Monday, 14 July 2014 through Tuesday, 21 October 2014

This morning, I sleep in until seven and upon arising drive to Busted Flat campground to take a shower and notice that the asphalt crew has made it almost a mile north of Onyx summit. After a long soak in the almost hot water, I dry, get dressed and then drive back to Big Bear still having over an hour until the meeting begins so I prepare for the Bible study. After the meeting, I return to the w-mart and continue with the work on my new Episodes until three when hunger overwhelms me. I go out to the jammer to eat my daystart and notice that the temperature has risen into the nineties. Then, knowing that I wore my last clean dress shirt today, head for the laundry to clean my shirts and a few other items. Afterwards, I return to the w-mart and resume where I had stopped earlier.

While watching the sunset display from the w-mart window, a barista, walking through the w-mart tells everyone that the w-mart will close in ten minute so I pack out and drive to the parking lot to have a can of fish for supper. Since just after this month began, there has been regular cloud cover coming in during the afternoons and which stick around until evening and portends the advancing monsoon season of thundershowers even though most days the rain never develops. However, the sunset displays have been much nicer with the incoming cloud cover.

After a warm night, awake during sunglow and soon after arrive for coffee at the w-mart by six am.

So very much done today before I walk out to the jammer tired.

Up with the birds at five-thirty am and drive to the w-mart for coffee. At eight-thirty am I drive to the Hall for the ministry meeting. Afterwards, I return to the w-mart to continue to work on my new Episodes.

While going through my original 1980 Quire, I am able to work out the new table of contents for Episode Two. It is a rough draft and I am sure that I will make a lot of changes but for now there are about forty chapters. I wrap it up at seven, long before the sunset and to the park to cook some rice. I have just finished cooking and it is too hot to eat, not the weather but the food. I really enjoy the new avocado-lemon sauce and have added the recipe to my recipe page. Then I read several chapters to finish the book of Leviticus before sleep.

Wake after sleeping in really late, until seven am and drive to the w-mart for a cup of hot. Then at eight-thirty I drive to the Hall for the ministry meeting. After the ministry, I take a nap because it is so hot outside now. At two pm, I return to the w-mart and first work on cleaning my desktop, then on the episode work.

Leave the w-mart at six-thirty pm and head for the Hall for the meeting. Then, I head to the parking lot to retire for the evening.

I awake at five-fifty and arrive at the w-mart by six am for a cup of hot and the work at hand until eight-thirty when I head for the Hall and the ministry meeting. I work with Conrad and Roger for the morning and it gets hot, reaching into the low eighties. Afterwards, I go to the Mexican restaurant for lunch and then to the w-mart to continue work on my computer.

Then at almost eight pm, I head for the parking lot and a short while later the sun sets and so do I.

Up at six this morning with the feeling that I have slept in and then drive directly to the w-mart for a cup of hot. I have begun to update the online Journal Passage pages with new Go To links on each chapter. These links will allow the reader to quickly move from between chapters, both forward to the next chapter and back to the previous chapters.

I continue working on these change until late this evening and do not stop until after sunset. Then, I head to the g-mart to buy a prepared salad to eat before retiring for the evening. Even though it is late when I climb into the back of the jammer, I still read the Bible but only the outline of contents of Deuteronomy. During my Bible reading since we received the 2013 revision, I have been including the reading of the outline of contents for each Bible book as part of my daily reading. It is amazing how much is to be learned from this feature in this revision.

After sleeping late this morning, until six-fifty am, I drive to the w-mart and spread out my computer on my usual table, purchase a cup of hot, sit down and begin pounding the keys. The day proceeds like most days here in Big Bear except the w-mart crowd never abates but remains at full force all morning. Methinks, weekend warriors are among the worst of all the low life! (You know, city dwellers who live down below the mountain in the low lands, hence, low life.) On a different note, one thing that I have noticed different about those who live in this part of the county, that is here on this mountain, besides the fact that most of the people here are all tattooed up, is that the custom here is for many of the women to keep their hair long. That is especially one thing that I have always appreciated about a woman, one who keeps her hair long, just ask my ex-wife. Too, it is evident that most of the women here, that is southern California, put a large amount of effort and expense into keeping up their physical appearances. I have always given preference to the inner beauty. (1 Peter 3:3)

Too, methinks, that even though I am new to snow-birding, next summer will not be here, nor anywhere in southern California because it is just too dry and dusty here, desert dry, but rather, I will most likely drive up to Maine. I have set up several locations on a web site that I frequent to monitor the temperatures and to compare them with Big Bear. There are two of which are in New Mexico, Santa Fe and Mountainaire. Also I am watching six in Maine, four in the mountains and two on the coast, Vinalhaven and Bar Harbor. So far one has been cooler this summer that all the rest, that being Bar Harbor, Maine, even though Monson, Maine and Caratuck, Maine are close behind. As for my winter hiatus, I have still not decided on that location but first on my list of possibilities is Rio Grande City, Texas, but I need to do more looking for the winter location.

Late morning, I have completed the new link changes and then upload all the files to the internet. Now, I will continue working on my new Episodes, pounding the keys late into the afternoon and still the Weekend Warriors keep this w-mart noisy with their trash. At seven pm, I head out of the w-mart to prepare my supper, happy to get away from the low life, after which I retire to read more in the book of Deuteronomy.

Five-thirty comes early but I get up and begin the drive south on state highway 38 the twenty-four miles to Busted Flat campground to take my weekly shower. I take a shower each week on Sunday weather I need it or not and so far, I have needed for the last two Sundays since I have been going there. I arrive back in Big Bear by seven am so it takes about one and a half hours to drive there, take a shower and drive back. Too, during the drive I notice that the asphalt crew has reached Lake Williams on their push towards Big Bear. They will probably reach Big Bear before the end of July but then they need to turn around and do the south bound lane back to the Santa Anna River where they began the north bound lane earlier this year. Still, methinks that it will be sometime this fall before the highway resurfacing work is finished, long after I have departed this mountain valley.

Upon arriving in Big Bear, I stop at the w-mart to check my email and to finish my study for the meeting today. The Bible study lesson today really show me how much we are being directed by God. The theme is how to use the Golden Rule when talking to others in the ministry. What a good study this is and I look forward to applying it as much as I can in future times in the ministry.

I return to the w-mart and continue working on the new Episodes until seven pm. Even though the tedious task of creating the book format is beginning to wear on me, I am starting to really enjoy the writing part of these new stories. As mentioned, I only have one of the Quires that is required for the writing part of the stories and will need to return to retrieve the rest of the Quires this fall but until then, there remains much work to do in getting all the formatting for the books set up. What I have not mentioned is that there are four books that I am creating to be published: Episode Two, Journey to Zion; Episode Three, Journey to the Rainbow; Episode Four, Journey to Mariposa; and a collections of poems call Episode One, Poems of Lost Love. I am working simultaneously on the formatting of all four new books and I am using the previously formatted first book, Episode One, Journey to Katahdin to go by. Having the original Episode already formatted makes it so much easier to create new ones, I just copy and paste to make a new one. Well, actually, there is a lot more that just copy and paste, but at least, this gives me something to work with.

Upon leaving the w-mart, I go to the g-mart for an onion and then begin preparing my supper of brown rice, onions, garlic, beets and seaweed. Then I clean up, read in the Bible for a while before getting horizontal for the evening.

Six-thirty am is early enough for me this morning and need something hot to warm up with. Conveniently, there is a w-mart close by. Today, I work on backing up all of my computer files to my external hard drive. Then I begin going through the files on the backup drive looking for duplicates and other general trash files. Also, I move all of the backup files on the computer to the backup drive. I have not been this thorough since I got the external drive and it has take me all day to get to a point where I feel that I am getting it somewhat organized. Still, it is now after seven pm and there will be other days for this work.

After packing out, I go to the city beach to cook supper.

My eyes open just before six am and again, I drive to the w-mart for a cup of hot. While sipping on my first cup I begin working on the computer, and like yesterday, on file management. I spend most of the day doing this and take breaks during the day to work on a sketch that I am also trying complete.

I work until just after sunset and so not to have to cook in the dark, I buy a prepared salad. Also, I get an onion and a squash both of which I will cut up and add to the salad. After adding the chopped veggies, I then add my olive oil and balsamic vinegar and begin eating while writing today′s journal entry. It is after nine pm when I finish and after cleaning the dishes, go right to bed.

It is five-thirty, during sunglow when I awake and head for the w-mart. At eight-thirty am I drive to the Hall for the ministry meeting and today work with Matt, Michelle and Joan. We work the same territory that Matt and I have been working for a few weeks and we are able to finish it today. Then we go on a few return visits. During the car group conversation, I learn that Matt and his wife Cathy are eating a similar diet to mine with mostly raw food. I ask him to provide me with information about it. Afterwards, I go to the g-mart to get some crackers and hot sauce to have with my sardines. Then, I drive back to the w-mart and work some more on file management.

At six pm, I stop work, get dressed and go to the meeting. Soon afterwards, I retire for the evening.

After first awaking earlier and going back to sleep, I again awake at six-thirty and then drive to the w-mart to purchase a cup of coffee and return to working of the file management. I spend all day at this and do not stop until seven when I stop to prepare supper.

Having just finished my evening meal, I sit here in the co-pilot′s seat and see that the even is just beginning, the planets are now visible but the stars have yet to show. The sunglow is still hanging above the western side of this valley and I can still see the few clouds in the sky. It is still quite warm this evening and I don′t think I will be able to get to sleep until it cools down somewhat. I read for a while in the new release from this summers regional convention, The Kingdom Rules. I am really enjoying this book.

Due to staying up late last night waiting for the cool to arrive, I sleep in until late this morning. First thing, I open the back of the jammer and wash my hair because I can′t wait until I go to Busted Flat on Sunday morning. Then, I drive to the w-mart for a cup of hot and begin pounding keys.

At two pm, someone comes up to me and asks me if the table beside me is available and giving him the wave off, I tell him yes, go ahead. He sets his books on the table and gets in line to get a drink. I look at his books and see that one of them is a side by side Bible that has both the King James AV and the Amplified Bible running parallel on the pages. He returns and begins writing in his journal and in a few minutes our eyes meet at which time I point to his Bible and give him the thumbs up gesture. He smiles and then we introduce ourselves. We begin talking about Bible study and he says that he is a seeker and recently was given a list of contradictions in the Bible and is somewhat puzzled now but he will still keep seeking.

Methinks, that he could be a candidate for a Bible study and I say a quick prayer of thanks to Jehovah.

Then, I say to him, you know, there was a time when I first began reading the Bible and found a verse that confused me because it contradicted what I had been taught in church. Can I show it to you? "He says Yes" On my computer I open my King James and at the same time tell him look up (Matthew 5:5) As he turned the pages of his Bible, I continued, "In the church, I had been taught that the good go to heaven and the bad go to burn in hell." He shakes his head in agreement. "However, I could not understand how this verse fit into the picture." He reads it out loud and then says, "I don't know." Then, I ask him to read the verse from where Jesus was quoting, at Psalms 37: 11, 29. After reading the verses, he says that it clearly says that the meek will be here on the earth forever and I add, " Yes, and in the abundance of peace, in fact, a paradise."

To further expound on the seeming contradiction, I say, "Also, I was taught that the earth, that is the planet, was going to be burned up, which would cause it to become a large cinder floating in space. The verse used to show this teaching is at 2 Peter 3:10." After he reads verse ten, I ask him "So how could the meek inherit the earth if it is going to be burned up? And does this not seem to be a contradiction? He says "I don′t know, Yes."

