roadtrip

by Rain Trueax

What we left behind

Roadtrips are long journeys made by car, bus, anything wheeled. It's not so much a vacation as a way to get somewhere.

We've been on the road this week, pulling our 26' travel trailer, and staying in RV parks, which has made it difficult to write much. This trip has convinced us we do want a larger trailer or a fifth wheel, with more storage and maybe a desk of some sort. At home, I use a ergo keyboard, which makes the laptop dicey for typing. A few years ago we bought an inexpensive lightweight desk for the Wildcat. I set a monitor on it, a split keyboard on the pull out shelf, and the laptop goes below. When not in use, it is stuffed alongside the bed (which we get into by crawling up). Unless we are spending more than a night somewhere, it's too much work to pull out. 

Driving 1400 miles is no vacation. We used to drive all day, but now go for  less miles in a day but the traffic can be horrendous especially with how much trucking moves our goods. I do not deal well with heavy traffic or rough roads. Luckily, Ranch Boss handles it better, but it wasn't a lot of fun for either us or the cats.

So, my plan for what I'd write here is postponed and this about heading north through California. We came across highway work both in Arizona and California. Such fun... i should have taken pictures of that. I was too busy moaning lol.

On the road again with cats. No, we didn't ask them.

by Rain Trueax

photo from my 2018 Zen calendar for Oregon

We start a trip like this one without a definite plan for route or where we'll park the RV at night. There has been some researching ahead of time for options. Hey, that is kind of like life, isn't it!

Day 1: We stuffed (and sometimes that is what it takes) all four cats into boxes. To fit them better on the truck backseat, we had bought one large box for Babe and Tigger, the two formerly feral cats. She often curls up with him. How could a box be any different? It was. We heard the most horrible, low growl coming from it-- Babe. So we separated them, put Blackie into a small box on top of the other three... not making me at all comfortable as that didn't seem as secure. 

Farm Boss started the engine, looked at the gauge and said-- we are going nowhere. The system voltage did not respond to RPM change. The cats went back in the house as did my computer and he went off to town to get the truck fixed. It was the alternator (how fortunate that this didn't happen on the road). He bought the parts and had the dealer install it. All set again for the next morning.

Day 2: Regarding the big box, we gave using it a try with Blackie and Raven. There was minor hissing. While cats hate boxes, apparently, they hate sharing one more. We took off anyway to see how if it would improve. Eventually, I took Blackie out and let him ride between us as he is the most docile cat we have- probably because he is alpha—with an alpha’s security in who he is—(this works less well in American politics).

Heading down I-5, we were unsure if we'd go over Willamette Pass or continue south on the freeway. Snow was a consideration but it has been quite light for this time of year-- the traffic was light also. It was only when we got to Medford that we knew we'd go over the Siskiyous and it would be California all the way to Arizona. The Siskiyous didn't have more than a few patches of snow alongside the road. This was amazing but also nice, as it made possible the decision to spend our first night in Yreka.

In traveling, we use Good Sam guides as well as what we can find online, which led to an RV park next to what will eventually be a casino. It made for an easy layover, and with all four cats in the trailer with us, it went surprisingly well at night—no battles. There was also no spraying. They were probably too traumatized by traveling to fight with each other-- they had a common grievance. Cats hate to travel.

Day 3: After breakfast, we made the decision to let Blackie and Raven ride in the trailer rather than the truck. Babe and Tigger were put in boxes and rode in the backseat with yowling about a third of the way. I was uneasy about leaving the other two in back but four cats in boxes wasn't working. I had confidence that Blackie and Raven would not try to get out when we had to stop since they'd been in the trailer multiple times, and all they do when the door opens is hide. In an accident, they would be safer in the trailer. This though is why we are considering getting a fifth-wheel trailer (with a bunkroom), which hooks differently to the truck. Humans can even ride in a fifth-wheel, not that I'd want to.

Always optimistic, we set out with good weather and thinking maybe we could make it to Santa Nella, a great place for split-pea soup. Turns out just north of Stockton, in the river flats, we'd had enough. 

