Icewind's Ramblings

July 13, 2016       Day 4     Paso Robles to Joshua Tree NP via Palm Springs California It was a wonderful morning waking up at daybreak on a hill among the grapes. I have to say last night was a unique experience being alone within several thousand acres of grape vines in the vineyard, the sky opening up to stars.  The moon had been up most of the afternoon and had set just before the beginning of dusk so it was a perfect night to view the heavens.  The lights of town were several miles away so did not cast extra light.  The slight breeze brought with it several different scents during the night.  Most were somewhat expected with the slight smell of the fields and cattle but occasionally you could smell the salt from the ocean maybe fifty miles away. The different grape varieties also had distinct smells after one concentrated on them. I had a great night’s sleep which was needed.  I just blew up the air mattress threw it on the ground and with pillow in hand eased into a won

I’m getting behind in my writing as I have been doing more driving than taking time to sit down and write but I will try to get back on course over the next couple of days.  This post goes with the photos from Tuesday, July 12, 2016 going down the Pacific Coast Highway.  I was writing this later that night after a wine tasting and invitation to spend the night in the vineyard so excuse me for the pause in this but decided to leave it in anyway.  I was typing this sitting in my Margaritaville chair under the stars.  It was a good night.  Here goes . . . I started the morning in Santa Cruz by the ocean with a nice cup of Bailey’s coffee and the smell of bacon on the camp stove.  It was a little chilly but not bad as the wind had died down overnight. The morning fog layer quickly burned off and the sun was out shining brightly. Yesterday’s drive along the coast had a couple of issues that needed to be dealt with before starting this morning.  The rack carrier on the roof with all

Today is going to be a little different pace than yesterday.  Zac Brown’s “I ain’t in no hurry today” is the theme.  Got up, made coffee with my Bailey’s to set the morning since it was slightly chilly about fifty degrees.  Hit the road about 9:40 AM driving south down Hwy 1. You could see the fog bank off shore several miles and it seemed to be inching closer to the coast as I drove.  It was a very pretty drive with the road winding its way along the coast climbing up and down several thousand feet from sea level up the mountains.  Driving the coast is not a fast way to travel with average speeds about 35 to 45 mph.  There are stretches that 55 is the speed limit but it is hard to maintain any speed as you slow down for the curves posted at 30, 20, or 15 mph. I drove about an hour past one of the places I was thinking about camping, Navarro Beach where the redwoods state park is just a few miles away.  As I climbed up one of the cliffs from the beach area there was a pretty s

Went out with several friends, Colin and Donna-Lee for my going away dinner so on the spur of the moment we decided to go to McMenamins Edgefield.  They had music concerts playing in several locations on the grounds.  There were many small bars tucked away all over the property.  We danced, sang, ate and partied until almost 12:30 so it was after one before I went to sleep.  I awoke at 5:00 AM to finish packing and loading my rig. It was an emotional exit with Jan and Nate as I was holding back since the news of my bother-in-law’s passing.  As I left Portland Oregon it was 6:30 AM and the rain was starting to fall.  By the time I drove from Gresham into Portland to get on the 205 it was pouring.  The kind of rain that one expects of Seattle and Portland, in the south we use a term “it came up a big cloud” which usually means a gully washer.  With this pouring it brought with it a release for me with Doug my brother-in-law.  All the emotions, concerns, anxiety, and pent up anger al