I am a notoriously bad headline writer. That is a well known fact that a couple of past employers would be glad to attest to. I mean, what does that mean?
It’s really all about me not having a clue what to call an amalgamation of thoughts about mostly non related things.
See? I can’t even write a sentence and explain what my headline is about.
View from my brother's deck overlooking the Columbia River.
I just returned from a couple of weeks wandering about the Western US. I really should use a bullet list here but can’t decide the order so in no particular order:
I met with my birth family for the first time. I’ll write more about that but it went better than my wildest hopes.
I spent a day with a really close friend that I haven’t seen since he got the job with Tesla.
I spent a day with a woman that I graduated High School with and haven’t seen in 25 years.
I bagged another ‘lifetime national park’ with Lassen Volcanic National Park. Very cool place.
I got to spend several days at my brother’s place. I wish it were more.
I took my sister to lunch. It was her first time out in public since she began Chemo in early February. Successful Chemo, I should add.
View of Newport, Oregon harbor from my friends deck.
There is no doubt that I will write more about all of the above. What I really think THIS post is about is sorta the pulse of the west in the midst of our worst surge in Corona Virus.
Southern California was weird. I mean SoCal is always weird, but it was kinda like business as usual with the odd occasional mask. I chose to go that way because from all reports SoCal had done really well containing the spread of the virus. You read it here first, I don’t think that can last.
Understand, my only real exposure was gas stations/quick stops. I stopped at one in Barstow that had at least 30 people in it (crowded) and me and the clerks were the only ones wearing a mask. It was really unnerving.
NorCal seemed better, it always does for me. I really wanted to go to Yosemite (it was the first weekend open) but it was an anthill. All the towns on 395 were full of people. I tried to go to a Michlen rated restaurant for fish tacos but it looked to me like 100 or more people had the same idea so I didn’t. I ended up eating at a patio restaurant 50 or so miles north. People there were watching their distance mostly and wearing masks. Does not mean I didn’t see boorish behavior, where do you think people from SoCal go to relax? I paid $4.19 per gallon for gas in Lee Vining, the highest I saw on the trip.
The tourists were mostly ‘city folk’. I checked out several places on National Forest land and there was lots of room. I pulled into a great campsite next to the Walker river and sat a while, but decided it was too early to stop. I’ll go there again…
Signpost in rural Eastern Oregon.
Coastal Oregon was sorta subdued and cautious. I spent a full day with two takeout meals in Newport. The first restaurant was a well known chowder house and it was crowded in a ‘socially distancing’ sort of way. Several customers without masks in spite of the fact that Newport was THE CV spot in the state. The second was a known seafood place with lots of outdoor seating. We had to wait in line and had people that had seen the beauty of the beaches through the bottom of a bottle in front of and behind us in the line. No masks and drunk. Not a good look…
I would describe Eastern Washington and Eastern Oregon as cautiously optimistic. They were just starting phase 2 reopening when I got there and most people were taking care and being cautious. Bitching about it certainly, but doing the things we’ve all been told to do to maximize our chances.
Idaho was mostly business as usual. They’ve had a couple of hotspots, but never did completely shut down so were completely open when I went through. My only bitch about Idaho was a 4th of July parade that made me find a way around a little town. Not a bad bitch at all in my book. I spent much of the day on 2 lane back roads with my window down and my elbow hanging out. Pretty damn pleasant for me.
A prodigious row of sunflowers in my 'new' sister's garden.
Nevada had just opened the casinos when I went through the first time and they’d been open two weeks as I came home. Pretty strict protocol that applies to everybody (not just casinos) but also completely open. It’ll be interesting to see how the infection rate there will be. Lots of precautions but LOTS of people in pretty close proximity. The Atlantis in Reno was offering $20 in play if you wore a mask in the door…
I only stopped twice in Arizona. One was a little bitty town just north of here and social distancing was incredibly easy in that gas station. The other stop was just off the 40 freeway at a place that is incredibly popular with water sports people. Mostly 20-44, masks were not much worn there and a lot of people.
I’d say the mood in the west is much as it always is. Not particularly interested in directives from Washington or the state capitals, but looking out for themselves mostly. The west always looks out for themselves.
So this got long. Thanks for reading all the way. Here is your big chance to be a headline writer. What would you have called this post?
All words and photographs in this post are mine. For better or worse. All photos taken with Iphone SE
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