S.S.S. Day 6- Last Day Draft

SEPTEMBER SOLO SESSION

The Last Day

Monday, September 29:

3:15am-  I really should have tried to stay awake later last night.  So after nine really good hours of sleep, here I am… Up and At ‘Em.

3:30pm- Sad to find out that the door of the lobby was locked.  Happy to find that only a little bit of knocking brought the night manager to the door.  Sad to find him in a bad mood.  Happy to find out the microwave was working (to heat the coffee I’d gotten earlier the day before in preparation for the empty pot.  Sad to find out the grumpy young man was not going to open the door for me again until 6am, even though I was told that the lobby was open 24 hours a day.  Luckily, I’ve got the 7-11 just next door for my Round Two Coffee Fix  (RTCF).  Now… back to my storytelling:

4:30am- RTCF from the 7-11 just next door.

9:00am- I’d decided to forgo my scheduled sleep over in Sacramento in lieu of getting home to my wife, so I took advantage of the decision with a celebration of a late start.

Sunrise from The Vagabond Inn... Reno, NV.

Tomorrow's Sunrise... from our apartment on the top floor of the building... home in S.F., CA.

10:00am- South Shore Lake Tahoe.      60/795

11:45am- Placerville for gas.  Took me almost two hours to travel 70 miles down the hill on Hwy 50.  In Nevada this road is known as the “Loneliest Highway in the U.S.,” but this day, this section of the road was known to me for being, “The most under construction road in the U.S.”  The good news was that every time I got to a stoppage, Honey and I could skip up to the front of the line.  Some of the lines were close to a mile long, so… at least it wasn’t as bad as if I’d been in a car.

12:30pm- Lunch in Rancho Cordova with my college buddy Bob.  One of the only people in the world who “gets me,” and still enjoys my company.  I’m so lucky to have friends like Bob.  So lucky.    30/160/895

3:30pm- Home again home again, jiggity jig.      110/240/975

S.S.S. Day 5 Draft

SEPTEMBER SOLO SESSION

DAY 5 - Sunday, September 28:

4am- Up and at ‘em.  Happy to find the hotel lobby open as promised, but sad that the coffee pot was going to stay empty until 6am.  I started to panic and then found out there was a 7-11 not too far away.  Whew.  Two hours with coffee, first thing in the morning… that was a close one.  Disaster averted.

Honey the Honda on the left, Yammy(?) The Yamaha on the right...

... and seven of those loud and obnoxious Harley's in the middle.

7:00am- Emailing, Facebooking, and Morning Journaling- Storytelling completed.  Called Taumie, found that my sister didn’t want to accept any company today.  I was gracious and didn’t focus on my own disappointment, but rather… on her hopeful continued recovery from her illness (pneumonia).

8:30am- I was rewarded for the way I reacted to the news about my sister… with a phone call from... wait for it... my sister(!!), telling me that after she got up and got dressed, she felt much better and wanted me to come over!!  I love Karma~Darma… especially when it’s Instant.

Note:  Insert babbling about the paradox of me nurturing and developing the spiritual side of my personality (which is still basically ruled by impatience and desire for instant gratification) vs. the “Zen aspect of enlightenment” which focuses on timelessness and eternity.  Someday I will be fully balanced.  Hopefully before I die.

9:00am- Sitting at my sister’s dining room table, with my sister (who doesn’t like her name or picture published), Taumie (my niece who likes to have her name published) and Marcos (who doesn't care one way or another), having a wonderful time.

10:00am- My grand-nephew (Taumie’s son) Brice made his appearance.  I love my family.

Hey Brice, do you mind if I publish your name and face?

10:15am- Walking down Virginia Street in the light rain, looking for Kelly Quinn aka Throttle Girl, in the virtual ghost town feeling of the last day of The (Fall) Reno Street Vibrations Gathering.

Crazy in a good way.

Same as above.

Where the heck is Throttle Girl?  She wasn’t even on the list of registered participants.  I felt like I was in a dream (nightmare)… I’d been looking forward to seeing her and meeting her Boyfriend R-Dub for weeks!

