So, what to do today? I decided to walk along the dock, sea wall, beach. No one was surfing. Because there wasn’t any surf. But, it was still the ocean.
I didn’t realize that the tires on the floating dock were actually seals until one moved.
There were all manner of fine benches all along the way. And my buddy Billy from Kona called. We had a nice chat. Each of us looking out at the Pacific Ocean.
Angel of Death. Poisonous and hallucinogenic. My kind of a plant.Wall artAren’t all antiques vintage?A bumper sticker I can get behind!Simple pleasures.
My walk about ends with 13,000 steps and 5.5 miles on the Fitbit. Brought some takeaway sushi back to the hotel with me where I enjoyed it on my private patio.
After dinner, time to get it together for 3 nights on the train.
I started my post Covid life with breakfast at Joe’s. It might not be my favorite place for breakfast, but it’s older than I am. I am pretty sure that I am not established yet.
About Covid. I am not 100% in the energy department. I walked about 5 miles today, but they were slow and flat miles. And I took a nice nap.
Back to the pictures.
Stopped to pay respects to Ronnie. In retrospect, he wasn’t as bad as I thought he was at the time.This guy is still washing the same window!This town is full of wine and beer flights. I even found a wine and chocolate flight.Tried to take a picture of every flower. Not an easy job.In the absence of wall art, funny signs work.Beware of birds. I didn’t feel endangered.My tiny hotel room has a really sweet private patio attached. Spent most of the afternoon out there reading.I discovered that the Mexico restaurant I was planning on eating at is closed on Tuesday and Wednesday. So it was off to the late afternoon farm market to get dinner.
Oh, I got one of those “customer satisfaction” on line survey things from the boat. I wonder what I am going to say and can I possibly play it to my advantage?
Grateful as hell that the Covid thing worked out as well as it did.
The Coast StarlightThis has been an excellent train ride so far. And the last couple of hours of my tripis along the coast. A few shots from today.
Artichokes. About the only ag product I can ID. Well, strawberries tooBridgesWater features by Momma NatureSalinas train yard
Salinas has a fine old train station. I am always careful when I get off the trains. They leave rather quickly and I think they actually enjoy leaving the stragglers behind.
As promised the last couple of hours of the trip was along the coast. Nothing but ocean. It interfered with my reading, I was forced to enjoy the scenery.
End of the line Santa Barbara
Arrived on time, my fine little hotel was just around the corner, avocado toast was acquired for dinner. I am settled in for the evening.
Now I am sure that part of this is the pants stretching due to wear, but… I am liking what I don’t see.
Portland Union Station
Waiting on the train. Yesterday it was 3 hours late, but looks to be on time today. There is a huge service dog, legit, the owner has some serious mobility issues waiting. And a man with a killer cough. Oops he can hardly walk. He looks as bad as I did last week.
Hey, it’s time to train up. More later. Or not.
Home Sweet Home
Upgraded myself to a sleeping box. Used to be you would bribe the conductor, nowadays you can bid for empty rooms and roomettes. I feel sure the conductor’s liked the old system better. They wanted to feed me lunch. But, I want to enjoy the loose pants for a while. I will do dinner.
Made it to Powell Books proudly ILWU. I got an origami book. Of course.But by grace. But by grace.
Next stop Santa Barbara. (Got 20 more minutes in the station.)
Made it safely to sunny Portland this afternoon. Walked past famous Portland Union Station on my way to my hotel. I have never seen it in postcard like sun.
I am rather tired tonight, the Wi-Fi is crappy and the bed is looking pretty good. 10,038 steps. Not too shabby for a sick old woman.
The Columbia River that I was supposed to be on.
I have totally resisted thinking about the boat trip that got away. But, I did notice the Columbia river. What ever happens is what I planned.
Took the last fistful of Paxlovid this morning. Thank you Pfizer.
On the train tomorrow at 2:15 tomorrow afternoon, Amtrak willing.
Went for a little 2 mile stroll around the neighborhood. I want to see the mountains. But they were hiding behind buildings.
It’s dangerous crossing the street here apparently. You are invited to take a flag to protect yourself.
Actually, this seems like a wonderfully safe city. I never wanted to go to Salt Lake City, but it I am in good health next spring, I might make return visit. There are lots a day adventures to be taken on their light rail service. Which I finally figured out. There was a Winter Olympics here abound 20 years ago and that’s why they built all of this basically unused transit.
A lovely city hall in a park.Spring flowers everywhere.
Mostly, I rested today. I put myself to bed at 1pm and am staying in bed until 5pm. Soon. Then I will see what’s for dinner. Last night I has bread pudding for dinner. I will try for a healthy choice tonight. Then make ready to head back to the airport for Portland and my train. I will resist the urge to go down an welcome the boat. I do hope no one got Covid because of me.
Pleased to find this outside city hall.Sex sells. Even in Mormon country.
Spent a quiet day in Salt Lake City. The biggest catastrophe of the day was a non functional coffee machine. But good coffee was found just down the street.
The view.
Hey, it’s a motel. and people pay $20 a night to park their cars. But, the motel is in the free transit zone, so, I masked up and went sightseeing.
