expertise, usually takes 1 to 3 days. The evening found us at one of Muir's favorite spots, Glacier Point. We stood on the 7,000 foot ledge and gazed at Half Dome across the valley, and the Yosemite Valley village below.

Old stories, Older Mountains

We gathered for dinner last night and retold the many experiences from our 40 years since our college graduation. After a leisurely morning in which my main activity was trying to keep Loki from jumping on Tule, Gary and Diane's dog, we drove to Yosemite. This time the sun shone intently and not one cloud blocked our views. The water falls were dry just last week but the recent storms brought the stream flow back, giving us views of curtains of water cascading off the giant cliffs. We drove and walked in awe throughout the day, sometimes just sitting in silence in respect to the Creator and to likes of Clark and Muir, who had worked so diligently to successfully save this valley from exploitation and possible ruin. The night found us again sitting around our campfire, cooking over the flames. Magical and mystical, this valley.

Into Yosemite

October 19, 2009 (Half Dome in picture at right)

As we left Vineyard Ericson, the rain began to fall. The climb was steep and I regretted not unhooking the Jeep to have Barb drive behind me. The narrow roads and switchbacks, climbing from elevations in the 40's to more than 6,000 feet in less than 90 minutes was a challenge for the driver and the RV. Then drops into valleys where I rode the brakes hard, finally to the RV campground destination just 5 miles outside of the park. We parked the RV, walked Loki, then set into the Jeep looking forward to the 25 mile trip into Yosemite Valley. The clouds hung low and the rain fell. The granite cliffs of El Capitan mystically revealed itself on occasion. Ribbon falls uncovered itself for only a brief moment. The fall colors vibrant in this time, glimpsed at us through the droplets and clouds. Barb and I walked the village in the rain, the visitor center and the museum. We left only to wait to revisit this valley. On arrival back at the campsite, Gary and Diane, friends from college, were waiting, their rig parked next to ours.

Yosemite info

Due to problems accessing wifi and phone this blog is limited. We have again been blessed with fine weather and we our enjoying this magical valley with college friends, Gary and Diane. More details follow.

Ericson Vineyard

We arrived at Meridith and Linda's home by 11. There was a walk through their vineyards, a tour of their processing area, then a wonderful lunch under the gozebo, complete with their 2008 vintage. After lunch we traveled into Modesto for some more wine tasting. A fun day. Will sleep well tonight.

Sacramento Day 2

We met my niece Marie in downtown Sacramento. In the bright sun, she walked us around the capitol grounds where we came upon Arnold's motorcade. He had just completed a speech honoring CA firefighters. Later in the afternoon, Marie's grandson Marcus (13) played in a basketball game where we sat in the stands with grand niece Julia, her husband Troy and great grand nephews Donovan (5) and Anthony (4).

Tomorrow we drive half way to Yosemite, stopping overnight at Barb's cousin Meridith's home.

Things look better

Barb is feeling better. On Thursday we stayed near the RV camp, rode bikes for 2 hours, and peddled by many walnut orchards that suffered severe wind damage.

I met cousin Kathy and her daughter Erin (19) for lunch in Sacramento on Friday. Kathy and Erin had visited Norway in the summer of 08 and it was good to catch up on life in the first Selbu. Erin is in the throngs of fighting Hodgkins Lymphoma so Barb did not attend lunch, fearing passing on some bad bugs Erin's way. A special time. Erin is so strong, vital, and a Viking in pursuit of a conquest. By the way, her hoodie states, "Cancer Sucks".

I returned to the RV park to see it filling with small hydroplane boats. It appears that there are races here this weekend on the 41 acre lake that dominates the park. The temps were in the 80's. Weather looks great for Yosemite next week.

Sacramento

Arrived at the Thousand Trail campground near Sacramento in mid afternoon. We were welcomed by sunshine, mid 70's and just a slight breeze. The area is dominated by orchards and considerable damage was inflicted by the storm. The power had been out for 10 hours here but was restored just prior to our arrival. We will stay here 4 nights.

Close to boredom

With strong wind gusts (55 MPH) and sideways rain due to subside in the next few hours, we shall head south today. Yesterday we did attend a movie but for the most part we just hung out in the RV. The wind buffeted the side and a small tree down the way did blow over. We read and Barb healed. She is much better. We are excited regarding the weather reports for next week. Yosemite predictions are sunny with highs in the 60's with O chance of precip. Yahoo! Tonight we should be near Sacramento.

Staying in Redding

With 40 MPH winds with sheets of rain throughout the day, we decided to layover another day in Redding. It's not the California coast but we are safe and dry.

Change of Plans

October 12, 2009

Why is it that we do not celebrate Lief Ericson Day? Wasn’t he here 500 years before Columbus? And Columbus never set foot on what is now considered US soil. There is plenty of evidence that Lief did.

