Last night I had nightmares again though this time they were related to events that occurred in South Carolina. At 02:35 am, I woke up thinking it was morning but alas it was not the moon was just bright outside. I eventually fell back to sleep to wake up for good around 07:30 to my nose being really cold so I made my bed and since I was once again staying in the same clothes that I slept in I didn't need to change. I went the bathroom next to my camper and prepared a bowl of cereal which I ate while sitting in my vehicle waiting to warm up. It was 43 degrees out.
Leaving my spot (thankfully no one came and yelled at me during the night) I figured I would drive back a little ways to try and do a short trial to see some redwood trees but I never found anywhere to pull over with my camper. So I turned around and decided to continue to Oregon and look for a library in which I could sit and plan. This morning I was not in the greatest of moods for I just felt flustered and I think more so that with the changing of the seasons I wanted to be home with family. Or at the very least surrounded by people whom I love and who love me in return. I think that was or is the true cause of what I am feeling.
Entering Oregon, the pure beauty of the area blew me away and quickly put a smile on my face for the trees were alive with color. Fall is finally here! Driving in Oregon reminded me of the Upper Peninsula of Michigan and made me think that it has been years since I truly enjoyed the crispness of fall and its glorious array of colors! The drive, besides being so pretty, was not bad although I rarely had cell phone service.
I pulled into Grants Pass sometime around 10:00 in the hopes of sitting at the library there; however, I would discover that the library along with all the others in the area were closed for training. I saw that there was a Pilot Travel Center a few miles out of my way so I went there to fuel up and use their cell service. I was surprised when I pulled into the travel center by two things: first, was how small it was and the second was that I wasn't allowed to pump my own gas. I got out of my vehicle and was going thru my routine when I guy came up next to me and didn't say a thing but just stood there. I looked at him with the "can I help you with something look" and then I saw a sign on the pump that said no self-service. Still he said nothing to me but took the nozzle and placed it in the tank and told me to select my fuel and walked away. I was dumbstruck and now I also felt awkward and didn't know what to do so I just stood there. When the nozzle released I looked around for the guy and didn't see him so I was about to take care of it myself, for I was not going to just wait around for someone, when another guy walked up and replaced the nozzle and told the machine to print a receipt. That simple action bothered me for what if I happened to not want a receipt and now paper was just being wasted.
After that whole scenario I parked and went in to use the restroom and buy a cinnamon roll. Back at my camper, I made coffee and climbed inside to eat my roll and drink my coffee. When the roll was gone I began the process of planning in detail my trip which meant making phone calls and reserving an RV park. During the phone call process I found out that today was a holiday and therefore certain places were not open so I left messages. While planning I was also messaging a friend of mine who always puts me in a good mood.
Finally, by around 14:00, I had planned my voyage as best as I could up to October 20. I sent my plan to my family and to my friend in case he had time off from work and would be able to join me at some point. After I sent my parents an email I called them up to inform that I sent them an email with my itinerary and to let my dad know where I would be spending the night. From there I stepped out of my camper to head to my next destination when I noticed an older couple was standing outside waiting for me. Here they are building their own teardrop camper and were interested in mine and especially how I did my door so we talked for some time about that and then we said goodbye.
Back on the road I had about an hour drive to the Thousand Springs Sno-Park in the Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest. Soon I was once again without cell service so I just sat back and enjoyed the beauty of the area and couldn't get past all the horses, mountains, trees and colors of Oregon. It truly reminded me so much of the UP and I couldn't take enough of it in! When I finally found a secluded spot to park for the evening I knew it was going to get cold so I put on a whole bunch of clothes in my camper and packed my bag for tomorrows hike. Then I heated up the last of my rice and black beans and ate it all while sitting out in my chair looking into the dark green forest. The sky was completely overcast and there were no sounds but a few birds; finally, I was back in the woods.
After my dinner, I did the dishes and then wrote in my journal until my nose became too cold to continue being outside. I put away the dishes and locked up the back hatch after I brushed my teeth. Inside my camper, this is literally what I wore in an effort to keep warm for the night:
-tight workout pants -under armor long sleeved
-hiking pants -camo long john top
-black yoga pants -hooded sweater
-long socks -down jacket
-wool socks -beanie hat
I then finished my journal and updated my excel sheets before calling it an evening.
To do a quick recap on the state of California I can start off by saying that I am happy to finally be out of that state. It was a beautiful state with a variety of climates which to me was interesting and the landscape was beautiful. The people I met there were also very welcoming and nice. The things I did not enjoy about that state was the craziness of trying to drive, the limited if any rest stops, no free camping anywhere unless it is just tent camping, and most of the Walmarts didn't have deli sections. I think if I was just visiting the area for a few days and not having to deal with a camper I may have enjoyed it a little more. It was an experience that is for sure and all I can say is that now that I am in Oregon I feel like I can take a step back and just breath.
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