"The answer to these questions," I continue, "is found by looking at several verses that deal with the same subject. This is like taking a 1000 piece picture puzzle, dividing the pieces into stacks of like colors and then working on putting those like color pieces together. This makes it is easier to connect the pieces together and when you get several connected, then you can see where the group fits in the overall picture. The same is true with the Bible, looking at several verses with the same subject can give you a overall picture of "What the Bible Really Teaches." He then asks me for my email and he gives me his email address and phone number. I tell him that is my office, give him my office hours and he says that he would like to get back with me again, so I leave him with the question, "What is the Kingdom of God?" for out next subject. We talk for a while longer before he has to leave.

I return to pounding keys.

At eight pm, I pack out and drive to the g-mart to buy a prepared salad, guacamole salsa and chips. I know that these items are off of my diet but I check each of the labels and there are no non living food ingredients. In fact, while shopping in the g-mart, I see Matthew and Cathy doing their shopping and Matthew said that he found a bag of chips that was good and pointed them out to me showing me the label: no preservatives, no HFCS, no GMO, no SFA, in fact, no BAD. While eating my supper, methinks that despite the chips having no BAD, they are still processed food and I will not often eat these.

It is long after it becomes dark when I finally get into the back of the jammer and the temperature is lower than yesterday evening making it easy to get to sleep tonight.

When my eyes first open, I try to go back to sleep without success. The sunglow is already in progress with the stars gone from sight. So, the start of Sunglow (which in this journal is called Even) is still before five am. (YSTWV) I have not gotten up before sunglow since last winter when trying to take photographs of the sunrise on Galveston Bay while I was staying in League City. When I finally arise from the horizontal, not having gone back to sleep, I drive to the w-mart for coffee and start the key pounding with my recent journal entries.

While busy at the key pounding, Jason enters, greets me and goes for coffee. He says that he received my email but has not read it yet. I go back to pounding keys; methinks that if Jehovah want him to learn the truth, then Jehovah will bring him back to my office table. So, I will say a prayer and wait on Jehovah to see what happens.

At eight-thirty, I go out to the jammer to get dressed for the ministry meeting and then head to the Hall. I work with Trevor this morning and we go to the village to work in street witnessing. Afterwards, I go with Trevor and Teresa for lunch at the Mexican restaurant and when we walk outside find that it is raining. When they drop my of at the Hall, I get out a hand towel and using the rain, I wash the accumulated dust from the jammer, returning the exterior to clean once again. Methinks, the settling dust here in the desert requires a constant effort to remove from the Burden; that to have less Burden would make it easier to deal with, not only the exterior but all things interior.

Upon returning to the w-mart, find that it is closed for repairs to the plumbing. It remains closed for the rest of the day. It is a really hot and humid day so I park the jammer in the shade, eat some ice cream and take a nap. At eight pm, it is still warm so I fill my bucket with cold water and douse myselƒ with one cup after another until I am thoroughly cooled off and clean. This should prevent me from needing to drive the twenty-four miles to Busted Flat campground tomorrow morning for a shower. Afterwards, I return to find that the w-mart never did reopen today but still access the internet outside to upload my journal entry. A bell just rang nine times and that lets me know what time it is so I leave for my sleeping location.

Up long after dayspring and drive to the w-mart which is open again to obtain my daily ration of cup of hot and morning dose of pounding keys. Later, Trevor and Teresa come in for coffee and we share chitchat. Soon, they leave the store and I continue pounding keys. At nine-thirty, I leave to get dressed for the meeting.

After the meeting, I head back to the w-mart and as I arrive in the parking lot, the rain begins to come down. I go inside and find a table to set up and begin the key pounding. Soon, the store becomes packed, the line going out the door and the noise level reaching critical. I suppose that all these Low-life′s need a place to make their frog like utterances. I yearn for the weekend to be over and look out the window to see that the rain is coming down hard. Methinks, good, it has been too dry and hot lately and maybe this will make it more tolerable for me here. I go back to pounding keys, now working on putting words into Episode Two from my Quire.

Since I have been out of business card, I stop work on the Episode and begin redesigning my business card and by six-thirty pm, I have ordered a new batch of cards should arrive in Yucaipa in a week or so. I will stop early tonight to do some Bible reading before it gets dark.

It was hard getting to sleep last night but sleep was good when I do. The rain from yesterday still lingers in the air and on the ground. Once in my office and coffee in hand, I begin pounding keys, first on starting today′s journal entry and then on Episode Two text. I bring my atlas to help me recount the route that I took back during those days. I am writing the story about the travel in Texas.

At eight pm, the sun having set, I head out to the jammer and eat a three bean salad, green beans, wax beans and kidney beans all from cans but I hope to soon begin making this salad from fresh food and to include my recipe online.

Unbeknownst to me the reason why, last night, sleep evaded me until long after midnight. Then as the sleep finally came, it was plagued with the strangest of dreams. Needless to say, I do not get up at my usual early hour but still drive to the w-mart for coffee and continue with pounding keys. Methinks that at times this pounding keys has become monotonous or even tedious, but still, it is better than pounding sand. During the morning, Jason comes in, greets me and gets in line for a beverage. Then he sit at the table next to me and asks me when we can get together again. We decide on Wednesday at four pm and then he excuses himself to go to work; to which I say a prayer of thanks to Jehovah.

At four-thirty pm, the store closes and this gives me the opportunity to eat an early supper so I go to the g-mart, in the same parking lot, and purchase a small red beet, a small gold beat, a carrot, a small sweet potato, a bunch of green onions, and a prepared salad with iceberg lettuce, romaine lettuce, and red cabbage. I chop up all the loose veggies and mix them with the prepared salad and douse it with oil and vinegar and begin eating. Next time, I will also cut the lettuce into much smaller pieces. While eating, I work on the computer.

Later, I go back into the w-mart so that i can charge my computer battery and continue pounding keys. At nine pm, I am parked for the night and waiting for it to cool off. I read for a little while and finally turn off the light to go to sleep.

It must be because my body is still catching up from the lack of sleep the previous night that my morning begins so late. Still, I drive to the w-mart, go to the restroom to wet my hair and then get my cup of hot. Soon, it is time to drive to the Hall and I work with Dana, Milt and Marie. Afterwards, I return to the w-mart and pound on the keys while waiting for Jason to arrive. He does arrive at four-thirty and we discuss the topic of what is the Kingdom of God for about an hour before he needs to leave.

I go back to pounding keys until it is time to get dressed for the meeting. After the meeting, I return to the w-mart and see the new moon one hand above the horizon at nine pm and watch as it quickly drops behind the mountains on the horizon. It is a warm night

My eyes open and see that it is during sunglow, get up and drive to the w-mart to have my two cup limit of caffeine. Later, I have a breakfast sandwich but that is all that I have today until I leave the w-mart and then only have some rolled oats and raisins.

I climb into the back of the jammer and read for a time. Another month has passed by while marking time in Big Bear.

Upon awaking, I get up, pack out, open the gate and drive to the w-mart where I put the finishing touches on The Wayfarer Gallery. Then, I upload the several galleries about the same time I need to dress for the meeting. I then drive to Oak View Yucaipa congregation and walk into the hall. One of the brothers, Mac seems concerned with the thermostat and I walk by to see if I can help. Then Brother Ulson comes around the corner sees me, and tells Mac, "Here is Thom, he is an electrician, he should be able to fix it." I don′t correct him by telling him that I am not an electrician but I know a lot about it. Instead, I ask Mac what the problem is and he tells me that they have checked the breaker and it is ok, but the compressor outside just does not want to come on. I tell him that I was in hall maintenance for many years and this thermostat is the same one that the hall had before the rebuild. I walk up to the stat, press the three hour override button and I hear a compressor come on outside. I ask Mac, can you check to see if it is working now. We go outside and he points to the unit and says, "yep, it is working."

I go into the auditorium and put my book down on a seat, turn around and begin to greet many of the friends. Most all of them ask, "How long are you staying this time?" to which I reply, "I am here for just this meeting and then I am driving up to Washington." The public talk is given by the circuit overseer and is really good. After the meeting, I talk with Richard and then Kim as they are in two places and tell them my goodbye.

At one pm, I am on the road headed for interstate 10 west and take it through the red zone along the northernmost edge. I am really surprised that there is no traffic all the way though Los Angeles. However, when I turn north on interstate, there is a short back up but it disperses quickly. I arrive at the north edge of Los Angeles and drive into Angeles National Forest at three pm which means that it only takes me two hours to cross the red zone. However, it was really hot then entire trip, reaching 120 degrees at one place during the climb up into the national forest. The rest of the crossing was in the mid to high teens. It did get below a hundred degrees until just below Stockton, California at sunset. A really hot days drive.

After the sunset, I continue north through Stockton, Sacramento, and don′t stop, except for gas, until arriving at Red Bluff and pull into a d-mart parking lot. I go inside to buy water, engine oil, grape seed extract and two cans of refried bean. Then, I return to the jammer and park it in a location away from the store, turn on the computer and write today′s journal entry.

At eleven pm, it is still much too hot for me to climb into the back, so I start the jammer and begin the fifty mile drive to Lassen Volcanic National Park where I know the temperature is much cooler. Immediately, I see the moon as it is just rising about the horizon. It is just going into the third quarter. I think back to the last time I came to this park driving east on state route 44 to the north entrance and the same thing happened, the moonrise occurred just as I begun approaching the park. Tonight, as I begin my climb up to the park again, I watch the moon and it climbs higher into the night sky.

When I reach four thousand feet, I enter the national forest and notice that the temperature is noticably decreasing. At five thousand feet it becomes chilly and need to close the windows. At six thousand five hundred, I enter the park and pull into the Kohm Yah-mah-nee visitor center parking lot, noticing that there is one other RV here already.

I leave a slide window open to allow the residual heat from the drive in the hot valley to escape and for the cool from outside to come in. When I turn off the dome light, it is immediately very dark and would be pitch black if it was not for the moon, already two hands above the horizon. I step outside, look up and despite the light of the moon, the sky is replete with stars. Not wanting to stay awake any longer because it is one in the morning, I climb back into the jammer and get prone.

Sleep was especially good last night and I awake refreshed in the cool air. The sun is already above the mountains when I awake and except for the chirping of birds, it is very quite here and spend an hour working on my journal. At eight am, I walk to the visitors center to find out that it opens at nine. So since I have an hour, I heat a pot of water for coffee and prepare a sierra cup of daystart. After filling the first cup with sixteen ounces, the remaining hot water goes into the Repast. As I begin to eat my meal, the rangers begin to arrive and park on the back row in spaces next to the jammer. I greet each as they walk in to work. At nine, and am done eating, have every thing pack away and start walking to the front door. Once inside, I go directly to the information desk to ask about junior ranger patches.

The ranger Neasha tells me of three different ones available, the regular junior ranger, the Lassen Volcano Club, and one for fifty year Wilderness celebration, the Wilderness Explorer. All three have embroidered patches but the Wilderness Explorer is only available this year during the fifty year celebration. I choose to work on the twenty-four page booklet for the Wilderness Explorer first and next the Volcano Club because it only has a two page work sheet. At noon, I go out to listen to Dave, a park ranger give a program about predatory animals in the park, lions and tigers and bears. No, wait, that is another story. His program is about lions (cougars), black bears and wolves which lasts forty-five minutes and is both informative and entertaining. Afterwards, we talked for a little while and I learned that he is from New Jersey and has worked as a ranger for five years. Then, I turn in the Wilderness Explorer and Volcano Club books for grading and get my two embroidered patches. I also buy one from the book store and then head out to the jammer to begin the driving part of my park visit.