We’ve had a change in plans. The beauty of life in an RV. One source listed 40 MPH winds. Another mentioned gusts up to 70 MPH. One source listed 2-4 inches of rain in the next three days. Another mentioned up to 8 inches. It looks like the coast is up for a major storm. If we were sitting snug in a condo with a fire in the fireplace and view of the beach we would enjoy the weather. But given that we are in a RV and given Barb’s health status, we abandoned the beach plans. Also, we were to cross the coast range two times. It looks like there may be some significant weather in those mountains in the next 3 days.

Yes, we are disappointed. We wanted to revisit the area that we wandered through on the way to Kate and Steve’s wedding in 05. The giant trees and the beautiful bays and inlets are unique biomes, true art forms of our Creator. But our goal is Yosemite. We chose to go the comfortable way, one in which Barb can have time to heal.

Tonight we are in Redding. This area is in severe drought. Rain is expected tonight. The locals are excited for their first rain since spring. It was an easy 140 miles down I5. Barb still has a headache and a deep cough. Her energy has improved but she still lacks the spunk that defines her. Tomorrow we have another 160 miles and we will hunker down near Sacramento. We do not leave for Yosemite until Saturday.

Picture of Shasta Lake today.

Leaving Medford

We are leaving Medford and heading west then south today. Barb still has a lingering headache and sore throat. Some of her energy has returned but she is not her normal self. In our three nights here, she has not left the campsite. Thankfully the 70ish sun and the babbling creek with frolicking mallards that swim by the front of our RV has given Barb some refuge in which to heal.

I did drive out to Jacksonville Saturday morning. This historic town has kept it's charm and style. Once the largest town in southern Oregon, Jacksonville was the site of a gold find in the mid 1800's.Many of the present day buildings date to 1850. It's boomtown past has its sordid element. Chinese workers were imported to work the mines and blatant racism occasionally raised its head in violence. On one occasion a drunken miner fired on a group of unarmed Chinese men walking down the street. One Chinese man was killed. The miner was arrested and charged with the unlawful discharge of a firearm within the city limits.

Because of Barb's health situation we did not attend any plays. I was able to have lunch with my cousin Diane.

We plan to take two days to drive to Fort Bragg, CA the plan to arrive near Sacramento on Thursday.

Up before dawn

It's 4 a.m. Because Barb is sick, she is in the bed in the bedroom, I have the sofa next to the dog. We have had four dogs in our 40 years together. Bubba, our last dog, was with us from '93. He traveled well and he was 10 when we got the RV. He required little work/exercise and he knew the routines of RV life. He died the spring before our big US trip.

We now have a pup, Loki. Loki is the Norse mythology character whose defining characteristic is mischief. At our home, Loki sleeps in the garage. In the RV, with me on the sofa, Loki is just a few feet away. It is 4 a.m. and he wants to play. I had forgotten how much work a pup is.

Listed below are the swine flu symptoms. Barb has them all.

Swine Flu Symptoms

According to the CDC, like seasonal flu, symptoms of swine flu infections can include:

• fever, which is usually high, but unlike seasonal flu, is sometimes absent
• cough
• runny nose or stuffy nose
• sore throat
• body aches
• headache
• chills
• fatigue or tiredness, which can be extreme

Thankfully. Barb is experiencing no vomiting or other gastrointestinal complications.

Barb remains to be the trooper that she is. She doesn't complain. Her resolve is to heal. She dealt with an infection while traveling in India and bruises and scars from the accident in Indonesia. Hopefully this will only be a minor setback on this venture.

Back to sleep for me. Loki is now curled up on his sleeping mat.

Medford

Arrived in Medford by midafternoon. Barb's cold or flu has intensified so we will stay close to the RV park to get healthy. We plan to stay three nights and hope to visit Jacksonville, a historic village near here. Also hope to see cousin Diane and family however will not make those efforts if Barb is fluish. Meanwhile the campsite overlooks a babbling creek but a block away is a MacDonald's, 4 coffee huts, and the bike trail that runs for several miles through the valley. We can hunker here comfortably. There is cable TV and all those football games tomorrow...

Gresham

Thompson Farms was in full array today. Dahlias, pumpkins, lettuce, and probably another 20+ marketable produce. We arrive in time for Barb to have her walk, I to have my bike ride, and a family dinner at Vicki's and Ed's, who so welcome us each time we are in town. Tonight we are attached to an outdoor outlet at the family farm. Tomorrow we are Medford bound.

National Park Bound

We are heading out tomorrow, hopefully. Barb is feeling a bit under the weather today. It may be the onset of grandparent/grandchild separation syndrome. Janie is here today as we pack. We will see Jensen tonight as we return Janie, then drive to the Gresham farm tomorrow. The goal of this trip is Yosemite though some family visits, some California coast, and some Shakespeare may be in order as well. The Burns video on PBS over the last few weeks has heightened our anticipation. I have always been in awe of the parks as we visit them. It is even more meaningful now as we have learned of the sacrifices and efforts made by individuals to set aside these pristine environs as a natural state for eternity.