When we got to the trailer, Blackie and Raven had done fine. The two in the truck were relieved to get out. The park for the night was okay. Again, the night was peaceful and the cats napped a lot or looked out the windows.

Day 4: Because the cats had gotten along at night, we tried leaving them all in the trailer *fingers crossed*. Again, we were aiming for short days. We've had our times of driving 14 hours; but the older we have gotten, the harder it has been to get over those kind of days. Now 5 hours is pretty good. One advantage of going with a trailer is cooking our meals, shorter travel days due to cheaper nightly costs. Some save more by staying in Walmart parking lots, rest areas or boon-dock. We also did that when younger. Now we want hook-ups at night and it's worth the $40.

Just outside Bakersfield, we stayed at Orange Grove RV. It lived up to its name. The park was full of orange trees and this was their season. They said pick all you want and we took some with us-- more delicious when fresh.

Day 5: the goal was a KOA outside of Barstow, where we have stayed before. We intended to just spend a night in Daggett, mostly known for being a Marine logistics base. 

With the usual relief, we turned off the freeway to head for our park and got stopped at a railroad crossing with a slow engine and many cars. That would not have been so bad except—wait for it—the crossing light did not turn off. Come on, this is a military base area and the railroad can't keep its crossing working? Finally after at least 20 minutes, we opted to take a frontage road where we finally did get across—after waiting for that same train to finish crossing and another light but this one worked.

As for the four cats traveling together, they did fine. Babe came out from under the sofa, the only cat who could get under there. The rest stretched and came from various hiding places under or near the bed.

Where we set up the trailer, it was fairly protected from the predicted wind. We looked at the forecast, saw how bad it was going to be, and told the office we'd spend two nights. The problem with traveling in the desert in such wet conditions is not just the wind with the trailer, but what it does to the road with water and mud across it. Safer to give crews some time to be sure all is well. 

We felt sad at how hard this storm had hit Southern California with mudslides. It was a bad one. For the 6 of us though, a day without traveling was a nice break. 

The site is particularly nice with oleander between the RV spots, in our case, a view of the mountains in the distance. It's why we enjoy it there and maybe sometime will stay with time and energy to explore Calico, a developed ghost town in the hills beyond. The last thing we wanted on this trip was driving; so we stayed put.

Ranch Boss pulled out my portable desk, split keyboard, and I managed to finish the rough draft for the manuscript I’ve been working on since early September. It’s quite rough but to have the story finally out there was a plus for me. Ranch Boss got started reading it—another plus as he's my editor and publisher :).

Day 7—was the traffic day that I had dreaded the most. Again it was to be a short day with only going from Daggett to Bouse, a little desert wayside for mostly snowbirds or those who choose to live in the desert year round in their trailers. My concern came from one of its stretches that is two lane, with a lot of traffic and many whoopty-dos. The drive didn't end up as bad as I'd expected. 

I like these little desert waysides although this one had heavy truck traffic just beyond it most of the night. Some of the trailers had landscaping around them and might stay year round. 

Desert rats some call them who like to go out on the desert and look for minerals or explore dirt roads. Sometimes they have roadside markets set up to sell wares. The land in such places has little potential for sustaining life other than jackrabbits, coyotes, and a few birds. Again the cats got along well with only one warning hiss in the night.

Day 8: We could have driven to Tucson but I wanted to stay in Gila Bend, so that our last day's drive would be fresh when we hit the freeway, also we knew we'd have floor damage at the Tucson house. We knew the Gila Bend park was quiet and nice-- a bit farther off the road. 

Day 9: It was only a couple of hours and we turned up our road and saw our own driveway. End of one journey and beginning of another.

Inspiration

In December, leaving our vacation trailer in Redding, California, seemed like a smart idea. It saved pulling it over the Siskiyous where there was snow. We thought April would be a great time for a small, early vacation. Weather-wise, it would have been, but several things arose complicating it. Most especially we began to worry that the trailer might've leaked through a wetter than normal winter in Northern California. Being away from it for four months, what might the inside look like? Mold? Leaks? Not so great to plan a vacation with so much uncertainty. So last week, we drove south, leaving our cats at home, with food and water for a planned three nights. 