The last time I drove through the park was from then north entrance to the south entrance, but this time, I do it in the opposite direction, starting at Kohm Yah-mah-nee visitors center at a little over seven thousand fee in elevation and ending up at Manzanita Lake area at elevation 5865 feet. The high point in the park is right at 8512 feet is near the footpath leading up to Lassen Peak. I enjoy the drive through this park and when stopping find the Loomis Museum open, something I had not found before. I go in but there is only fifteen minutes until it closes so I don′t get to really examine much of the exhibits. Upon leaving the museum, I turn right and drive to the park camp store where I drive around the back and pump ten dollars into the gas tank. Amazing, the price is $3.99 and have yet to pay four dollars or more for gas while here in California. The price for gas along the interstate varies, but now is less than $3.60 per gallon. Yes, six months in California and have yet to pay more than four dollars a gallon.

Next, I park the jammer in front of the camp store, walk around the back and take a hot shower. Methinks, the price is still the same as it was in September of 2009, six quarters for three minutes. I am able to shampoo, wash my body and rinse off before the warning buzzer begins thirty seconds before the water stops, so I just stand there and let my body soak in the hot. I then move the jammer to the same location were it was parked in 2009 and begin cooking my Repast. Finally, I clean up, get into the jammer and finish today′s journal entry. At eight-thirty, I get horizontal.

I awake several times in the early morning and finally get up with the moon directly overhead and the stars nearly all gone. The store and museum will not open until nine so I have a few hours to pound keys and use the time adding photos to the gallery, particularly, the Lassen Volcanic National Park section. Upon finishing this gallery section at eight am, I then begin heating water for a cup of hot and prepare my morning daystart.

At nine, I drive to the Loomis Museum, park and see a ranger program being done. The ranger Janie is discussing volcanoes, which is right up my alley and I sit down and begin to take notes. As her discussion continues, she asks several questions and when none of the youth answer, I raise my hand to and she calls on me. (I had just gone through the Volcano Club program and had a fresh source knowledge for all the answers.) After her program, I tell Janie, I have a few questions and proceed to ask her to which she has answers. Then, I ask her if her ranger program counted for on of the activities for the junior ranger program, and when she says yes, I hand her my booklet for her to sign off the activity. After that, I thank her for the informative discussion and then walk into the museum where I take my booklet together with my park newspaper and the Discovery Hunt sheet I had just finished.

I wait for the ranger to finish with the person she is with and when she says "How can I help you?" I reply, "I would like to have my junior ranger booklet graded." She says, "I′ll do it" and takes the Discovery Hunt from me and looks over the eighteen answers. Then she initials the space in the activity section of the junior ranger booklet, counts those signed and says "There is only six, you need seven." That is when I hand her the park newspaper. (One of the JR activities is to read the paper and mark five important facts that I discover; I marked twelve.) She looks through the newspaper, puts it down, and signs the seventh JR activity. Then she asks me to move to in front of the second photo taken by Benjamin F. Loomis of the Lassen eruption in 1914 and she will me there in just a moment. I go there and wait and when she arrives, she asks me to put on her ranger flat hat and repeat after her. The she repeats the Junior Ranger Pledge "I promise to help take care of and protect Lassen Volcanic National Park and all national parks. I also promise to continue to explore, learn about, and protect the natural world wherever I go." I repeat it after her but but instead of saying "learn about and protect the natural world" I finish it with "learn about, protect and tell others about the natural world" She smiles with my change of the pledge and says that she will have to remember that one. Then hands me my patch and certificate and says "Congratulations, you are tne newest Lassen Volcanic National Park Junior Ranger.

Leaving the national park at noon, I drive north on state route 89 for fifty miles and then turn on nation forest road (NF) 49 where the sign for Medicine Lake points east. Then after driving through thirty-six miles of isolated forest replete with volcanic remnants I arrive at the lake, drive up to the picnic area and with the wind at gale force, walk through sand to the water. I take off my sandals and walk out into Medicine Lake until it becomes knee deep. After four or five minutes, when my legs begin to feel cold, I turn around and walk slowly back out of the lake. Not too cold, methinks, and just right for swimming; maybe, without the wind. Returning to the jammer, I drive to the campsite, pay the seven dollar fee and pull into my parking space for the evening.

This is entirely not what I expected. "What did you expect?" you ask. Well, I am glad you asked, "I expected majestic mountains, hushed old growth forests, buzzing meadows and a tranquil lake with water the color of an emerald sky; much like what I experienced in northern Maine when I last took steps there. In fact, on the drive here, considering this place to be wild, I even imagined a way to fend off a bear if perchance one came into my camp. Instead, I find no mountains anywhere in sight, trees carved and ravaged by campers, an overused campground surrounding one side of the lake, private homes on the opposite side, and wind swept waters that look more brown than tranquil. As I walk along the shore and see the drought retreated brown water in the lake with it′s edge covered with white foam, methinks, if there ever was medicine here it is here no more, instead it has all evaporated and in it′s place are now found commercialism, greed and toxins. Even the faucet water tastes bad full of chemicals.

I climb into the back of the jammer and wait to see if the suntouch here will provide a reprieve. Just before seven pm, I walk back down to the water and looking to the west at the horizon see that there is some color in the sky, but the contrails take away all the glory. There is no reprieve for what man has done to ruin this planet.

How could I have expected anything different, this is California. The prophet so got it correct when he wrote: "O LORD, I know that the way of man is not in himself: it is not in man that walketh to direct his steps." (Jerimiah 10:23) Yes, man has progressed to the point that he is ever so close to ruining this planet.

And even with all this misuse and plunder by man today, I yet revel in the wonderful hope for the future, when God will make all things new. Revelation 21:5 When He will do away with the wicked ones allowing the righteous to live paradise. Psalm 37:9;11;29 This was His purpose when He created the Earth and is His purpose now. Isaiah 48:18

I had planned to include Medicine Lake as one of my State destinations galleries but since arriving and finding it unworthy of such an honor, now have decided not even to add the few photos that I did take to my photo gallery. I am tired and will go to sleep early tonight.

I have been laying awake unable to go back to sleep for the last half hour because I have already slept eight hours and over the last several weeks with the days shortening eliminated any previous sleep debt. So, I await the dayspring to be able to make miles. Speaking of miles, there is a new number added to each dateline, that of the number of miles driven during the current tour. I look up and see that there is an illumination just beginning to grow on the horizon. Good, I will leave soon but first I need to make a trip to the vault toilet.

I continue on NF 49 north towards Lava Beds National Monument and in three miles, the road that has been hard surface since turning off the state highway 89 turns to gravel and continues gravel for thirteen more miles to the monument and through the southwest part of the monument until I arrive at the main park road. Once on the park road, I stop at Mammoth Crater and take photographs. I drive to the visitors center but it is over an hour until it opens so I don′t stay but drive north out of the park, through Tule Lake wildlife preserve and into Oregon. The first stop is at the d-mart to resupply my pantry with: water, dried fruit, walnuts, onions, sweet potatoes, plus avocados are fifty cents each so I buy two and get two bananas. I also get a package of pens and some lead for my mechanical pencils. Finally, I pack it into the jammer and head to the w-mart to check email and upload the last few days of journal entries.

Upon leaving Kalamath Falls, I head north up state route 140 on the left side of the Upper Klamath Lake and at about two pm, arrive at Crater Lake National Park, which is the ancient Mount Mazama I check in at the entrance booth and drive straight to the visitors center only to find that they do not have a patch for the junior ranger but after looking at the six page booklet, I take it anyway, go and sit in the auditorium and begin working on it. Brian then comes in to introduce the movie and tries to be funny, but a comedian he is not. He also give the park visitors a chance at questioning him and the visitors do a great job with many questions I would never thought to have answered. I work on the booklet during the movie, and write down interesting facts I hear from the movie announcer and when it is over stay to continue working on the booklet. Later, Brian comes in again to introduce the movie and asks me "Are you still here?" "Why yes," I answer, "I haven′t finished the junior ranger booklet."

After finishing the booklet, I take it to the ranger station and Brian looks at it and hands me my badge, no patch, no pledge, no ceremony and no respect. I buy a park patch and the association membership because my last one from the North Cascades National Park expired last May. I leave the visitors center and drive north on the park road stopping often to take photos and even see a crepuscular display. When reaching the eastern circular road, I turn left and head north to leave out the north entrance.

At the north entrance, I turn east on state route 131 to US 97 and then drive north towards La Pine, Oregon where there is a state park, one I have parked at on several occasions. Arriving shortly after suntouch, I find an open space, number eleven, one of the few left unoccupied and begin immediately cooking my Repast. By eight pm, I am inside the jammer with food in hand but when I first set up, I turned the inside lights on to see what I was doing and unbeknownst to myself, let in about fifty to a hundred small flying gnats. So, I turn off all but one light, the one I am sitting under and begin to swat gnats, it seems more like hundreds of them but in a few minutes, almost as are done in so I turn of the ceiling light and turn on the computer and begin eating. I then next few minutes the remaining few gnats show up on the computer screen where a thumb takes care of their annoying gnatness. It begins to get warm in the jammer so I turn the engine on and then the AC to cool down the interior but I can only keep it on officially until ten pm but I will shut it down long before that so as not to be an annoyance to the other campers. I wouldn′t want them to swat me. At nine-twenty pm, the engine goes off for the night, however, I continue with the computer for a short while longer.

I was not able to eat all of my Repast, so I will let it sit overnight and in the morning put a little Parmesan cheese on it and it will make a good breakfast. I will have to clean my computer in the light tomorrow because I know there are gnat swattings all over it but in the dark, I can not see them. Also, I have had to adjust the mileage driven each day because I had been using my odometer, which is not correct because I put bigger tires on the jammer and it increases the mileage by about ten percent. I found this out because when I set the odometer trip meter, I also set the trip meter on the GPS. After doing a brief calculation, (I was always good in math) I determined how much to reduce each of the daily mileage records.

I awake at five-thirty am, check the time and try to go back to sleep but these days, there is too much on my mind and resuming sleep just does not happen. I rise at six am and walk to the bath house, take a shower and put on clean clothes. Then I pack out, begin driving and leave the park by seven am heading north towards Bend, Oregon where I stop at a w-mart for a cup of hot and to check my email.

Also at the w-mart, I look up the number of the a-mart that has parts for the windjammer and when I call them, he tells me that he does not have what I am looking for. So, I drive to a local a-mart, open the hood and look at the vacuum lines and see that the ¼ line just need for the ends to be cut off and then reinstalled. This seems to have worked in getting the cruise control working again. Later, I will replace all the lines.

Then, I get back on the road continuing my drive north on US 97 through Madras, Oregon and then turn left on US 197 to the Dalles. Once at the Columbia River, I turn west into the Gorge and stop in Cascade Locks, Oregon at the same restaurant that I have been eating at for several years. I have the large Chef salad and water with lemon. After finishing my meal, I drive to the Bridge of the Gods and stop under it before crossing. This time I see a display board and walk to it so as to read it and I am glad that I did because it tells of an Native American story of an ancient bridge, one that was a natural bridge that spanned the river. I took a photo of the artist′s drawing and if it comes out, I will include it in the photo gallery. Amazing story about the Bridge of the Gods.

