life in the old lane

Went for a little 2 mile stroll around the neighborhood. I want to see the mountains. But they were hiding behind buildings.

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.  

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. 

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. 

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 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. 

One Day at a Time. See what tomorrow brings. 

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.

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.

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. 

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. 

Only 2.6 miles walking today. 

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.

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. 

Hopefully this boat ride will not involve any 6 mile hikes. I’m really feeling the years this evening. 

Clarkston is a modest little town with much to be modest about. Even Lewis and Clark camped on the other side of the river. Twice.

By dawn’s early light, this morning, I got the best shot. I am likely to get of my boat.

Clarkston is a nice little town. Apparently the busy summer season starts tomorrow with the art show, the dog show, and the return of river boat passengers like me.

There was some sort of TSA meltdown at the Denver airport this morning. It took me about 30 minutes to get through TSA even with pre-check and Clear.

Got to the little plane with no trouble. Arrived in snow free Lewiston, Idaho early. I decided to walk to Clarkston, Washington. Google said it was 4.6 miles and would take 1 hour and 40 minutes. Your actual mileage may vary. 5.6 miles and 2.5 hours. I plan on sleeping well tonight. And, know that 5 miles is about my walking limit.

It really wasn’t one of my brightest moves. To set out walking in a part of the country were walking isn’t considered a mode of transportation. But bless Google. There was only one short block that was sans sidewalk. Also thank the wheels on my luggage. A lost wheel would have been a major problem.

Thinking I need a shower and some dinner. The room has a microwave and a fridge, but I think I want to be waited on this evening.

They said there was a 30% chance of snow at 8 PM. Well, they were wrong there’s 100% chance of snow at 6:45 PM. Fortunately, I decided to just stay out at the airport hotel and not go into town. I would have been cold. There is more snow coming down than we had all winter in DC.

The bed is cozy, the pillows are fluffy, the coffee is Starbucks, the chocolate is dark. It’s all good here at hotel. 

Pretty sure I over packed. 

Leaving at 11:30 tomorrow morning for a short flight to Lewiston Idaho. Wonder if it is snowing there? I really wasn’t expecting snow. But, you take the weather you get.

Racing frantically around trying to be sure that I am good to go at 0930 tomorrow.

Got everything packed and decided that I desperately need to take my noise-canceling cans. Reason. 2 planes. 1 small boat. 4 trains.

I usually sleep in little or nothing when I travel, but after hearing a story from one of the residents here at the Asylum, I’ve decided to pack some age-appropriate sleepwear. My friend accidentally went into the wrong roomette on an Amtrak train, and he ended up in someone else’s bed. (He realized he was in the wrong roomette when he couldn’t find his CPAP machine beside “his” bed.)

Finally, I decided to toss in a pair of yoga pants. Just because.

I think that’s everything I need. Off to bed! I can finish spiffing up the Old Bat Cave in the AM.

I am just testing to be sure I remember how to update my blog without my computer. There used to be a cute little app. But they improved it so much, that it doesn’t work anymore.

It’s even harder because I take my pictures with an android device, and I really like to update the blog from my iPad, but obviously I remembered how to do it.

And I’m counting that as one in the win column. Now they just have to have Wi-Fi but that’s an adventure for another day.  

Weighed all my stuff today. 14.5 pounds. Including my cane, jacket and all of my electronics.  Drugs. Glasses. Might even be able to take my Bose headphones.