Oregon Road Trip

 6/29- Worked a half day then drove to Atlanta for a 7:30 flight to Portland.  This was my 3rd visit to Oregon but the first time I drove all the way down the coast.  Because of the 3 hour time difference, I landed at 9:30 local time.  The line was pretty long at the rental car pickup so I got to the motel around 11:00 and went straight to bed.  The motel was just across the river in Vancouver, Washington.  

6/30-

Day dawned cloudy but it cleared up nicely by noon.  As far as the weather, it could be 90 degrees 2 hours inland but it won't be much warmer than 65 degrees on the coast with a water temperature around 57.  Yes, I did wear a wetsuit but it was fairly comfortable in the water as long as it wasn't too windy.  I headed north on I-5 toward Seattle then picked up US-30 to Astoria, Oregon, just across the border from Washington then turned south on US-101.  First stop was Cannon Beach then it cleared up when I got to the famous overlook in Manzanita.  

 By mid-afternoon, I arrived at my destination at Cape Kiwanda near Pacific City.  It was AMAZINGLY beautiful but it was also very windy.  I still caught several good waves out there but it was still chilly even with the wetsuit.  I stayed until sunset then went about 30 minutes south to Newport for the night.  

7/1-

Left Newport and stopped at a few random pullouts off the highway.  I had a rare sit down breakfast in the town of Coos Bay to pay tribute to Steve Prefontaine.  The next planned stop was Gold Beach near the California line but I ended up stopping at Arch Point and Bandon as well.  Gold Beach had grayish sand and was also quite windy.  I did not go deep into the water.  I saved that for California.  

I crossed the border into California around 2 PM then it was maybe another 30 minutes to South Beach in Crescent City.  I played in the surf for about 2.5 hours.  I'd wager that the water was not significantly warmer than Oregon but with sunny skies and calm winds, it was a lot more comfortable.  Waves broke between thigh and waist deep so I did not even need a wetsuit top.  I even saw a couple of kids in the water with nothing but swim trunks with a water temperature below 60F.  You have to go all the way down to Malibu on the Pacific to get comfortable swimming temps (69+ F) even in late summer.  I've gone surfing in So-Cal before but Nor-Cal has a totally different vibe.   

7/2-

Probably the most challenging drive of the trip.  I was up with the sun to Jedediah Smith Redwood State Park, still in California and met a nice girl at the gas station. 

 I was only on the interstate for a short time before picking up country roads to Crater Lake NP back in Oregon.  If at all possible, get there early.  Crowds can be large and parking may be limited but I had no such problems.  I hiked for about 1.5 miles on the Rim trail before turning around.  It was breathtaking.  Even in July, there were still spots with snow on the ground at 6.000+ feet elevation.  The water is so clear that words cannot express.  I wish I had a bit more time here but I had to get a move on if I was to make it to Eugene by dark.

I did make one stop on the way at Tokettee Falls, which included another half mile hike but was just off the road on the way to Eugene.  There, I stopped at Hayward Field and walked around the practice track.  It looks very much different since the remodeling.  

7/3-

Left Eugene for the coast.  This time, I crossed the bridge in Astoria going north to Washington state.  My surf spot was Long Beach.  This completes a bucket list item for me.  With Washington and Oregon, I've gone swimming and caught a wave in every state with an ocean coastline in the continental US.  This includes the Atlantic, Pacific and the Gulf plus two Hawaiian islands.  I intend to go for a swim in Alaska but the surf may be too far off the beaten path.  

It was nice and sunny just a few miles inland but foggy on the beach.  It did eventually burn off and I had a short and cautious but fun surf session.  I did not venture beyond waist deep water because of the strong currents but still caught more than a few good rides.  Water temp was not significantly cooler than Oregon and Nor-Cal and again the winds were calm.  Next stop was the not so aptly named Cape Disappointment also in Washington.  My only regret on this trip was not spending more time here instead of at Long Beach.  It looked much nicer.  

From here, I checked into my motel back in Portland and just relaxed for a bit then took a sunset ride to see some views of Mt. Hood.  Before bed, I got a quick drink at the bar across the street where I met another nice girl.  

7/4- 

Sit  down breakfast. Short delay on the flight home but no major issues.  This is one of my all time favorite trips.

Juneteenth Road Trip

 I considered the Texas and North Carolina coast for this trip.  I wanted to see an Astros game as well as the Juneteenth mural in Galveston, so I opted for Texas.  I've been to the Texas coast several times, so I knew what to expect.  Hard brown sand near the water with parking on the beach itself and opaque water with a brownish tint but better and more consistent surf than the Florida Gulf.  If you leave early enough, yes it's possible to make it to Crystal Beach, near Galveston and take a dip before sunset in just one day.

I opted to drive to Beaumont, about an hour from the beach on Friday.  Not a bad call but I was a little disappointed to find that the downtown area was pretty much dead.  Surprising for a town of that size.  I did get a decent Cajun dinner at a restaurant across the street from my motel, which was dirt cheap and was up before the sun the next morning.  

I arrived in Galveston around 8:30 and stayed in the surf until almost noon.  From there, it was about an hour to Houston for a 3:15 game.  I've now been to half of the MLB parks for either a game or a stadium tour.  Who knows?  Maybe I will eventually hit all 30.  With the possible exception of Detroit and both in Chicago, I've now been to all of the ones within driving distance of Birmingham.  Minute Maid Park wasn't among my favorites.  I'm not a fan of indoor baseball because it has a sterile feel to it.  That said, when it's 93 degrees outside with a heat index over 100, I was glad that the roof was closed, and it was a comfortable 73 degrees inside.  It was still scorching hot at 6PM when the game was over.  Astros lost 10-3 but the game was competitive until the 9th inning and I enjoyed talking to the guy sitting next to me. 

