Do I hold up three lanterns for both? I don’t have that many hands. Anyway, this past weekend consisted of all kinds of activities, including land and sea. Friday night I met up with someone local who contacted me on Facebook Dating. I’m not actively seeking anyone these days, but I have a profile up and update my location to where I am when I sit somewhere for a while. We met at a local brew pub and had what I thought was a pleasant time over dinner and a beer before parting ways. When I went to drop her a line thanking her for an enjoyable evening, our conversation was gone. She’d blocked me and disappeared with no trace or explanation. Sadly, that seems to be what people do these days, rather than a simple “Thanks for hanging out, I didn’t feel a connection so I’m not interested, good luck.” Why can’t people just be honest?
Saturday I headed back to Eugene to go kayaking. This time I found the spot next to the University of Oregon where you can pretty much drive right up to the canal and drop a boat right in, so I had a lot more fun than just paddling around inside Alton Baker Park itself. I paddled all the way down to within sight of Interstate 5, then turned around and paddled back. I spent a little time with some ducks who paddled much closer to me than I would’ve gone to them, then turned around and followed me for a while. I didn’t take any pictures on this trip. I’ve been there before so the pictures would be nothing new, and that let me just relax and enjoy myself.
I did take Lister out for a walk when I got back after packing up the kayak. He’d been hanging out in the van while I paddled, so it was only fair to let him explore a bit before we hit the road again.
While in Eugene, I stopped by Home Depot to pick up some brackets and a couple more furring strips. Sunday morning I finally installed the trim piece for my roof vent. I did it not so much for looks (though it does look better) as for better airflow. While test fitting a while back, I discovered that the fan does a much better job circulating air with this trim piece in place instead of the rough edges I’d cut in the foam insulation. I couldn’t screw it into styrofoam, so I cut and screwed in the wood pieces to fit, then attached the trim piece. I had to move my rear puck lights, and simply stuck them to one of the pieces of wood. If I ever put a real ceiling in, I can move them again.
In the afternoon I took a bike ride down a route I’d found. It started with a run to Lorane, which I already know I enjoy, then continued down some narrow, squiggly roads through the forest. It was beautiful, and what I like most about riding in Oregon. Surprisingly, the roads were all paved. While I enjoy the dirt forest service roads, I have no problem with pavement riding as well and am actually much better at it.
Along the way, I stopped for a father and daughter on a Ural that had a tool bag spread out behind it. They’d gotten and just repaired a flat tire, so while they appreciated me stopping to help, they didn’t need it. I kept going and completed the route. It was a great way to spend a few hours on a summer afternoon.
This is especially true because today feels like the monkey flipped the switch and suddenly fall is in the air. Temperatures have been consistently in the 80s lately, but it hasn’t even hit 70 yet today and isn’t supposed to be warmer than the 70s for at least the next ten days. There’s even rain in the forecast over the next few days for the first time since I’ve been here, breaking the Pacific Northwest stereotype of constant rain. Hopefully, that’ll help with the smoke and the wildfires that are causing it.
I’m starting to think about my trip to Arizona for winter. It’s 115º in Quartzsite today, so clearly I don’t want to be there yet. Basically, I’m planning to visit the places and take the route that I didn’t get to take a year and a half ago during my first trip to the PNW, by Lake Tahoe and down the Nevada side of its border with California. One of my desert friends has settled down near Lake Tahoe, and I’m planning to visit along the way.
And yet, a couple of people are either arriving or becoming available in the Portland area pretty soon who are interested in hanging out. Joyce, who camped with me for a night in Montana, has some time off work after this weekend. Suzy, whom I met at the Rocky Mtn Roll, is taking the slow way back from Sturgis and returning to Portland soon as well. It would be nice to see both of them before I take off, so I’ll probably take the van up to Portland sometime soon. Whether the trailer and bike follow remains to be seen. Fortunately, the weather is just cooling off a little, not nearly cold enough to push me south before I’m ready. I just have to watch the weather in the Lake Tahoe area, and make sure it’s not getting cold enough to snow before I pass through. Snow over the mountain passes is why I couldn’t take that route a year and a half ago.
Smokey Da Van 