Travel Tribulations and Exaltations

or How I came to the Coast, met Julie of JulieLand, and rediscovered the Need for Sleep

For those who don't already know, I flew from Houston to Oregon on the 18th and Julie promptly visited me here on the Coast. She arrived late Wednesday night, we stayed up way too late talking (plus I was already two hours behind and suffering from a 4- to 5-hour, broken sleep the night before — I don't always travel well), and she left Thursday about 8 pm. And we didn't accomplish nearly enough or spend enough time together! But much fun was had by all, and there was much rejoicing (and we didn't even have to eat the minstrels! — we did, however, eat dessert).

The fun began when I forgot to bring my cell phones with me. I discovered this delightful fact when I got out of my car at the Park 'n Fly lot in Houston. Too late to go back and get them (yes, there are two and no, I won't explain it right now) and how would I call someone to get them for me?

Portland's elevated walkway with clear "ceiling".

The line to check baggage was long. The line thru security made the baggage line look like a poser. A third of the way thru the security line and I was wishing for my cane; my lengthy exercise-free phase and my "oops, accidentally undernourished" streak made me weak and unready for such a long time standing. When I finally arrived at the gate, perfectly ready to upgrade to first class, the flight was not only full, it was already boarding! I typed up a couple of urgent emails and sent them off so people would know that I had no phones. It has been (and continues to be) Very Uncomfortable.

Long flight, interesting seat mate, too little room, got a kink in my back (not the good kind and I'm still working on it). Waited three hours for the shuttle out to the Coast, then half an hour for my ride home. At least the sun was shining. 

I got the basics of food, went home and exploded all over my bedroom (luggage here, clothing there). Then I proceeded to email Julie and nap until she arrived around 11. Ah, the wonderfully distinctive sound of the VW Bug (original) engine!

Julie was everything I imagined she'd be and more. We had the best time and we both talk a mile a minute when we are excited. We both adapted our sleep schedules. Then, instead of tromping thru the treasure cave (storage unit), we spent the day dealing with dead car battery, trying to charge it, getting new one. I think some of our activities were redundant, but that's okay.

Julie's the cute one. I'm the scary redhead.

While waiting for the car, we wandered around the shops nearby (one or two were highly interesting), then went home. At least Mom's house is within walking distance from the mechanic, a very useful aspect of that mechanic shop (besides being trustworthy and good at their job).

Then it was time to take a nap, then have dinner, and there went Julie, driving off into the darkness toward Eugene.

I'm already looking forward to this coming Wednesday and I'm trying to catch up on my sleep beforehand!

Now I'm off to rest up so I can write another blog post later!

December in Houston

Hello all

I arrived in Houston this afternoon. It is snowing.

Yeah, that's why I left Oregon.

I am where I am because it's near a AAA office and I wanted some in-person service. So they got me one of the few hotels in the area, and they sent me to a mechanic that is AAA-certified and that they know. The latter item is why I stopped here and went no further. I really didn't want to try to get further into Houston with car that is acting a bit squirrelly.

At least the hotel has coin-op laundry units; it's just too cold to use them tonight.

Oh, and my hotel has few channels available, so I cannot watch The Mummy Returns on the FX channel tonight. I think I'll just pull the covers over my head and go to bed.

I just wanted to share.

-Skye

Texas is Big, Fast, and Hot: Oh Baby!

You’ve heard the phrase “everything’s bigger in Texas,” right? Well, there are a lot of SUVs and pickups on the road; I find I am actually experiencing truck envy! At the Fort Davis national park the other day, there were seven cars other than mine: a pickup, a van, a jeep, and four SUVs. But I’ve also seen small imports too, even some with Texas license plates. So I guess it’s also legal to be small in Texas. And I have not seen excessive portion sizes in the food, for which I’m grateful. The meals I’ve had, here and in Las Cruces, which is just over the border in NM, have been reasonable. A bit more than I needed, but reasonable. But there is definitely a lot of land in Texas. And to cover all that land, you cannot just poke along.

In order to move quickly from one oasis to another, traffic moves quickly on Texas interstates, but so far not crazy-fast like they drive in California (I’ve heard that changes once you hit one of the cities). During today’s drive, I noticed that most people were simply driving the speed limit: 80 mph for autos and 70 for trucks and trailers. (It’s 65 at night for both—isn’t that intelligent? Why don’t more states have a lower speed limit after dark?) I have found that while my car shimmies a bit at 70 to 72 or so, it is smooth as cream at 80. And at 90, which I accidently hit a couple of times today. Oops. But the highway was so straight and long….

There is a lot of desert in Texas, which correlates to hot daytime temps for the most part. It did get pretty cold in Fort Davis yesterday when it was cloudy, which wasn’t so great for my cold; I stayed in during the afternoon and slept. The nights have been rather chilly; that may change as I get further into the state, or if I drive south. But mostly I have experienced sun and heat, my two prerequisites. And those warm, friendly people.

So far, Texas meets this girl’s needs!