I stayed in Crystal Beach the next 2 nights.  Full beach day on Sunday and a dip on Monday morning before a smooth ride back to Alabama.  

Final thought:

Enjoyed this trip but it's not one that I will look back on with unforgettable memories.  It may have been a mistake to get out of my routine after a possible breakthrough on the medical front with the new brand of Apple Cider Vinegar.  I hoped to limit my use of caffeine but when driving 9 hours, I kinda had to use energy drinks.  No use trying to quit again when I have another trip coming up the following weekend.  

The demographics of Texas are changing fast.  I predict that it will be competitive in 2024 and it could be blue in 2028 unless the Hispanic votes shifts.  If that happens, it will be almost mathematically impossible for the Republicans to win at the national level and the Democrats will double down on failed policies.  

Herxheimer Reaction and Candida

 No real attempts to train in the last month or so.  Just a few junk runs.  

A few months ago, I was actually better on caffeine.  Intolerances gradually kicked in starting in May.  First, it was energy drinks then alcohol.  By the end of the month, Coke began to be a problem.  By early June, even sports drinks such as Body Armor and Powerade presented a problem.  

Most probably, it was because I had been slacking on the Apple Cider Vinegar.  I had only taken a few sips here and there and did not even bring it on my Memorial Day road trip.  Running low, I purchased another bottle but this time, it was a different brand.  It was Bragg's with the Mother, which is what most health experts recommend.  

I went aggressive with 2 tablespoons twice a day plus 3 Probiotics.  WHAM!  Knocked out with flu like symptoms, headaches and very sore muscles.  Word on the street is that it was an immune response.  It would have been COMPLETELY INTOLERABLE if I did not address the autoimmune issues earlier!  I remain EXTREMELY ANGRY about being put in this impossible situation for so many years!  I decided to push through it.  After 3 days, I was better.  I dropped from a 5:51 half mile to a 9:24 full mile. Forbidden drinks were once again tolerated. 

I took the old and nearly empty bottle to Texas last weekend and had no real reaction.  After 5 days off, I went back to the Bragg's brand.  WHAM once again but the recovery was quicker.  Again, I will push through but I cannot take the bottle on the plane to Oregon next weekend.  After the 4th of July, I will once again attempt to train in earnest.

Memorial Day Road Trip

I took a ride to Cincinnati either 2 or 3 weeks earlier for a Reds game then stopped in Nashville on the way home.  Not worth a full post but a few pics are worth a share.

 5/25- After a quick junk run in the morning, I hit the road to Memphis.  It's a little less than 4 hours from home.  I arrived just around 1:00 and got some fried chicken at Gus's.  From there, I walked to Sun Studios on Union Ave.  and got on the 2:30 tour.  I then checked into my hotel then walked down Main Street toward the Pyramid and got some shots of the Mississippi River before heading to Beale Street for some tasty ribs.  

After dinner, my choices were a minor league baseball game or a rooftop bar overlooking the city and the river.  I opted for the latter and it was a good call.  I met a guy from Birmingham and got a cool shot of the bridge all lit up just after dark.

5/26- 

Probably the toughest drive of the trip.  Memphis to Kansas City.  I opted to take some country roads rather than go all interstate through St. Louis.  It was more scenic and probably shorter even though there were a couple of 2 lane stretches.  I did make one stop at a park called Mammoth Springs on the border of Arkansas and Missouri. 

 

I didn't get into KC until 3 PM even though I left Memphis just after 7 AM.  I hoped to see both the World War 1 museum and the Negro League baseball museum but only had time for one.  I chose the latter and it was quite interesting.  After another good BBQ dinner, I did see the WW1 monument and a twi-night view of the city from the Scout statue.  It was a pretty view but unfortunately, the park is a hangout for stoners.  

By night fall, I was dead tired and the nearest bar was a 15 minute walk.  I chose to stay in for the night, which was probably a good call because I developed Candida symptoms after consumption of alcohol later in the trip.  In the end, I don't feel like I did justice to Kansas City.  I hope to be back in a few years when the Royals get a new stadium.  I'll be sure to see the inside of the WW1 museum.

5/27-

A more leisurely drive with a few stops on the way.  Top priority was the Dwight Eisenhower museum in Abilene, Kansas.  I'd rank him as a near-great president and certainly a great man. I did make a stop in Manhattan and the capitol of Topeka and a pretty nice lake on the way to Nebraska.  I made one more quick stop to see Nebraska's capitol in Lincoln.  It was almost 6 PM when I finally arrived in Omaha.  

I walked across the bridge to Iowa for a rather underwhelming view of the Omaha skyline but the bridge itself was pretty cool.  After that, I did enjoy a couple of drinks out on the town back in Omaha.  I say that I did enough in both Kansas and Nebraska to meet the strict standard for having "been to a state."  That leaves only Alaska and North Dakota remaining for Round 2.  While Kansas and Nebraska won't make anybody's list of most scenic states in the country, they are not nearly as flat and boring as you might expect.  Give it a chance.

5/28-

Omaha to St. Louis. I drove on the Iowa side going south to Missouri before cutting back east on I-70 at Kansas City.  I arrived just in time to see the Blues museum then it was a walk across the river to East St. Louis, Illinois for a photo op of the skyline.  It was safe enough in the daytime.  I walked around the Arch NP before dinner at a rooftop bar at my hotel.  That was really cool even though I began feeling lousy after the alcohol.  

When twilight descended, I went back to the bridge to Illinois but this time, I didn't cross it all the way.  I went just far enough to catch the night shot of the skyline.  Really cool.  I also walked back through the Arch park at night, which had a different vibe.  

5/29-

Didn't push it hard on the trip home.  Route was I-55 S into west Tennessee before picking up US-45 to Tupelo then I-22 back home.