Crossing the bridge finds me in Washington and now it is just a short drive to the Island, however, the time in which I am starting the drive in Washington will put me on interstate 5 through Seattle right at the evening rush hour traffic which would turn a six hour drive into a nine or ten hour one. I consider my options and then decide to drive up the west side of Puget Sound along Hood Canal. This means that I will have to pay for a ferry ride from Port Townsend to Coupeville but methinks that fourteen dollars is better than four hours in heavy traffic. Arriving in Port Townsend at six-fifty pm, I stop to see what the meeting time is at the Port Townsend Hall and find it to be toning at seven-thirty pm. I immediately, thank Jehovah for providing the meeting at the last minute and know he will work out the ferry thing be it tonight or in the morning.

The one person that I know, Bruce is here and conducts the Bible study. After the meeting there is the annual meeting of the corporation which was done with much brevity. Several of the friends come up to me and introduce themselves; this is truly a friendly congregation. I then head to the ferry dock and see that it is closed for the night so I drive back to an all night g-mart and find a place in the parking lot. In the sack by ten twenty pm.

The sky is overcast but at least it is not raining, although it did rain lightly during the night. (My ears are sensitive to the drops hitting the roof of the jammer.) Yes, I am back in the North Wet and my desert dry nostrils are now washed out.

I drive to the ferry landing, pay the fee and get into line seven and while waiting for the ferry to come into port, I walk to the edge of the pier for a photo of the water. Soon, the ferry docks, unloads the few vehicles it carried across the sound, loads the cars from this dock and then the ferry engine starts to carry us across to the island. This is the first time in a long time that I have taken the ferry to return to the island but this tour, like much of what has already taken place and what is yet to occur is not like what has been a part of this wayfarer′s path before. While the engines resonate through the windjammer and we slowly cross Puget sound, I work on today′s journal entry and sip on my cup of hot.

Arriving at the Oak Harbor Hall right at nine am, I walk in for the morning ministry meeting to find Bob, Brian, and Debbie already here. More join us later. Afterwards, as we walk out of the hall, I see Aldo and Judy with their son from Big Bear, coming in for the Spanish meeting. We greet and then they go in for their meeting. I drive to the w-mart, purchase my second cup of hot and sit down to begin pounding keys.

Then after working for several hour, I call it enough and leave the w-mart, after which I stop by Duane and Jackie′s to see them and Duane asks me if I can look at his lawn mower to see if I can get them running. He tells me that he left gasoline in and it sat for six years. I tell him that he will need to drain the gas tank and then put fresh gas in it. He then asks me if I would go to the gas station and get some gas for him. When I return, I pure gas into the tank and then we try to start it but it does not turn over. He says that the charger says the battery is charged. I look at the battery and see that the cable are both loose and tell him that they need to be tightened. After he tightens the battery cable, we try the ignition again and the engine turns over real fast but doesn′t fire, just spins. I remove the air filter and see plenty of gas and then he asks if we should remove the spark plug. I get my socket set out, remove the plug and then have him turn the ignition on again and it blows gas out the plug hole. I tell him to stop, put the spark plug back in and then tell him to try again. He turns the key and the engine starts to fire but does not start. I tell him that it is flooded and we should try it again after a few minutes. After five minutes, I try the ignition and it fires up and keeps running. I need to get to the bank before it closes so I tell Duane that I need to go and will see him Sunday.

I pack up my tools and head for the bank where I pick up my Beaver vending machine and take it to Mark′s shop where I ask Mark if I can leave it here. He tells me that it is ok.Then Mark and I go out for supper and stop at the Island Cafe; he drives. Then we return to his shop and watch a movie, after which I walk out to the jammer and climb into the back. Its late, after eleven.

The sky is overcast, the humidity high, but at least it is not raining although it did lightly during the night. Yes, I am back in the North Wet and my desert dry nostrils are washed out and my sinuses are becoming swollen.

I drive to the w-mart, purchase a cup of blonde, set up my computer and write in my journal. After that, I upload it to the web site and then work on the blue links from the last week. At ten am, I head back to the shop to go upstairs and work on my thing storage. After bringing down one container and sorting it into the jammer I then decide to first clean the jammer before filling it up. Also, I do a couple of loads of wash and put away the clean clothes and bedding. A little later, Mark begins working on his trailer and I offer what little help that I can even getting out my tool box for a couple of items and help to clean up the electrical wiring. When he finishes the trailer, it looks nearly new and is ready to go to work. I go back to my piddling on the jammer and at five pm stop to take a shower and after sit down in the jammer to catch up on the journal entry.

Mark is out mowing the lawn and then sets up the golf targets and then Keoke shows; the two of them begin practice hitting small round ball while I go on with the key pounding. Joanne drives in with some tomatoes from Marge and goes inside to talk with Cheryl while I keep pounding the key. An eagle flies by and I go on with the key pounding.

Later, Joanne leaves, then Keoke leaves, and while the key pounding continues I notice a lot of smoke coming out from the end of the shop so I turn off the computer and walk over to see if Mark has a fire started in the fire pit and find a large flame burning so I sit down in one of the patio chairs to converse with Mark and Cheryl. It is after seven pm and there is still plenty of light in the sky even thought the sun set some time earlier. We sit, talk, eat a meal and then as the fire burns down into embers, all get up to retire to our sleeping births. It is ten pm when I get into the horizontal position in mine.

The sky is overcast, the humidity high, the fog thick, but at least it is not raining although the outside of the jammer is covered with dew from the night′s humidity. Yes, I am back in the North Wet and my desert dry nostrils washed out, my sinuses swollen and my eyes are tearing constantly.

When I awake, I see that the cloud filled sky is illumed so I get right up put on my jeans and drive to the w-mart at Harbor Station in town, purchase a cup of hot and begin my study for the meeting today. The theme scripture is Isaiah 43:12b, and the study like all recent ones is excellent, informative, and upbuilding.

After the meeting, I do some shopping at the local g-mart to purchase rolled oats and fresh veggies. Then, I drive to the w-mart, pack my groceries and begin pounding keys but the sky clears up, it becomes very warm and the need for a nap waxes. So, I drive to the shop and after having some leftover lasagna, take a nap lasting two or three hours and do not get up until after sunset. Then I work on The Self Gallery for a while until I go to sleep for the night.

The sky is overcast, the humidity high, the fog thick, the air heavy but at least it is not raining although the outside of the jammer is covered with dew from the night′s humidity. Yes, I am back in the North Wet and my desert dry nostrils are washed out, my sinuses swollen, my eyes tearing and I am now constantly hacking up mucus.

Awake several times in the predawn hours to look for light above the tree tops and finally, see the growing light. Arise, drive to the w-mart for a cup of hot and continue with the work on the gallery.

At noon, I leave to run some errands stopping at two banks, a restaurant where I have the last vending machine to fill it again. Too, I stop at a couple a-marts looking for some colored heater and vacuum lines but can not find what I want. I also stop by the drivers license office but they are closed today and will return there tomorrow. Later, I return to the shop to see if Mark and Cheryl want to go for something to eat and we all go to Island Cafe. Afterwards, we return to the shop and I retire to the jammer.

The sky is overcast, the humidity high, the fog thick, the air heavy and much cooler this morning and it is raining although very lightly. Yes, I am back in the North Wet and my desert dry nostrils are washed out, my sinuses swollen, my eyes tearing and itching, the mucus persists and must needs blow my nose regularly. Too, the high amount of moisture in the air chills me, and I feel the need to get into hot water every day; it is a good thing there is a hot shower for twenty-five cents at the city beach park.

Awake in the predawn darkness and can not go back to sleep so I drive to the w-mart for a tall cup of blonde roast. This w-mart brews the blonde a cup at a time instead of brewing a pot, which causes the coffee to be a little less hot in the cup. All the same, I begin my key pounding and hope to finish up The Self Gallery this morning.

The sunrise occurred moments ago with an orange-red display but being here in the city did not allow me to photograph it without many power lines in the scene, so I choose not to get out the camera. Soon after, the sun returns behind the cloak of heavy clouds, but as for now, the rain has discontinued. Later, it begins to rain again and does so off and on all day. I did make it to get my drivers license and then came back to the shop to work on my burden, something that I have been praying about considerably. I feel that I still have way too much in my burden and want to dispose of most of what is here but herein lies the problem; I still have not the desire to ride myself of much of the possessions in the attic here at the shop.

Thus, I must needs pray more about this matter and my meditations keep me returning back to the conversation Jesus had with a young man who asked what he could do to get everlasting life. Then after the young man confirmed that he has kept the commandments from youth on, Jesus said to him, "There is still one thing lacking about you: Sell all the things you have and distribute the proceeds to the poor, and you will have treasure in the heavens; and come be my follower." Luke 18:22. After the young man heard the above words of Jesus, he became deeply grieved, for he was very rich. I took feel that I am rich with possessions, way too much than needed and this causes me much grief for it is hard to let go of "things." I will continue to pray about this matter, even supplicate Jehovah for strength in this matter.

The sky is overcast, the humidity high, the fog thick, the air heavy, cool and has the smell of the sea but at least it is not raining now although it did rain all night, however, the jammer remains dry after holding strong against the pounding throughout the night′s downpour. Yes, I am back in the North Wet and my desert dry nostrils have long been forgotten, my sinuses swollen, my eyes tearing, the mucus persists as does the nose blowing and I am coughing very much.

As is my custom, I drive to the w-mart for a cup of blonde and begin the morning key pounding to write in my journal.

Later, I return to the shop, climb up into the attic and begin sorting the many bins of possessions. I determine that two of the bins will be easy to dispose of, especially since Cheryl said that she will take the stuff and try to find homes for it and if any thing is left, give it to the thrift store. I carry those bins down the ladder and set them on the floor of the garage for emptying later. Cheryl and Mark leave for a few hours and I continue to work on both my things and the jammer until about seven pm when I stop, serve me some ice cream and sit do to watch a movie. Just after the movie is going for a little while, they come home, Marks lights a fire and invites me out to the fire pit to sit and enjoy the flames. I turn off the movie and join them for a short while before leaving and going to the jammer to get horizontal.

The sky is overcast, the humidity high, the fog thick, the air heavy, cool, has the smell of the sea and the screaming sea gulls are back but at least it is not raining now although the outside of the jammer has dew from the night′s humidity and the excess moisture in the air has now begun to coat the inside windows. Too, the screaming sea gulls are back. Yes, I am back in the North Wet and my desert dry nostrils are washed completely out, my sinuses swollen, my eyes tearing, the mucus persists, my nose is running constantly and I am so ready to journey on. Well, the journey on will begin tonight right after the meeting when I leave this island rock for the mainland and begin my points east tour. One week on this godforsaken rock is all that this wayfarer can endure, especially during the wet season.

I drive to the w-mart and upload my journal, work on The Burden Gallery and complete the first gallery. Then I drive to the a-mart and purchase some vacuum line, take it to the shop to install and then work on disposing of the things. I am able to empty two large bins and even consolidate three other bins into two. Into the now three empty bins, I put the vending product and parts which had previously been in cardboard boxes and plastic grocery bags. Now all that is left in the attic here is the vending things and one more bin containing all my blue glass, framed art work, internal frame backpack and a lot of towels used for wrapping. I also clean out the jammer and do some needed sewing. Also, I see Joanne at the shop and greet her.

