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Baker ~ Nevada
Day 20-26 – YIKES!
This is a part of the Southwest I have never visited before. It’s one of the newest National Parks being established in 1986. It is also renowned as a dark sky park.
One the way out we went by Red Canyon one last time and I shot video of the tunnels.
The journey begins….
We left Ruby City and wound our way northwest towards our stop for the next two days in Baker, Nevada. At one point, we left civilization when the sign said no services for 83 miles.
And Then It Happened
Big Fat Oh Shit
Yes – what I had been dreading since the beginning of this trip. Something went wrong with the car. Halfway up the steep grade you see off in the distance in the picture above, the car farted. The display came on and said (and I paraphrase) ‘You’re Fucked.’ The good news is that you can still drive the car, but it won’t go very fast (This is called limp mode and is common on outboard motors).
I limped my way another 50 miles to the campground, praying Jake and I wouldn’t be:
Stranded in the Middle of Fucking Nowhere
We made it to the campground, and I went about figuring out what was wrong. First, I found this part sort of dangling free in the engine compartment with a bit of oil spewed about. It turns out to be:
Manifold Absolute Pressure (MAP) sensor
And, yes, it should not be hanging like that. In fact, it turned out it broke off a plastic cold air intake manifold. I fucking hate plastic engine parts on cars because they always seem to invariably break.
Great, now what? More duct tape and zip ties? I asked the folks at the front desk (which also happened to be a bar) about a car mechanic. Yes, there was a guy named Jake in town. I got Jake’s card. I called Jake, and within an hour or two, he got a hold of me and sent his friend Bobby to check it out.
We discovered the sensor broke off the manifold, leaving this gaping hole. Not good. We got some pictures, and Bobby sent me a message about half an hour later with some replacement parts. I talked with Jake in the morning and we discussed options (including towing 😳) but eventually I express-ordered the part of arrive Thursday or Friday. Fingers crossed 🤞🏻.
In the meantime, I stopped by the Visitors Center and toured their exhibits, reading every fucking thing! Hopefully, I’ll get to see something before I go, as it’s a 4-mile drive to the nearest attraction in the park.
We checked out Baker this morning. I am surprised how hip this place is. Bristle Cone General Store is the center of town, and there are a lot of liberal coastal elites here, mostly older like me. I found out that there is a big Friday Fest this weekend, a Farmer’s Market, and at least one food truck that will be open.
Good news is that I was able to confirm the replacement laser canon for the Starship. Supposed to be here Friday?
I am going to plan to stay here through Monday because I don’t have a lot of confidence in the arrival so far out in the middle of fuck-all-nowhere (and we like it like that)! If the Flying Spaghetti Monster in His Loving Noodly Goodness favors me, maybe sooner. I will need to boon-dock for up to three days, but they have agreed to let me stay in the park (as long as I pay for a nightly slot). In the meantime I’ve done a good cleaning of the Starship’s saucer section 🖖🏼.
Enjoying a nice air conditioned afternoon! I got invited to the host’s trailer to help celebrate one of their birthdays. They invited me over when I sat down for a toke with them this morning. Very cool place, Baker ~ Nevada!
Lucky and Kerry - Friendly Outlaws from the New West
The camp hosts were 50-somethings 'live life to the fullest' type of people. From interesting background, they find themselves now taking camp host jobs like others I have met over the years.
We spent some time together copping a buzz and drinking milkshakes at the Park's Visitor Center Cafe. The car ride up featured Ozzy Osbourne singing with Black Sabbath. War Pigs, Iron Man, vivid memories from the early 1970s, and a concert at BCC.
Lucky (aka John) is a die-hard Harley-Davidson rider with several bad accidents and a lot of metal in his body. He loves to belt out tunes and is a great singer. He is from Chicago and told me he rode with Outlaws back in the day. Kerry is a mother of three and has a great presence. She is interested in what I would call the Paranormal. She worked at a tourist bar in Tombstone Arizona called Big Nose Kates and hails from New Hampshire.
We had a great time. They really helped me out with my fluid situation, working to get my car fixed. They will forever be a part of my Baker, Nevada experience.
* Also a shout out to Chuck and Ginny! They were co-hosts and ran the 477 Cafe with Ian (see below). They have been here for 15 years! Great people!
