Friday, August 30, 2024
Lost somewhere on the Lost Coast
Thursday, August 29, 2024
Vanniversary! Time for a change of direction
Yesterday marked eleven years of radically changing my life by doing the van life thing. I still love it! And I’ve really enjoyed hanging out in the Pacific Northwest this summer. But the past week or so I’ve been thinking I need to do something besides walk in the forest and stare at the ocean. Something useful (not that bliss doesn’t have its purposes).
Then a friend in northern Arizona said he could use some help winterizing the pre-fab tiny home he has on his bit of land. So farewell for now to the land of redwoods and rocky beaches, hello junipers and sage, with Ponderosa pines on the side.
I hit the road yesterday and put in over 300 miles. I’m about to head out again this morning, sticking pretty much to the coast. I’ll pause before slogging through Southern California traffic and making the mad (as in I must be crazy) dash through the still-too-hot desert.
I spent the past few vanniversaries at Grand Canyon. I’ll do the same a few days late, then it’s tool time. I wonder how quickly I’ll readjust to higher elevation after three months at sea level.
Meanwhile, here are my last beach photos for a while. These are at the Lost Coast, the least developed, least populated, and least accessible section of the California coastline.
Tuesday, August 27, 2024
The literal and metaphorical less beaten path
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—I took the one less traveled by
That’s essentially how my life has been the past eleven years. First there was the huge diversion from my life’s paved, wide, flat path. Goodbye boring existence in a house; hello road less traveled by. That put me on a path of mental, spiritual, and physical growth. It reignited my ambition and will to live. And though there have been a couple of metaphorical hills to climb, I’m very happy with my choice.
Friday, August 23, 2024
Cliche days
The past couple of days the Pacific Northwest has been very Pacific Northwestish. The weather has been alternating between drizzle, heavier rain, overcast, and more drizzle. And wind. The only time I ventured outside was to transfer my trash to a bin at a scenic overlook.
But I’m fine. That surprises me. I usually get antsy and cranky and depressed in wet weather. I guess I’ve adjusted — but not to the point of becoming one of the Mole People. I still prefer sunshine and open doors and windows.
Tuesday, August 20, 2024
Out on a limb
Monday, August 19, 2024
Grass attack
Spend a while in the desert and you realize nearly every plant wants to stab you. But, of course, that’s not the only home of vicious vegetation. Now I’ve been reminded the Pacific Northwest has lots of briars and brambles too. And there’s a grass that, despite its docile appearance, wants to poke its tiny spines in you, all in the name of spreading its seeds. Fortunately, the goal is to have the prickly seeds fall off somewhere, so the poky bits don’t have barbs. Nevertheless, you’d rather not remove them with your bare fingers. I got about half of them off my shoes with a whiskbroom then used tweezers to get the rest. Well, it’s one way to spend a lazy afternoon. I’m very glad none of them found their way to my rug where my bare feet would find them.
Some comic (A. Whitney Brown, maybe) said he’s a vegetarian not because he loves animals but because he hates plants. I think that’s fair, because there are so many plants that hate us. I haven’t even gotten into the toxic ones.
Sunday, August 18, 2024
Timing
Saturday, August 17, 2024
Thermal fluctuations
Summer temperatures along the northern Pacific Coast have been fairly even. Upper 60s in the day, upper 40s at night. An easy, predictable, twenty-degree cycle (unlike the big daily temperature swings in the desert). My “down alternative” quilt has been perfect under these conditions, and by perfect I mean I haven’t needed to think about my sleeping temperature at all.
However, the other night I woke up after a couple of hours because I was too warm. Okay. I switched to my lightweight blanket. That was better.
Then I woke up later feeling just a little too chilly. I thought, “I’ll simply adjust my perception. The chill is like having air conditioning, right?”
But I knew the night would continue to cool down until sunrise. I had lazily dumped the quilt on the floor, so I pushed the blanket aside and pulled the quilt over me. Of course, without my body generating heat the quilt was now cool, but in a nice cool-side-of-the-pillow way. And it warmed up quickly.
My struggle with the right bedding (and clothing) is usually an early spring/late fall thing as the seasons try to make up their mind. But the middle of August is late summer, and even autumn isn’t that different from summer in these parts. It must be me; an old geezer thing. Oh yay.
Thursday, August 15, 2024
Wednesday, August 14, 2024
Bumming
Tuesday, August 13, 2024
Driving and relaxing and hiking and fish tacos
Next on the list was Hidden Beach Trail. The trailhead is across the highway from Trees of Mystery — the place with the big Paul Bunyan and Babe statues. I had been there before, so I headed straight to the trail instead. The sign said it was a half mile, but a couple of steep inclines made it feel farther to this old geezer. The last bit of trail from the bluff to the beach was extra steep and had patches loose gravel and leaves to make footing dicey.
I made a couple of quick stops father south. The first was at Big Tree Wayside. The Big Tree is just a few steps from the parking lot. The Park Service demonstrated its sense of humor with this sign post.
The last stop before Arcata was LoCo Fish Co, a food truck next to a gas station in McKinleyville. Locally sourced fish, choice of fried or grilled. I got two fish tacos. They’re standard with flour tortillas but you can get corn tortillas upon request. I went with grilled and corn. The tacos were as delicious as the fish sandwich I had there the last time I was in the area.