Just before four, I tell Mark and Cheryl good bye and head into town to make final changes to the three-head vending machine at Frank′s restaurant, the last vending machine I have placed in a location. The added capacity should allow the product to last upwards to nine months at this location, giving me plenty of time to return again. I then stop to have supper and work on my Bible study for tonight after which I go to the w-mart and write in my journal.

At six-thirty pm, I get dressed and then drive to the Hall for the meeting, getting there a half hour early to offer one of Loni′s rings to each of those sisters who knew her. I do this before and after the meeting and almost finish giving away all the rings. Eric and Megan arrive and I give Eric a hug, Megan and hand shake and get to talk with both for a time both before and after the meeting. I apologize to Eric that I will not make the reception but will be heading east tonight.

Methinks, most of our get-togethers have lots of food, really tasty food because our sisters can make excellent dishes, and find that I personally can not stop eating until I have tasted a serving from each one. So, in my current desire to continue to loose weight, now down eighty pounds since this effort began eighteen months ago, I find it appropriate for me just to stay away from such gatherings. Too, I get ample association here at the meetings. Finally, I head out to the jammer, change clothes and begin the drive to Bellingham as I want to go to the o-mart in the morning.

I stop at the parking area on the Deception Pass Bridge and notice that I am at 1688 miles on this fall tour.

Upon arriving at the o-mart, I find that they do not open until ten am, but also see that there is a w-mart adjacent and will be there when I arise in the morning. Also, in the area is a g-mart that is open twenty-four hours and park here for the evening. I have to put up all of my towel curtains to block the many parking lot lamps.

I sleep in this morning as I did not get into the back until long after eleven pm last evening. After moving the jammer to the w-mart, I go inside and the barista Adam brews my blonde coffee. Then I begin pounding keys while awaiting the o-mart to open at ten am. At nine-thirty, I drive to the o-mart and park in the number one position right in front of the door and begin reading one of the latest magazines. Five minutes before ten am, the doors open and I go in. I purchase two new one liter water bottles (marked bpa free) a neck wallet, and a canister of gas for my pack stove. Then, I leave the parking lot, drive onto the interstate, stop once to purchase gasoline and after crossing into Oregon stop at the Emigrant Springs State Park where I will camp tonight.

The sun set just before I arrived and I first eat my supper while typing today′s journal entry. Then I walk to the bath house to take a shower with really hot water, after which I return to read for a while before going to sleep. I notice that the interstate traffic is noisy until after nine pm.

I awake in the early sunglow although the sky is overcast and the sunglow diminished, make a trip to the bath house and then begin my eastward drive this morning. In about twenty miles is the first w-mart where I stop to upload my journal and drink a cup of hot blonde and a second cup but I don′t stay long because I would like to visit two national parks today. The drive across the northeast corner of nearly two hundred miles is cut short by my stopping at the state park last night and now is only one hundred and seventy miles before crossing the Snake River the first time and entering into Idaho. It seems like this time the distances are not as far and much less tiring. Once a path has been traveled, methinks the path is shorter during the next time it is traveled, even though it is the same distance, same route and even same jammer. On other journeys I notice this path shortening phenomena where I travel over the same path for a second or third time. Therefore, methinks that the entire planet is getting smaller which each new tour that I go on.

However, what amazes me is that on these same roadways whereupon I have moved along, the construction projects never seem to be completed. Point in case, interstate 84 in Idaho from the Oregon state line through Boise had a construction crew working on updating the highway way back in 2008 when I drove it to deliver a vending machine. The same highway is being worked on today when I drive through Boise to get to Hagerman Fossil Beds National Monument. I will be so glad when God′s Kingdom takes control of the public works on this planet.

I do enjoy the small visitors center at the fossil beds and meet the Haberman Horse, a predecessor of all modern horses, donkeys and zebra. Minidoka National Historic Site is also along the same interstate but is a new park and has yet to acquire a visitors center of it′s own but there is a display at the fossil beds visitors center and the historic site has a junior ranger program which has an embroidered patch for the achievement award, one of which I now have earned. I leave the national monument and drive further east to the City of Rocks National Reserve, arriving after six pm and to late to visit the visitors center. They do have a park brochure in an outside holder, one of which I now possess.

I park in the visitors center parking lot next to the vault toilet near another recreational vehicle and work on my journal until nine pm at which time I retire to read in my Bible. The sun sets early here, at about six-thirty pm because I am located at the very western side of the Mountain Time Zone. As I travel east, I will loose time but also, the time of the sunset will change somewhat while crossing each time zone. I have not researched it yet, but I believe the sun will set a little later each longitude line that I cross up to the next time zone. Time to begin reading.

I have noticed that it does not take long for my head to begin clearing once I leave the North Wet, already my sinuses are clear although there is still some drainage. The weather where I have been traveling the past two days has been overcast with light rain with the temperatures not changing much from those on the island. However, methinks that the humidity has dropped slightly. Nevertheless, I feel better now that I am out of Washington.

Yesterday, I made the mistake of driving into a wilderness area and out of the populated area where one can find a hall to to to. I am so far out into the wilderness, that there is not a w-mart any where closer than sixty miles. So I am not able to use the jw.org to locate a hall close enough to drive to this morning. In the future, I will pay more attention to what day it is becoming, even begin looking a few days earlier for a hall.

Upon arising, it is still dark and I work on my journal until the first sign of sunglow when I begin to notice a mountain range in the distant north with cloud cover hanging just above. In the east, the clouds begin to put on a display but are too thick to let much light come through. I leave to enter the park but do not stay too long because the park roads are gravel and it has been raining here and they are very muddy. I drive to an overlook, park the jammer and walk in about a half mile taking photos of the rock formation. Unless the rest of the park has much better looking rocks, I am not too impressed because I have seen better else where. Still, it is a stop on the emigrant trail westward and has some impressive rock climbing areas.

Leaving the City of Rocks, I drive first east to reconnect to interstate 84, then south into Utah and then take exit 26 to drive to the Golden Spike National Historic Site. I have driven this interstate many times and chosen not to drive the long one way and return trip to this site, but this time I am picking up all those parks that I have driven by in the past.

When I arrive at the site, there is an announcement that the 123 will be arriving in just ten minutes. Suddenly, I become excited about what is going on here. I walk past the ranger counter which looks like a ticket booth and out of the visitors center which looks like a train station. On the tracks is the Jupiter with its back facing the west as if it came the 690 miles from Sacramento and I walk up to it and take a few photos. Soon, we can see the 123 coming from the east as if it had traveled the 1086 miles from Omaha, blows it′s whistle two long blasts, one short and one more long. The ranger giving the program tells us that that is the signal that the engine will be crossing a road. As it gets closer, it again blows the whistle, this time two long blasts and one short blast. The ranger tells us that this is the signal that the engine is coming to a stop. I feel like a kid again with a new train set, this is so much fun.

After the program, I walk back into the train station and ask if there is a junior ranger program, to which the ranger says yes and hand me the booklet. He then tells me that the movie is just beginning so I go into the auditorium to watch, taking notes on the junior ranger booklet. Later, I finish the booklet, get my junior ranger badge and then head south towards the next park on my list, Timpanogos Cave National Monument.

As is evident, this has already been a long day, but upon arriving at the cave, I go into the visitors center and begin to ask questions. Yes, there is an embroidered patch available for the junior ranger no, I do not have to climb the 1092 feet up the steep path to walk through the cave but can watch the video to meet the junior ranger requirements. I get right to work on the booklet and already know many of the answers to the questions from other caves I have visited. After finishing the booklet, getting my patch, and taking photos from below the mountain, I drive out of the park heading over the mountain pass through the Unita National Forest on Utah state highway 92, a road called by many, the Timpanogos highway. If I had any doubts about taking the extra time to drive through Salt Lake and driving this far to the south, the cave and this road completely changed my opinion. First, the road, although well traveled by many locals the road way is narrow, scenic, viewfull, winding, and of the feather of the Kancamagus highway in the White Mountains National Forest of New Hampshire, a highway that I have driven on several occasions and spoke about and recommended often. The pass elevation is 8060 feet and at this time of the year the aspen are a bright yellow in their fall display. Timpanogos Mountain stand tall at 11,752 feet and is viewed all along the route. The highway finally drops out onto US Highway 189 at over 5000 feet elevation and from there I climb back up to over 6000 feet on the way northeast to Heber City where I stop at a d-mart for the evening. It rains during the night.

Awake at early sunglow, just barely visible because of the heavy cloud cover and walk into the d-mart for some fluids for the jammer. Then, I drive to a w-mart to connect to the internet and upload the recent changes to my journal and photo pages. Since the national parks are arriving at a fast pace, it will take a few days to catch up on the most recent ones. Still, ever since the photo gallery upgrades I did last winter, making additions to the photo pages has become so much easier and less time consuming, and all those many long hours of work that went into the photo gallery upgrades are more than appreciated now. As I continue going to the park and adding them to the galleries, I am still finding new ways to tweak the photo pages to make the work still easier, new changes that I plan add to all of the galleries then next time that I snowbird for the winter. After the second cup to hot, I begin on the roadway, still before eight am.

Traveling north on US highway 189 and in short time I am above 6000 feet again. I continue east on interstate 80 into Wyoming where I exit the interstate on state highway 89 north, cross back into Utah until I arrive at US highway 30. Here, I turn east again and follow this road until arriving at Fossil Butte National Monument. The entrance is lined with geological event signs distanced apart at nine inches equal a million years. At first the events are fifty to a hundred yards apart, (creation of earth, formation of continents, creation of ozone layer and etc) but upon arriving at the parking lot, the events have gotten progressively closer. Then as I exit my car and walk on the walkway to the visitors center, the event are only steps apart. Even so, at nine inches to a million years, each of my steps is three and a third million years. Still, there are many steps to take until arriving at the appearance of the Homo sapiens and modern history.

Upon entering the visitors center, Bill, a volunteer ranger, asks "Do you have any questions?" I reply, "Do you have a junior ranger program?" to which he answers yes. Then, I ask "Does it have an embroidered patch?" He then shows me both the patch and the badge and I go to work on the junior ranger booklet. This booklet is very well done and I learn quite a bit from the research required to fill it in. Like the Timpanogos Cave and the cave question, here too, I know the answers to many of the question in this booklet but because of it comprehensiveness in dealing with fossils, it still takes me quite a while. I obtain the badge which is numbered and has the recipients name recorded in a book, as well as the patch for a contribution of five dollars. What a deal!

Then I leave out of the park and continue east on US 30 until I reach Green River, Wyoming and stop here to look for a place to park for the night. I end up driving ten miles further east to Rock Springs, Wyoming and part at at d-mart with a w-mart directly across the street. It is nine pm as I pull in to the d-mart, I see it is packed with RV′s, possible as many as forty or fifty. I get into the back and go right to sleep.