I helped celebrate one of the camp hosts’ birthday last night, had some killer chow, and met some interesting people. No more so than Ian, who came in sporting a Nick Mason’s Saucerful of Secrets t-shirt. I was pretty well gob-smacked because this is genesis-level, hard-core Progressive Rock featuring Pink Floyd’s 82-year old drummer playing with a bunch of youngsters and playing the early Pink Floyd music fuck all nobody knows about but the die-hards. Turns out he runs the grill (Ian – not Nick) that opens tonight!
We tried Ian’s special yesterday. Not sure exactly what it was – some burger gone wild – very yummy! In the meantime, I was notified the part is in Salt Lake City – so close! I adjusted the plan now to head to Lassen via Reno once this debacle is behind us. If the Starship needs extra TLC there is a dealer in Reno.
The Part Arrives in less that 24 hours!
That afternoon I spent time at the bar where I met Nick. He, his wife, and three children live in a large trailer more or less permanently on the site. He is from Tennessee (and sounds like it), and he and his wife both have college degrees. She home schools the kids while he does anything. His business card pitches himself as providing Emergency Response services and is 'Built for Chaos, Trained for Precision! Wow!
He was interested in listening to my whole story. I was flattered. I was amazed at the things he had done and in places out west I was very familiar with. He knew AutoCAD quite well and was very interested in CAD. He told me he wished he had become an engineer.
I asked him how his kids liked their lifestyle, and he wittily replied: "Well, I look at it this way; I have given them lots of stories to share with their therapists!" Seriously, he felt their experiences will help them in life. I agree.
Jake installed the new part and we did a test drive to 10,000 ft in the Park. Everything seems to be back to normal? We’ll see.
We drove to the top of the road leading to Wheeler’s Peak. Fantastic views!
Last day here – one final trip to the National Park to tour the caves before heading out tommorrow.
Just about when I thought nothing more could astonish me about this place, I met John B Free. I had originally planned to have breakfast before the tour at the little café at the visitors center. So afterwards, I headed there, got some yummy breakfast tacos, and sat at the counter next to an older couple (like me).
One thing led to another, and I learned John was an original hippy - 82 years old now - with an astonishing number of coincidences, including Cocoa Beach, tripping on acid during the Summer of Love (him - not me), snow skiing in Colorado, the best herb to buy in Ely, and living a free-spirited lifestyle with his wife, Sweet Melissa. We had the most memorable parting of my trip - Peace Out.
As my Big Fat Oh Shit is (hopefully) put behind us now, I (sort of) look forward to driving the Loneliest Road in America – Nevada 50. Somehow not very inspiring yet somehow fitting.
I can’t fucking wait to get back to civilization!
Photos from the stay at Baker
Cold Spring Station ~ Nevada
Day 27
I feel like a Pony Express rider as we prepare to head out this morning. Not sure what that means but I’ll let you know once I get there.
We finally hit the big town of Ely after a short, but thoroughly satisfying drive from Baker, as Starship Excellent Adventure regains peak form and beats the grades. Ely is a burnt bustling copper mining town now that the price of that metal has sky-rocketed over the years.
After Ely, Highway 50 truly became the loneliest highway I drove today. It stretched for nine passes, winding through long, sagebrush and juniper-filled valleys. Jagged mountain ranges with worn edges stood majestically, their stunning rock formations and vibrant colors captivating my attention. Vast stretches of bare sand stretched out in spots. The tree line of conifers at an elevation of around 8,000 feet. The highway’s stark beauty was truly magnificent.
Cold Springs Station, the restaurant / motel / campground, is along a stretch of the Pony Express from the 1800s. It’s for sale if you’re interested. We finished the day back in the saddle!
Giddy-up! 🤠
Lassen Volcanic National Park
Day 28 – 30
We passed this way 3 years ago after visiting Yosemite. We started driving through lava fields, and I wondered where we were and why we didn’t stop there.
We finished off the last bit of the Loneliest Road in America and hit the sprawling town of Fallon. A quick trip on I-80 to a familiar road we took in 2023. We went left instead of right, though, and ended up back in the trees at Lassen.
We drove the scenic (only) road entering at the north and exiting south. We didn’t know quite what to expect. Boy Howdy! We’re we ever surprised! First, we got into the snowpack and finally tipped the scales at 8500 feet in stunning scenery on this bright, clear and crisp day. What a beautiful park!
The scenery was incredibly diverse, ranging from ancient forests to areas severely impacted by wildfires. The journey culminated at the summit of Mount Lassen, where breathtaking lakes and panoramic vistas awaited. As we descended, we passed through the geothermal activity.