11:00am- After seeing everything there was to see, I retired to my hotel room for some football.  I called Sharon to tell her of my disappointment, and she said, “Wait a minute,” and called back in about three minutes, with the information that her booth was elsewhere, at a Harley Davidson Dealership a few miles away from The Not Vibrating Gathering of the closing down, down town gathering.

I was only able to stay in my pouting mood, which was also dry and warm, for about five minutes, at which time I rolled out of my comfy cocoon and put my wet leathers back on, and strolled over (how do you stroll when you’re riding a motorcycle) to the dealership of my friendly nemesis, Mr. Davidson.

Cocoon = Underwear

High Noon- I found Miss Every Month of Every Year Motorcycle Momma packing up her booth after five days of activity.  Perfect timing.  Sharon later told me that, “Good things happen when you’re connected.”  I felt a warm flow of loving energy through my body-soul as I realized that Sharon had finally become okay with the ‘crush’ that I have on Kelly.  And I think I was able to make R-Dub (her BF), and the rest of her support group feel okay with it too.  I’m sure they’re used to it.  I don’t think it’s possible to be alive without falling in ‘love’ with Throttle Girl.  She has something, that’s for sure.  No… she has it ALL.

Note:  Insert pages and pages of words about my feelings, impressions, experiences, and personally known facts about the incomparable Kelly Quinn.  For now… think, a combination of Marilyn Monroe and Gandhi.

R-Dub, Kelly, and Me.

Hey R-Dub... I forgot to ask you... may I 'publish' your real name?

Dani and ??.

Hey Kelly, would you please remind me of ??'s name?

Kelly, same as above please.

??, Dani, R-Dub, Kelly, and ??.

TEAM THROTTLE GIRL !!!

(R., I'm sorry I cut off your flag)

Honey with Team Throttle Girl.

1:15pm- Back to the hotel room just in time to watch ‘Our SF 49ers’ eek out a victory over The Philadelphia Eagles.

6:00pm- Changed the channel on the TV to watch the Dallas - ??? game.  The last thing I remember was thinking to myself that I really should roll over and watch Faith Hill sing the opening number.     

15/15/750.

S.S.S. Day 4 - Draft 1

SEPTEMBER SOLO SESSION

DAY 5 - Saturday, September 27:

4am-  Thanks to a helpful technique I learned from Randy, I was able to sleep quite soundly on the downstairs couch.  I’d mentioned to Randy that I’d always had trouble going back to sleep after waking up before I needed to wake up.  He told me to try thinking about riding my motorcycle… with my, “Knees in the Breeze,” as he put it.  It sounded like a good idea, so I tried it.  It’s Sunday morning as I write these words, and I’ve been successful with his technique for three days in a row!

I went down the street for (round one) coffee, and went back to a pitch black house.  There was a scheduled PG&E power outage that Debi either didn’t know about, or forgot to mention.  Fortunately, my Beautiful-Wife bought me a clip-on night light for just such an occasion (I love you Sharon).  Road Trip Adventure Rides have always been always good for me, but since meeting her, they don’t seem to be quite as much good for me as they used to.  Damn that woman.

With or without make-up, she always makes the world a beautiful place to be.

When I met her, she told me her nick-name was "Precious."

It didn't take me more than a few seconds to come up with my name for her.

"Beautiful" is as "Beautiful" does.

The Beacon (gas station) was also a little diner-coffee shop with the nicest owner and employees.  I got this one of Charlene, the other gal is Jenn and the owner is Bill.  I just love small towns and their easy going, friendly people.

8:00am- After kissing the two sleeping girls on their cheeks, I loaded Honey and hit the road, Jack.

9:15am- Quincy for gas, and then finding help to pick Honey up after forgetting (again) to put down her kick-stand.  Jeesh, what is that, three times now?  Her design (thank you Honda!) is such that no damage has occurred, though… this time, I didn’t even have to adjust her rear view mirror.     60/615

10am ish- Between the blink and miss ‘em towns of Sattley and Sierraville, I was on a stretch of road that gave me a photo op of something I’d never seen before.