Our first night, minus the family, was in a motel about an hour north of Redding. The next morning, when we got the trailer, it was in perfect condition. There was no way to take a vacation, but a few days were possible. We pulled into a campground in City of Mount Shasta and decided to spend two nights there. We'd driven past it many times but this was a chance to explore.

Mount Shasta is well known by those into the paranormal. Some believe aliens park their spaceships under the mountain. Others claim a tribe of little men live under there and come out at night. There is a belief that the earth energy lines, ley lines, intersect there creating a vortex, which is good for energies of all sorts. Whatever the case, the little town has several crystal and metaphysical shops. I suspect it draws people for that reason but also because of the beautiful mountain setting, tall trees, fresh air, with hiking and lakes around it-- good for winter or summer sports.

We took some drives to check out the neighborhoods, found Lake Siskiyou and more or less determined we'd like to return. I could see another paranormal series set in it, Dunsmuir, and the ranching community to the north. Lots to inspire, but I'd have to spend more time before I'd want to do a book there. I like to really know the terrain of my stories, make it one of the characters. Living there a week could help that. There were a lot of homes listed as vacation rentals. Wonder if any take cats. *s*

These photos are all from around City of Mount Shasta.

   

 

One land-- or many fiefdoms?

 shared from Facebook

Oregonians have been facing an issue that maybe isn't of as much interest to those in other states, but it should be because it has deeper repercussions than some might realize. When the Malheur Wildlife Refuge was occupied by militia members from mostly other states, it started a debate over public lands and whether there is a right for such to exist. The debate goes beyond that to whether each state/county should make their own laws and the federal concept of one nation (except to fight foreign wars) should be eliminated. It's not a new battle for this country but rather shocking that it's being fought again in 2016.

If those, willing to use guns and make their argument with their willingness to fire bullets, can win this, what will they claim next? Most of these militia types do not believe the government, which in our country means the people, should own anything. It should all be in private ownership which means under the control of the local rancher or the richest people. 

When ranchers can cut off access to wilderness areas, which were often long-used by the public, they do so with fences and locks. If those using outlaw methodology can win that way in Harney county, it won't stop there. Never forget, they are not claiming it for the people but for a few people-- some of whom graze it now for pennies in comparison to what other ranchers pay for leasing private land for their stock. What we are seeing in Oregon is what amounts to an attempted land grab with guns.

What they are attempting would be called theft if they arrived on my land and decided they'd live in my house and change my fences and roads to suit themselves. But for some reason, this has been allowed to go on and on and on. There have been a lot of articles on it for those who have not heard about it.

And the seige goes on as the occupier leader talks to FBI at Burns airport 

 

here, the author, Ursla Le Guin nails what this is about

Some claim innocent ranchers were put in prison as terrorists when they were not. Before defending the ones who gave the Bundys the excuse to do this, check out who these two guys were. This doesn't even address accusations earlier that the younger Hamilton abused his nephew as part of 'disciplining' him. 

What is ironic is why didn't all of this come out months ago as the Hamilton case has been a story in the farm papers for months. If the government is responsible for any of this happening, I'd say their lack of putting out the information regarding this family contributed certainly-- although militia groups have just been looking for excuses and a place to do what they want which is take over. If the meanest and most brutal take over, what will happen? Well, read about the Hamiltons for a good idea.

Who are the Hamiltons and what did they do?

The claim is made by these militants that they are returning the land to the people. Strange talk indeed because it is owned by the people now, managed for their use. IF these yahoos got their way, the only ones able to use it would be the ranchers who could graze it to dust if they wished. 

This is a land grab attempt and if the US government doesn't recognize that, worse will come. There are those who do not want national parks, refuges or wilderness areas, those who only value $$$, and then only when in their own hands.