We decided to take an alternate route back to camp, which led us through a nearby valley on barely drivable, paved roads. This reminded me much more of the California I experienced half a millennium ago.
We checked out Redding and took a long walk on the Sacramento River. Beforehand, though, was my trip to the dispensary for some Cali Herb to add to my collection (#4).
We marveled at the patented California countryside on the way in. Unmistakable with golden grass on rolling hills, conifer trees, and cattle grazing in the fields. I commented on this to the stunning beauty that checked my ID at the Collective Dispensary. She had the most piercings, tastefully done, I might add, of the trip so far. When I said it was good to be back in California, she gave me a Hollywood smile and said, “Yeah – Really!” I was instantly smitten 🥰.
I asked the budtender about a good place for puppy dog walks and the river, and she directed me to Caldwell Park. On Lake Redding (defined by the falls, I suppose), the river was flowing strong with beautiful, clear water.
On our way back, we stumbled upon Sasquatch. I discovered a quirky gift shop and found this delightful little gem. My shopping was complete! Back to the trailer for some afternoon hallucinations.
Meanwhile Back at Camp
The campground we stayed at had to be one of the nicest family destination spots so far on the trip. They had all kinds of stuff to do, including a beach volleyball court in the woods, frisbee golf, and bucket golf! Big fun!
Grants Pass, Oregon
Day 31 & 32
Start heading north to the Pacific Northwest. I first did this trip over 50 years ago when I moved to California on a fateful trip which eventually led to me living there.
We stayed at the Jumpoff Joe Creek campground just north of Grants Pass. I choose it becuase I could get a spot on the water. What I didn’ quite understand was that it is a ravine of sorts with a small waterfall and and a swimming hole! Big fun!
The campground was a recently defected KOA (you could tell because of the yellow signs everywhere). It was very nice but the cell reception was not so great. If I was patient I could generally get a data signal. What’s a modern road-warrior to do!
We explored Grant’s Pass and nearby Roque River (on the Rogue River) in the morning. There was a nice park we explored and sniffed. The river drive was nice and lined with cabins and campers. The place had a nice vibe. I stopped by the dispensary on the way back for some Oregon Herb. I got the sense that all the dispensaries in the area attract their customers with a myriad of daily and hourly specials!
Portlandia
Day 33 & 34
I’ve beed trying to figure out where to go next. I decided to just say fuck-it and camp on a sandbar (sort of) next to the airport in Portland. Sound like fun? Let’s see!
We got within 6 miles of the turnoff, and traffic came to a grinding halt. Turned out two major highways joined just before it crossed the Columbia. It was pushing 93℉ , and everyone and their dog was out and about on a super sunny Sunday afternoon!
The Jantzen Beach RV campground is more like a village with permanent, semi-permanent, suspiciously permanent, etc., residents. One side borders the Columbia River. It’s nice with grass everywhere, three separate pools, and lots and lots and lots of rules and regulations. And jets flying regularly overhead. And perhaps an occasional homeless person.
I decided to leave Jake to sleep in and went into Portland. My destination was the top of the aerial tram that regularly goes back and forth to the Willamette River.
What I didn’t realize was that it was regular transportation for people who work in the area, and they all seem to work at a seriously enormous hospital complex. They even use it to transport suspicious looking coolers I assume are full of body parts.
Seattle, WA
Day 35 -38
51 years ago, I moved to California with the few possessions I owned to start a radical, new chapter of my life. That fateful summer, I made a trip to Seattle. Wow, I thought, this is about as fucking different as it gets from my sleepy little hometown on the Florida beach. Maybe I will move here one day, I thought to myself. A couple of years later, not only did I move there, but as a newly married man. Boy howdy, did life get interesting after that.
We arrived at the campground (more like parking pads) after a tedious drive through the massive road construction seemingly everywhere in the Puget Sound now. Same roads I remember being torn up when I visited 20 years ago.
I got Jake all set in Excellent Adventure and drove in to meet my newest Grand Nibbling! Meet Laith David Tubridy – son of my nephew Adam and his beautiful wife Zeynab Abdulgadir. What a beautiful little treasure he is!
We left early the next morning to explore the new waterfront. And what a great job that was – literally transforming what was an old industrial area between the piers and Pike Place Market area into a beautiful area for enjoying the views.