Sunday, August 11, 2024
Ork ork ork ork ork...
Saturday, August 10, 2024
Searching for sand dollars
Crescent Beach, just south of Crescent City CA, is a long, wide sandy stretch. It’s known as a place to find sand dollars. The trouble with such a reputation is that the beach pretty much gets picked clean of them. The same thing happens at beaches known for shells, sea glass, clams, or whatever.
But Crescent Beach is a nice place for a walk on a gray morning. The sound of the surf overrides most other sounds. It’s like white noise that enables contemplation. And that’s good.
Thursday, August 8, 2024
When is a U-turn something more than a U-turn?
I’ve been in every state except Rhode Island, Alaska and Hawaii. As much as I can remember, in most states, when a U-turn is allowed on a divided highway there’s just a paved gap in the median. It’s as if the highway designers said, “Here ya go. Good luck if there’s a lot of traffic.”
But along the stretch of US-101 near Port Angeles, Washington (and perhaps elsewhere) there are a series of “U-turn Areas,” as the signs call them. They look like this:
To make a U-turn you start by moving into a special left lane that sets you up to cross the oncoming lanes rather than immediately merging with it. When there’s a sufficient break in traffic you cross the oncoming lanes and enter a loop that sets you up to merge back onto the highway.
I never had reason to use one of the U-turn Areas but they seem easier, less stressful and safer, especially if you're driving something long with a wide turning radius. I imagine their existence is the result of too many accidents.
I saw a similar thing in Baja California, but for left turns and not on divided roads. There the loop is on the right side, like a highway exit. Then you end up facing 90° to traffic in both directions and straight ahead to the road you want to turn onto. This way you can see traffic in all directions and instead of sitting in the middle of the highway waiting to turn, you’re safely at the side.
Wednesday, August 7, 2024
The elk did not disappoint, but my cameras did
About four miles east of Reedsport OR, along highway 38, is a designated Elk Viewing Area, complete with benches, a gazebo, and restrooms. I had driven past there a few years ago, fixated on some other destination and therefore not wanting to stop — especially after a quick glance at 65 miles per hour revealed no obvious elk.
But yesterday I was in an exploring mood and the viewing area was my goal. And, man, were there elk! Somewhere between 50 and 60 of them happily grazing or lounging in the field for our entertainment. There was also a single very large bovine bull that I guessed was being separated from the lady cattle for a while, or being put in time out because of belligerent behavior.
The zoom on my phone’s camera didn’t get close enough, so I dug out my 15-year-old “real” camera and the 250mm telephoto lens. That got me closer, but its pixel count (which I thought was amazing back in the day) is rather lacking compared to today’s cameras. Anyway, here are some of the elk.
Monday, August 5, 2024
Sunday, August 4, 2024
Saturday, August 3, 2024
Damp weather and white GM truck paint
The white paint on Chevrolet and GMC trucks and vans has a deserved bad reputation for peeling off. You also see this happening with some pre-Promaster vans from Dodge/Ram.
It has been happening with the Rolling Steel Tent and I’ve touched things up now and then with spray paint. I’ve found Rustoleum has the best match. White paints are not all the same shade of white. My repairs are certainly not professional quality but things look okay from a distance, especially when covered with dust and dirt.
One of the things that causes the peeling is moisture working its way into tiny dings in the paint. And since I’ve spent the past few months in a wetter climate the paint problems have increased, sometimes in freaky ways.
I asked the all-knowing artificial intelligence bot about the paint problem and this is what it told me:
The issue with white paint on GM trucks is a well-documented and long-standing problem. Here are the key reasons why white paint specifically seems to be problematic on GM vehicles:
Lack of pigment: White paint contains no pigment, which makes it inherently weaker and more prone to peeling compared to other colors. This lack of pigment may contribute to reduced durability and UV protection.
UV exposure: The absence of pigment in white paint may provide less protection against UV rays. This can lead to the failure of the e-coat (electrocoat primer) due to prolonged UV exposure, ultimately causing the paint to peel.
Historical issues: GM has had a history of paint defects, particularly with white paint, dating back to the 1990s on their trucks. This suggests a persistent problem with their white paint formulation or application process.
Environmental factors: Heat and humidity, such as those found in Florida, can exacerbate the paint peeling problem on white GM vehicles. These conditions may accelerate the breakdown of the paint's adhesion to the underlying layers.
Quality control: Some owners report paint issues appearing very early in the vehicle's life, even within a few months of purchase. This indicates potential quality control problems in the manufacturing or painting process.
Clear coat issues: In some cases, the problem may be related to the clear coat rather than the white paint itself. Improper application or curing of the clear coat can lead to separation or peeling.
It's worth noting that while white paint seems to be particularly problematic, GM trucks in other colors may also experience paint issues. The prevalence of this problem has led some owners to take preventive measures, such as having their new trucks repainted or applying protective coatings. GM has faced criticism for this ongoing issue, especially considering the high price point of their vehicles.
Scabby paint tends to make us nomads look undesirable to the rest of the world. I think that’s a larger issue when I streetdock. I’d rather be perceived as the harmless wandering retiree that I am instead of a homeless addict invading their neighborhood. Anyway, I’ll wait until I get back to the dry desert to do my low-budget paint repairs again.