I awake two times in the early morning with a dry mouth and drink water, then again at five and drive across the street to the w-mart for a cup of blonde. As I drink my cup of hot, watch the dayspring through the window grow slowly brighter and see that north of here is mostly clear blue skies while to the south, there are ominous dark clouds. After having one more cup, I get back into the jammer and head south to the Flaming Gorge National Recreation Area. Driving south from Rock Springs on US 191, the road quickly climbs to over seven thousand feet and the reaches the high point at 8121 feet. Not far from this elevation, I see a small herd of antelopes higher up on a ridge. Then I cross to another ridge and never go below seven thousand feet until I begin the decent to the Flaming Gorge dam and highway 191 crosses on top of the dam and after stoping at the visitors center, begins to climb up the opposite side. When US highway later turns left at an intersection, I turn right on Utah state highway 44 and drive to the National Forest visitors center at Red Canyon overlook where I park, get out and walk first to the visitors center to find it closed and then to the overlook to find it much to overcast and raining to get good photos. Still, I will upload what I have and hope to return yet another time during better weather.

Leaving the recreational area and heading south, highway 191 stays above seven thousand feet and this time goes up to 8471 feet before the long descent in Utah. At Vernal, Utah, I take US 40 east to Dinosaur National Monument and then state highway 189 to the turnoff to the Quarry visitors center. Going inside, I ask my same two questions and find that there are two junior ranger booklets, the regular one and the fifty year anniversary for the Wilderness Act. Only the Wilderness Act has a patch but I take both booklets to work on. I am able to finish the regular booklet in about an hour and to complete the Wilderness booklet, I need to go on a hike in the park. I choose the Desert Voice trail that starts at the Green River campground and walk west from the river a little more than a mile and then return to where the jammer is parked. During this hour and a half walk, the booklet wants me to write about my experience, so I decide that it will serve as a rough draft for my to rewrite and included here in my journal. However, it is already after nine-thirty pm and rewriting that walk journal will have to happen on another day.

Leaving the Quarry section of the park, I then drive to the Red Canyon section, primarily to get a stamp for the park brochure as I do not drive the twenty mile road to the parking lot only to have to hike five miles to the view point. That too will be task for another day. I continue eat on US highway 40 through some beautiful scenery and finally stop at Craig, Colorado, and stop at a d-mart, all of which is still in the very northwest county of Colorado.

Upon awaking, I begin driving right away, leaving the d-mart and stopping to get a cup of hot, but do not stay long and drive with the drink to Steamboat Springs, Colorado before stopping again to gas up. The station where I fill up offers a free sixteen ounce cup of hot with a fill up, so, I continue on my way with my second cup of hot. Soon, I enter Routt National Forest and begin climbing and soon go over seven thousand feet, then eight thousand, then nine thousand where there is snow on the ground and reach a pass at 9373 feet where snow covers much of the gound and later, the high point is at 9450 feet where there is much snow. Coming out of the mountain forest, I cross and area still above seven thousand feet and while listening to the local weather on the radio, a winter storm forecast is made for the mountain areas.

This makes me decide not to try to drive through Rocky Mountain National Park at this time but rather leave US highway 40 at Kremmling, Colorado and drive south on Colorado highway 9, the Blue River highway. This was my original choice of routes but decided to drive through the national park instead. Now, I am glad that I did drive the Blue River highway as it is quite scenic, especially at this time of the year.

After reaching Dillon, Colorado, I use my GPS to locate a w-mart, stop and begin working on my journal and stay here until five when I drive to my brother′s home, but being the first time here, I find the neighborhood but not the address. Then, I give Robert a call and ask, which one of these homes is yours. He gives me direction and in short time, Robert, my baby brother are hugging. We go inside where I get a hug from Ellen and a bark from Cuma their dog. Then we sit on the sofa to catch up on everything that has been happening and out that Robert and Ellen are leaving tomorrow after Robert returns from work to go away for the week end. It is good that I came here today instead of going to the national park first.

Later, Ellen goes into the kitchen to warm some leftover meat loaf and we three sit down for a meal. Afterwards, Robert and I return to the sofa and continue in our catching up until ten when I go to the bath room to take a shower, after which retire to the spare bedroom for the evening.

Awake to Robert and Cuma walking through the home, get up and have a cup of coffee with Robert. We continue to take while Robert eats and then go outside to scrape the snow and ice off the windows of our vehicles. Finally, Robert leaves for work and I go back to the house to say good by to Ellen, after which drive to the w-mart to plan my day to make sure that I will end up at the meeting tonight. After finding the driving times to both the next park and then a hall that I can arrive at before seven pm tonight. The first one that I check is in Garden City, Kansas and is right on my route east and I will get there with plenty of time to get dressed. I then begin working on sorting, cropping and uploading photos to the new national parks that have been added to my website.

At ten am, I pack out, head up interstate 70 to cross the continental divide, a climb to the elevation of 11,158 feet, through a tunnel and then continue east to the next park, Sand Creek Massacre National Historic Site. Just about one year ago, I came here but arrived only fifteen minutes before the posted closing time but the ranger had already shut the visitors center down. Wow, was I mad at him for doing that and for not accommodating me and another car group but said that we should come back the next morning. Both myself and the driver of the other car said that we would not be anywhere near here in the morning and then the ranger shrugged his shoulders. I believe that the ranger here today is the same ranger that was here on Day 185 JO, (01 September 2013) because he walked out of the visitors center with park brochures in his hand to give to the arriving visitors. Even though my anger was peaked quite high back then, today, I speak to him with a pleasant tone and do not even bring up that incident because life lesson six has been well-founded in my mind and heart.

After viewing the historic site, I return to the highway and continue east on state highway 96, then south on US highway 385, and finally east on US highway 50 to Garden City, Kansas arriving at seven pm. I though that I was going to get here more than an hour before the meeting but I had not taken into consideration the loss of an hour from the change from mountain to central time zone. Still, twenty minutes to dress is not to terribly rushed and do so and enter the hall with more than ten to spare. As I walk up to the front door, I notice that this hall has one English and two Spanish congregations; I am just glad that the English meeting is tonight.

I greet several of the friends coming in as I put my book bag on a chair and then continue to talk with and greet others who I give my name to. The Bible study conductor is one of those who I told my name to and when I raise my hand to answer a question, he calls me by my name, and even pronounces it correctly. Later, during a service meeting part, I also raise my hand and the servant, calls on me and says "Thom Buras, from the past." I thought this really odd even though he does look familiar to me, but to the life of me, I can not recognize who this brother is. I let is pass and concentrate on the meeting parts.

After the meeting, both this brother and his wife come up to me and asks, "Don′t you recognize us?" After a minute or two with my mouth open, she says "We were in the same congregation with you in League City." My mouth opens wider. Finally, I ask them to remind me of their names and find out that their names are Craig and Katherine. Slowly, it comes back to me, yes, but they were only in that congregation for less than a year and then they disappeared. Katherine said, "We moved to South America to work where the need is greater." Hugs are in order and we group hug. All along, Craig is wearing his trademark smile that I now remember so well. We talk for a while longer to catch up and then I tell them that I will be staying here for the weekend.

Finally, I walk out to the jammer, change clothes and add this strange day to my journal. Afterwards, I drive to the d-mart and climb into the back and sleep comes very quickly.

I awake this morning much later that is normal for me; methinks that it was that comfortable bed that I did not get much sleep on the night before at Robert and Ellen′s home. Still, when I do awake, pull the curtain down and look out the window to see the dayspring is at suntouch. I walk into the d-mart for the men′s room, return to the jammer and drive to a w-mart for a cup of hot.

After a couple of hours, I then return to the jammer and head north to the Monument Rocks National Natural Landmark. I follow the GPS and it take me across a gravel road, then a dirt road, then over a plowed field and finally back to a gravel road to the rocks. The rocks occupy an area on both sides of a county road and in three different locations, all of which are within a half mile radius. I visit all three locations and take numerous photos. While at the rocks, I talk with another car group visiting the Rocks, and learn the all gravel way back to Garden City, which I take to avoid disturbing the farm land.

Once back in Garden City, I stop at the d-mart, purchase some engine oil, and then work on the website until late. Finally, I climb into the back to get some sleep. Each day of my being here in this location, when I open my door in the morning there is a stench permeating the air. When I asked Craig about it, he told me that it is the feed lots and from what I under stand, a feed lot is where the cattle is brought to butcher and while they are waiting for their turn, they get all they want to eat. How kind that for them! I am not going to go into this subject because I probably could go on and on for hours, yet, this permeating stench all about this city will become just one more iron in the fire for this topic.

Another morning of waking up late, but I make it to the meeting for the ministry. I am assigned to work with Craig, Heath and Don who I go with into the territory until noon. Afterwards, I return to a w-mart to continue working on the website, preparing photos for the natural landmark here in western Kansas.

Later, in the late afternoon, I return to the d-mart to relax until evening and prepare for the study tomorrow. I do go inside and purchase a packaged salad for $1.48, a cucumber for $0.68 and an avocado for $0.88, so for less than three dollars, onions, vinegar and oil that I already have, I have a very nice supper. It has been a very warm day and the warmth last well into the evening, so while waiting for it to cool off, I read in the Bible.

 

Upcoming Astronomical event: Crimson Full Moon with purple edge on morning of the 8th of October.

After two days of recuperating from my visit with my baby brother, I am now back to my normal schedule of awaking before the dayspring and enjoy it from within a f-mart while drinking a cup of hot. I have finished today′s Bible study and now work on my journal before the meeting starts at twelve-thirty pm. At ten, I pack out and go to the hall and wait under the shade of a large sycamore tree. At eleven-thirty, the Spanish congregation begins to leave the hall and those from the English begin to arrive. I go in, find a seat and begin to talk with several of the friends. All too soon, the meeting is over, say my good byes, start the jammer and continue on my journey eastward.

Taking state route 156 from Garden City to interstate 70 and continue east the few miles to US highway 81 and turn northward, arriving at Concordia, Kansas at eight-thirty pm. Then, I climb into the back and set up for the evening. Tired as usual, I go right to sleep.

I awake first at five-thirty am but since I only have to drive an hour to the next park, I decide to go back to sleep this morning. Then, when I do arise, I drive to the f-mart for coffee and WiFi only to find that Matthew from Big Bear has returned my e-mail correspondence. I reply, telling him that I am so glad to hear from him. Then, I upload my journal entry and latest web pages to the internet before taking off for the next national park, Homestead National Monument of America.

Only fifty miles east of Garden City, I cross the 100 longitude line. The western most point in the contiguous 48 states is on the Olympic Peninsula of Washington state at Cape Alba. (48.16974° N, 124.73004° W) That means that I have traveled about twenty-four degrees since leaving Washington. Then, I wonder how far that I can go east and I goggle it and find the easternmost point is West Quoddy Head, Maine at 44.81335° N, 66.94975° W, which means that I have about thirty-three degrees in which to move eastward.

Arriving in the late morning, I drive up to the visitors center, walk in and ask about junior ranger patches, which they do not have. So, I spend time walking through a large two floor exhibit, watch the video and then walk outside to look at the home display. The park is located on the homestead of the first recorded and proved homestead under the Homestead Act of 1862 which was signed by President Lincoln. Between 1862 and 1934, the federal government granted 1.6 million homesteads and distributed 270,000,000 acres (420,000 square miles) of federal land for private ownership. The down side of this government enactment is that almost all the federal land granted as homesteads was Indian land prior to the federal government giving it away. This resulted in devastating the homes, hunting grounds, culture, religion, families and lives of even more people that who received that grants. I leave this park sad for those who lost their way of life.