Salt Lake City is very very clean.Found some great public art. Well, I couldn’t go inside to see any private art.Off to see the temple. Or not. The temple is undergoing major renovations. I have seen Mormon temples. They all look alike. But I sorta wanted to see the mothership. It’s supposed to be finished in 2026. And I don’t think I will last that long.There were other buildings not under construction. I didn’t go inside any of them. Downtown also has the standard upscale shopping mall.And girls in non Mormon attire making a TicToc video.
Salt Lake City has a strange almost fake feel about it. It thinks it’s a real city, the population is about ¼ million. It’s like the girls, it’s young and doesn’t know there are boundaries. It’s all good.
Made it to Salt Lake City on time this afternoon. AND I figured out how to ride light rail. AND, it stops right out side of my circa 1952 motel. It was remodeled in the eighties. It’s a lot like The Asylum in that regard.
Nothing says 1950s like a plaid lamp shade.
The motel is fine. The bed is comfy. The towels are fluffy. And the Coffee Shoppe serves massive plates of the best of 1950s American cooking. I explained my Covid problem to them and I had my choice takeout or eat in the private room which wasn’t going to be used today.
The Wi-Fi is too slow to use. And there is a place to plug in ONE device. And there is no view. Well except of a parking lot. But it’s a Motel.
Salt Lake City airport is extremely walking intensive. They have a sign “It’s not a long walk it’s cross training for ski season”. I got 3 miles on the Fitbit today and most of it was getting out of the terminal. The light rail is right outside but you can’t get to outside.
One Day at a Time. But, I am looking forward to a couple of days here.
Cabin 300 on the seabird sailed away last night at 6 pm with out me.
At 6pm I was stashed in a closet in the tri-state hospital trying to figure out how to get to the hotel that had my luggage and a bed for me to lie down on. I roped the case manager, I think the hospital only had one, and the clerk at the hotel into the quest. Bottom line. If the town has no Uber service and if the only taxi is AWOL, then you’ll have walk.
So at 8:30 I taped a note to my closet door to the effect that I was walking and thanks for your help. I was nice. This is nice town. Well I had not gone more than 2 blocks when up behind me comes a pickup truck. Margaret Margaret where are you going? To the hotel. Where else? So, the ED Charge nurse drove me. And I am damn glad she did because I don’t think I could’ve walked 2 miles last night.
My luggage was at the hotel. Along with an expired box of paxlovid. A going away present from the ship. And, I know you all are wondering. Am I going to get any money back? Nope. Not one cent. And do I have any insurance. Not one bit. Will I do anything different next time. I doubt it.
After tonight, the only hotel option is an SRO type antique Motel 6. So, I gotta get outta this place. First, I found out that it is not illegal to fly with Covid. It’s not nice but it’s not illegal. OK , then Denver or Salt Lake City. The plane to SLC is a 1by2 configuration so, that will be safer, And the flight is only ninety minutes. The hotel said they would take me to the airport. Just come to the desk 45 minutes before your flight. Yeah. 45 minutes? Hey this is country.
The cheese isle at the clarkston Walmart
went to Walmart today to pick up my unexpired box of paxlovid. Of course the prescription that the promised for last night was not ready at 10am. Heck, they knew I wasn’t going to be able to get there last night. I didn’t know that but they did. The nice pharmacist said he was real sorry the couldn’t deliver it to me. Everyone here is real nice. Just not highly effective.
Except for feeling like the entire Army of the Potomac is bivouacing in my mouth, I am doing fine. Well, honestly, I am not as perky as I pretend to be. Next Stop. Salt Lake City.
Just what you don’t want. In hospital ED. Waiting for the one taxi in town To take me to the hotel that just has a room for tonight. The boat left and hopefully they took my stuff to the hotel. One day at a time. I’ll worry about tomorrow tomorrow if I live through the night.
Waiting to get on the the boat. I am tired. And I am getting a cold. Not a very happy camper at this instant. But this will pass. Only 40 people on the trip. We are waiting on a bunch of people who are bussing in from Spokane. But damn I want a nap.
A much bigger boat arrived this morning and parked behind my boat.American Song 270ft, 184 passengers, 60 crew. The SeaBird 150ft, 60 passengers, 24 crew. The big boat is 4 years old and mine is 41 years old. The big one only goes on the river but the elderly SeaBird makes it from Costa Rica to Alaska every year. Sorta like me. A feisty old lady. Wine tasting and Zodiacs what can possibly go wrong?
Being of unsound mind, I walked 6.5 miles today. That is too many.
Welcome to Idaho.
Back to Idaho. Where open carry is encouraged, it’s illegal to leave the state for an abortion, and death by firing squad is the latest way to go.
But, all that being said, I found Lewiston Idaho to be a perfectly charming prosperous little town.
A Biden Harris sign was the only political thing I saw.The local paper, which reported on the Spanish American war, is locally owned, and appears to be fiercely independent, and slightly to the left of centerI’ll give any town with wall art a second look.Seriously, what’s not to love?
Hopefully this boat ride will not involve any 6 mile hikes. I’m really feeling the years this evening.