Stealing our National Heritage-- the militia versus the American public 

This refuge was begun in 1908 by Teddy Roosevelt as a way to protect habitat needed for migrating birds. 

I've often thought, when hiking on BLM or National Forest land, or when visiting state or federal parks, how wonderful it is that earlier generations set aside land for the people of the future. I thought how wildernesses are disappearing and without the foresight of those like Roosevelt, there'd be no Yellowstone or Grand Canyon as we know it. Always the rich wanted to set those places aside for themselves to charge anyone else or even prevent their entering. It's not a new story we are seeing. What is new is now it's our generation's time to step up to bat. Or do we let oligarchs and the ones who believe might comes through weapons to take over.

Writing my new book, one of the places I had to research was San Francisco and got a surprise when I learned that Golden Gate Park was created over the objections of the local oligarchs of that time, who wanted a race track or some other use that would suit their exclusivity desires.

The although fictional, this thinking was in my historical, Love Waits-- the desire to set up a militia, who will make things better than government. Nothing new with it as there are always those willing to take what they didn't work to earn. In Love Waits, the leader manipulated those he deemed weaker than himself. It fed his desire for power. Such people can make all sorts of excuses but in reality, it's always about them and not for the benefit of anyone else.

Historically, what we are seeing in the Malheur is not new. It is just new people leading it, some of whom are religious extremists of the Mormon type. When Bundy claimed he's following God's will in this and the example of the angel Moroni, who was in their Book of Mormon, he pretty well shows where this is heading. Once again, we are seeing religious extremism threaten the lives of others and once again it does not come from the religion it claims. The Mormon Church does not condone what he's doing but there is a history there and he's claiming it as have so many other religions extremists from many religions.

It has been very disappointing that we think we have these issues settled, that Americans see the value of large swaths of land available for multiple purposes, that parks have values, that migrating birds need to be protected, that environmental issues matter to city folk even if they don't know it. We think we settled the value of having parks, places for the public to use, but it seems it's never really settled and each generation has to go through it again.

Below are photos of what it is like to be in places that have been set aside for not only the birds and animals, but for humans to re-create themselves. Think long and hard before allowing such to be taken away for one man's profit over the value of such places to benefit all men.

I guarantee you if the United States federal government lets Bundy and his ilk get away with this, such places will not be there for future generations. This is not a good time to be distracted by minutia. It is a time to pay attention to terms like sagebrush rebellion and Posse Comitatus because where this is going is beyond one refuge.

Creating beauty

"It is art that makes life, makes interest, makes importance, and I know of no substitute whatever for the force and beauty of its process." Henry James


Of all the films I had seen on Manzanar, the one thing I didn't know about was the Japanese stone gardens the internees had created. In many of the housing blocks were these gorgeous stone gardens, with ponds at the time they had been created.


They had lovely symbolisms with Zen meanings like that seeing a crane and turtle together (the shapes of the rocks) leads to longevity.


These gardens had been lost to time and the elements but began being excavated and restored in 1994-- [Landscape Gardens and Gardeners at Manzanar Relocation Center]


Where I had come to Manzanar simply for recognizing it was something for Americans to not forget, I saw a more important reminder in these rock gardens and there were many throughout the site. Man will find a way to create beauty and with his creating of it, he will find comfort. The beauty he creates will give other people joy and the benefits do not end with one generation.


It made me want to visit the Japanese gardens in Portland as soon as I can work it out and to this summer create a Japanese type rock garden here at the farm. I have a feel of it several places but there is a place nothing has ever worked well right in front of our large living room window. The farm needs the energy from it.


Especially, I would like to create a Japanese lantern with stone which although I have one out of concrete, which I spent considerable muscle and energy pulling away from the bamboo, I hadn't ever made one. I saw how beautiful a stone one would be and began to look for the right rocks to make it happen.


When I asked the ranger on duty in the bookstore if there were any books on these wonderful gardens, he said not yet, but there was someone there at the time making a documentary on them. I will look forward to seeing it if it really comes out as this is something that deserves far more attention than I have seen it get.