Next stop for Jake was the trailer, and I headed to visit the Museum of Flight and my old stomping ground at Boeing. I worked there for four years after finishing (well, almost finishing) graduate school. This museum is phenomenal to say the least. The breadth and quality of the exhibits were beyond anything else I have seen so far. You literally need several days to take it all in.
Another afternoon with Laith, Mom and Dad, and Zeynab’s mother, Fay. She has had a very interesting life, from a family of an influential Somalian with several wives, forced to leave her homeland at an early age due to a military coup, living in Europe before settling in the United States.
Laith pitched a major fit then fell back to sleep. I enjoyed watching Adam and Zeynab learning parenting in real time!
Spent the afternoon with Adam. I think he needed a break. It was 40 years ago I met him for the first time! We had some great Indian food and drove around checking out the sights like a couple of Dudes. Right On!
It was a bit more than 40 years ago when I had the third major seismic event in my adult life. It culminated (eventually) in my cessation of imminent self-destruction (I quit drinking), being back on my own again (which turned out to be something I should have done in the first place), and the start of the most wondrous thing (seismic event #4) when I moved to Germany in 1987.
I live down deep inside my head
John Prine, Lonesome Friends of Science
Well, long ago I made my bed
Off to take a deep dive!
I had married my first wife not knowing her for even a full year. It was a huge mistake from the beginning, and I knew it. She finally moved out, leaving me by myself for about 6 months until we sold it for a loss.
The first shockwave hit hard. After that, I sought some help. Try AA? How about going to your first meeting with a fucking angel blowing it’s god damn horn and people with unfathomable (at the time) stories? Wow!
No thanks, I thought. I certainly could not relate one little bit to what they were talking about. Losing everything? Huh?
A while later, I found myself quite blotto at 1 or 2 a.m. after a night of parting with a bunch of Hewlett Packard people. I headed home across this trestle. Floor it, I thought! Blue lights? Thank God – maybe this shit show is over. Well, at least for 17 years. But that’s another story.
Outpatient program, tried AA again. It was different not to drink myself to sleep (pass out) every night. Life got better quickly.
In the meantime, I was living in a small apartment after I sold the house. I would ride around on my bicycle looking for a house to buy in the different areas. I found one that a guy built for him and his wife, and then they split up. My kind of place. I moved in about six months later – right after I got my DUI!
Things really started picking up! I learned to ski, traveled to Asia for nearly a month, and secured a spot on the newly formed Mechanical Design group (or something like that). And that was my ticket to Germany and seismic shock #5!
Enough of that! Let’s get back to reality, or in this case, Mukilteo! I remember that if I walked out of my house a couple of blocks away, I had a beautiful view of Puget Sound.
What a beautiful day it was for a drive! We soaked up some rays at the waterfront before heading back to camp. One Last trip to see the Little Dude. All is well.
Pendleton, OR
Day 39
Over Snoqualmie Pass at 3,000 ft and down into the high desert. From lush green to golden brown in a matter of hours!
I stopped at the Manhattan Project National Historic Site. Probably the smallest one of these I’ve visited, it was primarily to pay tribute to the men and women that made this terribly beautiful story come to life. The reactor tour was shut down for now – it was very similar to the reactor I worked on at the University of Washington and why I was interested in visiting.
We stayed in Pendelton in 2023. I remember they hosted the second largest rodeo in America and the trippy young lady budtender at the local herbary.
Twin Falls, ID
Day 39 & 40
Looks like my planned stop in Boise is a no-go. This is most assuredly a good thing due to the increased level of anti-protons in the area (well – Sugar Tit’s ex-husband, Cory). So it’s a ball-buster 300+ mile day to this little gem on the Snake River canyon in one of the most beautiful settings I’ve seen on the trip so far!
We explored the area the next day and did some shopping.
What could be more Americana than Evel Knievel? I remember hearing about him as a kid. In 1974, he staged an attempt to cross a part of the Snake River Canyon located here. Things didn’t work out, and his rocket fell to the bottom of the canyon. He miraculously survived with a broken nose. In 2016 a professional stuntman cleared the canyon in a replica of the original craft.
Shoshone Falls is just down the rode from where Evel took his ill-fated ride. The marketing brochure called it the “Niagara of the West.” I imagine that all that rock to the right is also covered in water. Sorry I missed that!!
Twin Falls has all the feeling of a place where something is happening. That means people will move here. Seems like a nice place – a college town, so a lot of hair dye!
Did some shopping and checked out the town. Essentially, one long strip mall from one to the other. Great views, however!