 I’ve been accused of going in too many directions at the same time before, and now I have proof of it!

11:00am-  Truckee, and no word from my friend Wink, so… onward to Reno.     75/690

11:30am- Starbucks with sister’s daughter (my niece) Taumie, her grand-daughter Gerrilyn (my great-grand niece), her good friend Tina, and Tina’s dad (Taumie’s god-father) Bob Chauvin.  What a lovely gathering of like minded souls.  Too bad Chelle and Randy weren’t there, they would’ve LOVED the ‘esoteric-loving’ energy of the group.

1:30pm- Ned checked into The Vagabond Hotel, filled stomach, and down for the count.

7:00pm- “Officially” went to sleep.   45/170/735

Tomorrow... Throttle Girl/ Kelly Quinn and... RENO STREET VIBRATIONS !!

http://www.roadshowsreno.com/sv_fall.php

S.S.S. Day 3 Draft

SEPTEMBER SOLO SESSION

DAY 3 (first draft)

Friday, September 26:

1:30am – Eyes opened, then closed.

3:00am – Same.

4:00am – Up and at ‘em.

5:00am – Coffee, Email, Facebook and Story Writing.

7:00am – Chelle & Randy appear with smiles and love.

8:30am – Met one of their grandchildren, Cash- 3 month, and his father Mr. Torche (not pictured).

8:45am – Tuning out with the help of my new toy… more about that later.

9:00am- Saying good-bye, happy on the outside, and sad on the inside.  I told them earlier that morning that I was debating omitting my overnight in Chester, so I could spend another whole day with them.

10:00am- Gas in Burney.   50/360

10:15am - Stopped at My Road, just outside Hat Creek.  If you look close, you'll see the "L",  as the  abbreviation for "Lane."  It's my complete name... backwards which is kind of appropriate. Opdyke, Lynn, Ned.  Honey asked to take the picture so I could be in it, but I told her that she is more photogenic than me.  True that.

   

10:30am- Breakfast in Hat Creek.  Discovered my relative, Pam Opdyke-Thompson-Giacomoni was this County’s (Plumas) Supervisor.  Cool. How ‘bout that ‘bout us Opdykes… from rustlin’ horses with Jessie James in the 1800’s, to government leader in the 2000’s.  I guess that’s not really a big jump in the social order though is it?   Sadly, she couldn’t meet me as I’d hoped.

       

        Biscuits and Gravy.  Yum.    Follow the curvy red curvy red curvy red, follow the curvy red line.

11:15am- Lassen National Park.    45/505

May 22, 1914

http://www.nps.gov/lavo/naturescience/eruption_lassen_peak.htm

This is the view from the south face.  Amazingly... there were no turnouts to stop (safely) and take pictures of the more impressive in my opinion north face.

Look Sharon, you have your own sign too!!

For those of you readers who don't know, my wife's last name is King.

The day was hazy, but you can make out Lake Almanor in the distance.

Honey being Honey.

She complains when I take her picture from this angle, because it makes her butt look big.

And I remind her... ever since I was a kid, I've always been attracted to full figured girls.

1:30pm- Chester.  Warm welcome from Debi, a good friend from Santa Cruz who now lives on Lake Almanor.  The attraction between us is genuine, sincere, and platonic.  She asked me if it would make any difference if she put on a few pounds, but I told her I was already committed.  You too right Sharon?  Yeah, she's gonna have me committed after that 'joke,' I can feel it coming.  For the record, Debi did NOT ask me that... I just needed to let "Thor" out of his cage for a minute.  Okay, he's done.

60/565

3:00pm- Done with the preliminary meeting and re-meeting social conversation and construction of Debi’s bedframe, and off to view the Lake...

... or The Lake bed as the case was.  This other gal is Sandy,

a friend of hers who was coincidentally visiting her from Reno at the same time.  

See Sandy... I told you my shadow wasn't shading the subject matter of my picture.

5:00pm- Excellent Chinese Dinner at a local restaurant, then home for a few more minutes of social engagement, until…

8:30pm- Turn out the lights… the party’s over…  Boy… are we old or what?!!?!!