He then told us about another of the gardens we had not seen, which required some walking, and that some considered to be the most beautiful. When we walked into it, I will have to say it made the most beautiful photographs which are both the first and last I have here.


Several artists are famous for having been interned here and gone on to create art other places. [Henry Fukuhara] is one example who first painted there as a prisoner to pass the time.


Many paintings were on display at a small gallery-- all created at Manzanar.


It truly is an extremely inspirational, creative and beautiful place to spend time-- when it's not a prison.

Because I felt our time at Manzanar was so wonderful, I decided to put all the photos onto a Picasa site, as a combination of the place and how it impacts a person who comes there-- [Manzanar May 2011]

Manzanar

Americans like to talk about how exceptional they are. It becomes a political argument how much better we are than other people-- and if you want to win a campaign, you better agree. Sometimes, though, a piece of our history reaches up to remind us that we have done some very unfair things. Yes, it's my country and I love it as much as an American, but nobody should be proud of all that it has done.


One example of that is [Manzanar], which was one of ten such camps, where during WWII, as many as 120,000 Japanese, many of them born in this country, 2/3 of them American citizens, but with the misfortune to live in one of the three western states, had their property taken and were imprisoned for no reason other than racial bigotry. If the reason was the war, then explain why Germans on the east coast weren't likewise imprisoned? It had to be revenge for Pearl Harbor; and, as usual with revenge, innocent people were the ones hurt by it.


When we came driving up U.S Route 395 in California, I had forgotten (if I knew) Manzanar was on it. I knew the name though and when we saw the National Historic Site was ahead, we turned in to learn more, to pay our respects to those who suffered here, some who died during those years when the United States referred to it as a relocation center-- euphemisms in the United States obviously aren't new.

This act was done by a Democratic president with an Executive Order. Amazing how many outrages are done that way, isn't it! It was admitted to having been a mistake with restitution offered to survivors by two Republican presidents. That pretty well says it was not a partisan issue but rather one of wronging one people out of revenge and fear from another people. We can only hope we have learned through it as we should have through Vietnam. Sometimes Americans though are pretty blind to history lessons.

For anyone who might want to think the people brought here were not like us, so it was okay, they were us. On the route you drive through the auto tour, you see where there had been a Buddhist temple but also Catholic and Protestant Christian buildings for worshipers.



When we were there, we saw Manzanar in a beautiful setting as it was a lovely early spring day in the high country. It would be not so much in the winter which lasts a long time at this elevation (3700 feet). It is a pretty valley if you don't think how it would be to be imprisoned there, having your freedom and property taken for no reason, when you were forced into small barracks with no privacy, where you were forced to work for pennies and pay for your own food with the wages, when you knew it wasn't fair, but you had to endure it.


This place was where originally there were homesteads; so the ranch remains are also on the site. Walking and driving the roads, seeing the film at its Center, the illustrative displays, led me to have even more respect for the stoicism of the Japanese people which was reinforced recently by their reaction to the horrific earthquake and tsunami with the aftermath of nuclear devastation. They really are a tough people.

So when you visit a place like Manzanar and there are other such sites, relating to more than the Japanese people, across this nation, you feel a mix of embarrassment that humans can act this way at the same time admiration for the strength of humans. There were those who came from outside to help improve the conditions in the prison. Many who saw it as wrong, but couldn't stop it, more who paid no attention to it or thought it was a good idea. When a nation (any nation) goes on a rampage, it's hard to stop it at the time. It is easy to convince the masses it's for their own good even if what they should realize is-- there could be me next time!


The inscription on the monument, created at the cemetery in 1942, means-- Soul Consoling Tower. Offerings are regularly left to show people have not forgotten. Most of the bodies (most of the dead here were cremated) were moved after the internment site closed. Six are left.



I will do one more blog for this place as it deserves it as there was something I didn't know about it and having seen several documentaries on it, I thought I had known it all.