Then, I drive south on US 77 back into Kansas and stop in Topeka to see the Brown v. Board of Education National Historic Site

Then, I drive south on US 77 back into Kansas to interstate 70 and then west until the interstate changed into a turnpike and I continued on US 40, then Kansas state highway 10 to where it connected with interstate 435 to Independence, Missouri, where I stop at a w-mart right next to a d-mart. Here, I check my email and find one telling me about the new JW Broadcasting and go directly there and watch the new videos for more than an hour. Wow!

At eight-thirty pm, I upload my new web pages and journal entries and then pack out for the evening.

I have noticed that the further east and lower the elevation, there is a corresponding warmer temperature, although it is still relatively comfortable at night for sleep. I rained lightly during the night and humidity remains high this morning. Upon arising, I drive the short distance to the w-mart, purchase a cup of hot and connect to the internet. While I await the two hours until the next park opens, I work on photos from yesterday. At eight am, I drive to Harry S Truman National Historic Site which is only ten minutes away from my overnight spot, arriving there right at opening. I walk through the visitors center and then drive to the Truman home which requires a ticket to be purchased. I just take photos of the outside and visit a home of Harry′s cousins, also park of the site. I am not impressed with the site and the displays. Heading out of Independence, I drive north on interstate 35 and then west on US route 36 through Hannibal, Missouri but don′t stop, across the Mississippi River at one-twenty-two with 5087 miles driven to get here.

Then, I continue on interstate 72 east to Springfield, the capital of Illinois and stop at the Lincoln Home National Historic Site and tour the home for free. It seems that Robert Lincoln, Abraham and Mary Lincoln′s son bequeathed it to the federal government and required it to be shown to the public free of charge. The park gets around that requirement by charging two dollars for parking. Despite the parking fee, I still enjoy this historic site quite a bit; the entire area has been restored to look like it was when the Lincoln′s lived here. The cobblestone roadway bricks have been removed and the roads restored to dirt (or find ground gravel so that it would not be muddy.) The curbs have been removed and wooden borders and side walks put in. The entire eight block square has been blocked off and returned to the way it was.

After the Lincoln tour, I drive southeast on state highways and stop for the evening at a d-mart in Effingham, Illinois. It is after nine pm when I get into the back of the jammer.

Awake at early sunglow, the sky is still very dark and there is a slight glow on the horizon. I get up right away and drive to the w-mart. There is need for me to stop at the a-mart to get an alternator for the jammer because the gauge shows that it is not charging. This will most likely take up the morning and possibly, I will be able to make it to the next park this afternoon. However, now, I am charging my computer.

At eight am, I arrive at the a-mart but they do not have the part. However, they call another a-mart who does have the part. The clerk tells me that my lifetime warranty is still good in this store and because I am on the road, if, after I replace the alternator, I bring the core back to them, they will refund the entire cost from the other store. What a deal, it was just as if I got the replacement part from them, no charge. I do replace the alternator and since I have done it two times before, I am getting fast at the repair and I am back on the road by one pm.

From Effingham, I drive southeast across the state using state routes until arriving at the bridge crossing the Wabash River into Vincennes, Indiana. I have absolutely no idea who George Rogers Clark is when driving to the National Historical Park in Vincennes, so when arriving at the bridge, I am amazed by the huge granite memorial right next to the bridge. At first, methinks that the memorial is for something else because I would have heard of G.R. Clark if this structure is for him. I park near the bridge and walk the two blocks to the visitors center. The first thing I ask the volunteer ranger "Is the monument for Clark?" I look around the center and see paintings and murals with figures from colonial times, both soldiers and native Americans. Then under the paintings, begin to notice dates from the late 1700′s and I recognize that this person must be a war hero from the American Revolution. However, I am in southern Indiana not far from the confluence of the Mississippi and Ohio rivers and how can this be connected to the American revolution which was, methought, fought in the colonies? Then my next question is "Who is George Rogers Clark?"

My reasoning's are correct, American revolution war leader who fought against the British in the western campaigns. However, I come to find out that the decisive battle at Fort Sackville was fought long after the colonies won independence in 1776. It seems that the British only let go of the thirteen colonies but kept the holding to the north and west, fortifying them with many troops and paying native Americans to attack the colonist. Also, they allied with the French in this predominately French area, especially since this was before the Louisiana purchase that came later in 1803. Wow, such a history lesson this park has turned out to be. Clark went on to defeat the British General at his own fort here in Vincennes on the Wabash River by marching his men across the winter snow melt flooded area of southern Illinois and crossing the Wabash, also flooded, and with men who were exhausted, fraught with inanition and freezing weather but still managed to out fight the British held up in the fort. Then after a truce was requested and when parlaying with the British commander, Clark was able to totally bluff the British commander into surrendering by making him think that the American forces vastly out numbered the British, when in fact Clark only brought a small contingent of skilled Kentucky long rifle marksmen.

Still, I wonder, what does this have to do with the American revolution and why does this Clark character get such a huge and impressive monument, one larger than almost all other American monuments. Well, after watching the video, I find the answers. Clark′s victory eliminated British domination of the Northwest territories (Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, and Wisconsin) and opened the area for immediate occupation by settlers from the American colonies, all which ultimately leads to the Louisiana purchase.

Then, I return to the jammer and drive south on US 41 to interstate 64 and west to the next park, Lincoln Boyhood National Memorial, arriving only minutes after the visitors center closes. I still tour the outdoor display and then realize that I have already been to this park back in 1987. I take some photos, return to the jammer and continue west on interstate 64 crossing the Ohio River into Louisville, Kentucky and then north on interstate 71 until the sun sets and stop in La Grange, Kentucky at a d-mart for the evening.

My eyes open long before dayspring, begin driving right away and set the GPS for the next f-mart for a cup of hot which is about eighteen miles northeast on interstate 71. Right back on the road northeast and enter heavy traffic when entering Cincinnati but still cross the Ohio River by eight am. The first stop today is William H Taft National Historic Site and the home where he was born and grew up. I learned that Taft is the only person to have been president (20^th, 1909-1913) and a chief justice on the supreme court (1921-1930).

Leaving the Taft home, I drive north to Dayton, Ohio and the Dayton Aviation Heritage National Historical Park. This park includes one of the Orville and Wilber Wright′s bicycle shops at the visitors center and several other units in town. I also find out about the new Charles Young Buffalo Soldier National Monument to be located close by. All that is available is the passport stamp at this time so I stamp the Dayton Aviation brochure with the Buffalo Soldier stamp. Then I leave for the next Ohio park about one hundred miles east, Hopewell Culture National Historical Park and find this park to be one more of those dealing with the ancient mound builders. I have yet to begin the national park photo gallery for this division of parks. I hope to soon have a new photo gallery called "The Mounds" with the full title "The Mounds of the Ancients" which will have the Hopewell Culture, Effigy Mounds, Poverty Point, Ocmulgee and other sites. Too, I have been thinking of adding several other divisions to the National Parks Photo Gallery but this will probably have to wait for the winter hiatus.

Finally , I drive north towards the next park in Canton, Ohio, stopping in New Philadelphia at the hall for the meeting. Later , I drive to the d-mart for the evening.

Up early to an overcast, foggy morning and drive to the f-mart for a cup of hot and sit in the jammer while finishing yesterdays entry in my journal and charging the computer. At seven am, the sunglow begins to show, so I get a refill in my cup and begin the drive to the next park.

I arrive at First Ladies National Historic Site fifteen minutes before eight this morning and work for a while on my web site. Later, some of the park workers arrive and I ask one a couple of questions to which she tells me that the first tour is at nine thirty and the library where you purchase the ticket is open a nine. At nine, I walk to the library, enter the front door and greet three women who work there. After they tell me the procedure, and as I am filling out the guest register, I over hear one talking about baking potatoes with olive oil and when there is an opportunity, I tell them that I have a recipe for a similar dish on my web site and give one lady my card. A conversation is started and we talk about several things including eating healthy.

At nine-thirty, one of the ladies takes me into the auditorium and starts a twenty minute video for me to watch. Afterwards, I return to the front desk and then Abby takes me on a tour of the house which was the home of Ida Saxton McKinley. Ida and her husband William McKinley lived here during the fourteen years he served in Congress. The home was restored to the McKinley era. I linger for a long time at this site because there are so many things that are interesting but then I leave heading north on interstate 77 just past Akron, Ohio and come to Cuyahoga Valley National Park. The Cuyohoga River leaves Akron with an elevation of over a thousand feet and winds down through a large valley dropping to Lake Erie with an elevation of 507 feet. Right along the river, the Ohio-Erie Canal was dug between Lake Erie and Akron and opened in 1827 with many lock to raise and lower the canal boats the several hundred feet from Cleveland to Akron. Later, the canal was connected to the Ohio River making it possible, by connection to the Erie Canal in New York state, for a water passage from New York City to New Orleans without going around Florida. Such a history lesson today!

With time left in the afternoon, I head further north to James A Garfield National Historic Site arriving in time to purchase a patch, stamp a park brochure and take a few photos. Garfield, born in a log cabin in 1831, his father passed when he was two years, worked on canal boats as a boy, attended and excelled in studies first at Geauga Seminary, then Western Reserve Eclectic Institute and finally Williams College in Williamstown, Massachusetts graduating as salutatorian in 1856, ordained as a minister, was fluent in six languages, married Lucretia Rudolph in 1858, appointed colonel during the civil war, wins battles at Shiloh and Chickamauga, Tennessee and promoted to general, elected to congress while serving in the Civil War, gained a reputation as a skilled orator, later nominated and elected the twentieth president in 1880, inaugurated in March of 1881, assassinated on the second of July 1881, dies on September 19 and buried in Cleveland on September 26, 1881. Chester Author, his vice president became the twenty-first president in his place. (This is the short story!)

Leaving the Garfield home, I drive to the next park, stop at a nearby d-mart, complete my journal entries for today and then shut down the jammer for the evening at nine pm.

It seams to be much colder than it is this morning when I awake, maybe it is because of my being so near to Lake Erie. I have a little time to wait because the park does not open until ten am so I will spend it checking email and catching up on the news and weather. I still need to take a ferry ride and will do so without the jammer to save on the money required. ($14 for a passenger, $44 with a car.) I had thought about driving across last night but the ferry was loading, it was dark and it was new steps to be taken. One thing that I have found to be beneficial is to be prepared for new steps, at least by learning about what is involved before taking them. Too, I knew that on the mainland, there is a d-mart to park for the night and a w-mart to connect to the internet, so I made the decision last evening not to spend the forty-four dollars. Well, I will leave now to drive to the ferry landing.

Upon arriving at the ferry, I park, walk up to the ticket booth and purchase my round trip ticket across the lake. The ferry is already loading so I walk right on. Talking with some of the passengers, I find out that you can rent a bicycle for $15, golf cart for $30, pay $3 for a bus ride or walk to the monument. Immediately, what comes to mind is when as a youth in Scouting, I walked to the San Jacinto monument several times. It was ten miles one way to my home town monument and I have no idea how far it is to the Perry′s Victory and International Peace Memorial but as the ferry approaches South Bass island, the monument stands tall at what looks like about a mile to the east. Since there is blue sky and a warming sun, I decide to take a walk, so I climb up from the dock and walk along a country like road dotted with homes, b and b′s, farms, an airport and finally the monument comes into site. The area is famous for the name of the town, Put-in-bay, but during this prolonged walk, I keep thinking that it should be called Put-out-bay. Still, I accept that this walk is good for me.

The visitors center on the right side of the road and I walk directly inside, watch the movie which is about the War of 1812 with England over who owns the northwest territory. This battle was fought on Lake Erie and after the first engagement, all of the commanding officers of the British fleet were killed leaving only inexperienced junior officers to command resulting in the ramming of the two British brigs and entangling of the rigging. Perry then brought his brig around and began pummeling the the two brigs until the British fleet surrendered. The entire battle only lasted a couple of hours.

Leaving the visitors center, I walking the hundred plus yards to the monument expecting to pay the three dollars to ride the elevator to the top but the sign at the pay station says that park pass holders are free. I walk to the elevator and the ranger there takes me to the observation deck. The top of the monument is 352 feet above the lake, which is short when compared to the San Jacinto monument at 567 feet and the Washington monument at 555 feet. It is not allowed but there is a stairs to the top which is 467 steps to climb.

I leave the monument, walk back to the road, go directly to the bus stop and pay the $3 for the ride back. I have asked several people including a couple of ranger how far is it from the ferry to the monument and no one knows. When I ask the bus driver, Buck, he shoots out two point three miles to the bus stop, and if you add the final distance to the monument, it is closer to two and a half miles. Also, what I find out by myself is that if I would have driven three miles further west, the ferry there takes its passengers right to within a quarter mile of the monument.

After the return trip on the ferry, I continue west from there on state highway 2 until arriving in Toledo, Ohio where I turn north on interstate 280, then interstate 75, cross into Michigan and drive to Monroe where I stop briefly at River Raisin National Battlefield, which also is part of the conflict in 1812. There is very little to see at the park short of an animated led reenactment of the battle for French Town on the River Raisin. I am unimpressed with this park.

Leaving River Raisin, I drive west on state route 50, then US 12 and stop in Coldwater, Michigan first at a f-mart for WiFi and then at a d-mart to park for the evening.

There is frost on the windshield this morning when I get up and us my windshield washers to spray fluid on and defrost it. Except for the snow on the jammer at Roberts home, this is the first time to have frost in the morning. I drive to the f-mart for WiFi and to study for the meeting this morning.

Upon arriving at the Hall, find this congregation to be quite small with under fifty in attendance. Still, there is a good talk and study to enjoy here. Immediately afterwards, I change clothes and begin the drive west to Indiana Dunes National Seashore. Upon arriving at the first park entrance sign, I get out of the jammer to take a photo and then upon turning around, see a nuclear generating plant less than a half mile away. Too, this entire area on the southernmost area of Lake Michigan is inundated with industry and methinks, "In such a setting, how can a national park be one of any solitude, much less beauty and peacefulness?" Even before driving here, methought that any park in view of the third largest city in the US could not have any redeemable qualities. Still, I drive to the visitors center to examine what the park offers.

First, I find out that there has been a long sustained effort by locals to preserve and protect the features that are now part of this park, those which are the result of the Wisconsin Ice Age and retreating glaciers. This effort to protect opposed the destruction by industry of the dunes and other features created by the mile high ice shelf that came through this northern most section of the continent. The 15000 acres of sand dunes are just one of the assets and the park also include sandy beaches, bogs, peaceful forests, inland lakes, sunny prairies, meandering rivers, oak savannas, swamps, miles of trails and mysterious wetlands. Further, the biological diversity within the national lakeshore is amongst the highest per unit area of all our national parks and has several endangered species within the park.

The down side is that contamination from aerial deposition, runoff, industrial pollution, and sewage system inputs from adjacent lands continues to affect park waters and wetlands. The park′s air quality is negatively affected by the surrounding industrial, commercial, and residential development. Additionally, Indiana Dunes experiences pollution from ozone, sulfur dioxide, sulfate, and mercury. Particulates are also at critically high levels. Finally, the national seashore, because it is near to a large population center receives excessive use and like many parks in the National Park Services in understaffed, under funded and has infrastructure that is in need up repair and maintenance.

What methought prior to arriving holds true; although purporting to have "Sand and Solitude," this park has no real solitude and the sand is lacking in many ways. Maybe, when I return during another tour and travel further up Lake Michigan to the Sleeping Bear Dunes, there might be found that solitude I quest for and the sand lack nothing in quality.

Leaving the lakeshore, I drive west on US highway 12, turn south on interstate 65 and do not stop driving until reaching Whitehouse, Tennessee just after midnight. I had wanted to make it to Franklin but could not continue driving any longer. It rains during the night

Upon awaking, I begin driving and go directly to the w-mart in Franklin, Tennessee where I purchase a cup of hot and begin writing yesterday′s journal entry. In the early afternoon, I pack out and leave to find a l-mart as I have need for clean clothes. After several tries, I finally find one and it has a nice bathroom where I can take a bucket bath. Then, I put body oil-laden dirties into a front loader, return to the jammer to connect to the WiFi and while outside, it begins to pour down rain.

After all my wash is put away in the jammer, I return to the w-mart and play some solitaire for an hour. Then, at nine pm, I drive to the d-mart for the evening with the rain still coming down. I turn on my computer to add a few details to my journal and then check to see if there is a free WiFi nearby and see that the d-mart here has one. Wow, I will never have to leave the d-mart to go to a w-mart and I can just drive from one d-mart to the next, checking out the national parks in between. I wonder if the d-mart has a gold card?

Up long before the dayspring and despite have WiFi here, drive the half mile to the w-mart where I can sit at a table, plug in and with a cup of hot in hand pound keys. Yes, it is a habit that is hard to break, even with the d-mart providing everything a wayfarer could want.

The entire day is spent in the w-mart working on the latest photo galleries and other web site pages. The at eight-thirty, methinks that myself has had enough, get into the jammer and drive that half mile to the d-mart for the night.

Awaking early again, I drive to the w-mart, purchase a cup of hot and settle into my office desk for the day. I will continue to work on updating in the Me gallery, particularly in the National Park section.

After many hours, I call it a day and retire to the jammer to prepare my Repast and do some reading, first a couple of magazines an then in the Bible before going to sleep.

A short drive to the w-mart begins another day of work on the web site. However, this day is cut short as at one pm, I start the jammer and make the short drive to Spring Hill, Tennessee.

I arrive at Joe and Sarah′s home and Joe is outside waiting for me to arrive; we go together on a short errand and then back to the house. Joe first makes a place with electricity where I can park the jammer under a pole barn that is without walls, just a roof, then shows me in to his fifth wheel trailer were I can use the shower and toilet. Then we sit and talk for much of the late afternoon until it is time to get dressed for the meeting. We go together to the meeting and then back to the home. After we eat a small meal, I go out to the barn, climb into the jammer and prepare for the evening.

With clear blue skies above, the sun just now breaks the high ridge behind me and shines into the jammer. After my morning chores, I just now sit down to start today′s journal while eating my daystart along with a cup of hot. I have parked in a space under the barn structure right next to the trailer and leave the jammer tailgate open for the sunlight to air it out. As I sip on the tea, methinks that the cover this barn provides would have been nice in all that rain through out last week, but as I have always known, hindsight is twenty-twenty. After my morning meal, I clean up and get dressed for the ministry, finishing just as Joe walks out to the car, squashing any hope for a second cup of hot.

After the meeting for the ministry, I am assigned to work with Joe, Ron and Daniel. Joe, Ron and I go to pick up Daniel, a brother at age 85, but upon arriving, he says that he has a student coming by who has told Daniel, "I have a lot of questions." Joe offers to say for the study and Daniel agrees. Ron and I then leave to do some of his call and find several home. Later, we stop for that second cup of hot and then after picking up Joe, return to the hall. We then drive to the barn, put on our work clothes and head over to Mark′s place to help him repair a fence.

At five-thirty pm, we arrive back at the barn and Sarah tells us that she will have supper ready in a few minutes, so Joe and sit down under the cover of the barn in the cool breeze.

This morning, when I get up and look up, I first see Orion in the south and as I turn, see the waning crescent moon in the east. Also, there is a very slight glow on the eastern horizon; the dayspring has just begun.

I work on my web site for a long time until Joe comes outside and a little after that, Joe, Sarah and I go together to the hall for the ministry meeting. I work with Joe, Sarah and Festus. He has a thick accent and I ask him where he is from to which he answers, Nigeria. I respond "I hope that you did not just recently come from there." He laughs and tells me that he has been here for some time. We have a good conversation during the morning and finish at about noon. Then we return to the home where Joe and I both get into our work clothes and begin working on the entrance bridge to stop the erosion problem. When the rains come down heavy, the creek swells and inundates the bridge, undermining the structure. We are building forms to pour a concrete wall to prevent this in the future.

We work until it is too dark to continue and then head up the hill to take showers. Later, Sarah comes home and begins cooking supper but at nine pm before the meal is finished, I excuse myself and head to the jammer.

I stay in the sack this morning to stay warm but then get up and begin pounding keys while waiting for Joe to arise. When Joe does come out, we walk to the bridge to look at what is done and talk about what we will need to do to complete the job. Then we drive to the lumber mart for some bags of sand and return to try to stop the water flow over the area below the culvert but determine that there is water flow under the culvert as well as through it. Nevertheless, we plan to continue with the form construction later after the meeting.

At noon, we get ready for the one pm meeting and when we return afterwards, resume work on the form, completing the upstream side just before it becomes dark.

Awake during the dayspring and notice that most of the stars have retreated behind the cloak of the sunglow and see the moon about two hands above the horizon. I climb back into to the jammer and work on my web site until I see Joe carrying two cups of coffee outside the jammer. When I open the door, he hands me one of the cups and I thank him. Soon after, we leave to take the jammer to the ar-mart for Tim to work on in. He will cut the brake rotors, fix the air conditioning, fix the cold idle, reinstall the heater lines and reinstall a muffler bracket. Then Joe and I go for breakfast after which we return to the bridge and at about ten am, begin our day of work.

We do not stop until the sun sets and I notice that it is after seven. We both get into his truck and he takes me to the ar-mart to pick up the jammer. Then we both drive to the lumber mart to return the bags of sand which did not work as we had wished. Joe also buys several more two by boards and then we head back to his home.

We we arrive back home, he says "Come on in, Sarah probably has supper ready." We we do walk into the house, we see that Sarah and Cathy have been working on just that and begin serving right after we come in; a nice meal of salmon burgers with all the trimmings, three types of squash, potatoes and peppers. After eating and while playing hid the ball with Doc their dog Doc, we then decide not to begin on the bridge until eight am tomorrow after we have some coffee. I then leave to retire to the jammer and write the rest of today′s journal.

Joe and I plan to have the forms ready for the concrete which will arrive on Wednesday morning at ten am. After the truck fills the forms, we will do the finish work the rest of the afternoon. Then on Thursday morning early, Joe will depart for Arkansas for a visit with his brother and friends I will head for the national parks in West Virginia. Later, in a week or so, I plan to return here to help Joe build a counter top for his ar-mart.

Before me the fog lies thick in this valley with the outline of darkened trees atop. Slowly the sun crests the ridge behind me casting its light upon the treetops on the opposite ridge allowing me to see their display of fall foliage.

Joe comes out carrying coffee and our day begins; we start by finishing the forms, then adding bracing to it, drilling holes in the bed rock at the bottom of the creek, driving pins for the concrete floor and then move and stack rocks along both sides of the bank downstream of the bridge. At seven pm, we stop, pack up and head up the hill to the house. I take a shower and then Joe and I drive to the ar-mart to look for some pipe but can not find the right size so we return home and have supper prepared by Sarah and Cathy. After eating, I excuse myself and head to the jammer to get horizontal.