Chapter 16 - Life is a Highway

Life's like a road that you travel on

When there's one day here and the next day gone

Sometimes you bend, sometimes you stand

Sometimes you turn your back to the wind

There's a world outside ev'ry darkened door

Where blues won't haunt you any more

Where brave are free and lovers soar

Come ride with me to the distant shore

We won't hesitate

To break down the garden gate

There's not much time left today

Life is a highway

I wanna ride it all night long

If you're going my way

I wanna drive it all night long.

                                            Tom Cochrane "Life is a Highway"

Fun Facts: "Life is a Highway" , a song written by Tom Cochrane is from his 1991 album "Mad Mad World". The song was Cochrane's most famous song, as it was a number one hit in his native Canada. The song also peaked at number six on the Billboards charts in the U.S. in 1992. 

The song has been covered by Rascal Flatts for the 'Cars' soundtrack, as well as by Whitesnake, Chris LeDoux, Alvin and the Chipmunks, Jerry Jeff Walker and Home Free.

And, so, all good things must come to an end.

Fun Facts: You know the old saying "All good things must come to an end." It was supposedly coined by Geoffrey Chaucer way back in 1374.

It's a simple phrase, yet, like other simple phrases, a true one. Things we enjoy, things we find comforting, things we love and embrace eventually come to an end.  A good song, thought we may want to continue singing it at the top of our lungs, comes to an end. A TV series, though it may be our absolute favorite, also comes to an end. A job you've poured yourself into for years also comes to a point where it is no longer fun. 

All good things come to an end. 

Yep!! And so my visit with the Grandkids had to come to an end, too. And that meant a long drive back to LCO.

I wrestled a bit on which route to take. On the one hand, I wanted to drive back up The 101. It had been a pleasant drive and there was a lot to see. But I learned that a small part of The 101 had washed  away in a sinkhole in Harbor, Oregon and that, coupled with the knowledge that it would be a slower, hence a longer drive, made me go with I-5.

Ah, I-5. Infinitely more boring and tedious but, obviously, faster. 

I went for the fast route.

And so it was that early on a dark Saturday morning, well before the sun would rise, I loaded the last of my things in my Ol' Faithful Mini, whispered a fond farewell to the Grandkids and crept, quietly, out the door for the open road, adventure and LCO.

It wasn't until 0748 that I captured my first image on the road. A long, flat, boring and mind-numbing stretch of blacktop along 580 heading north towards a rendezvous with the even longer and, honestly, more boring I-5.

I was listening to the Thirteen Gun Salute, which is, oddly enough, the thirteenth historical novel in the Aubrey-Maturin series by Patrick O'Brian. It was first published in 1989. This rousing saga is set during the Napoleonic Wars and the the War of 1812.

So I was able to ease some of the boredom with the adventures of Captain Jack Aubrey and the crew of the Diane as they sailed from the coast of South America to the South China Seas to carry out the political business of His Royal Highness, the King of England.

Haha, it was more entertaining than watching this particular scenery float by.

By 0946, the scenery had pepped up a bit and become, marginally, easier to look at as I entered my fourth hour of driving.

I could see where the weather was still a bit chancy in areas. Fortunately, I didn't run into any foul weather until I crossed over into the mythical Land of Oregon.

And, by 1006, the passing view became more interesting.

These reminders of the land's violent volcanic past are easily seen from the I-5.

And there was some great sky to look at as I motored on down the highway. This was taken at 1039, approaching my fifth hour on the road.

And, so far, I'd made one stop for gas. Hey, it was $2.04 a gallon and in California I wasn't about to pass up a price like that.

It sure helped pass the time looking out for some scene that might be photographable. Diverts the mind, so-to-speak. 

After all, there is only so much attention you can give to a spoken story over the hours. The mind needs a little help to get the time to pass by easily.

Northern California is not without its charm, too. There was a lot to look at and the dramatic skies were helping to set the stage.

It was now 1050 and you can see how greatly the landscape changed in just 11 minutes. 

Uh, WOW!!

The sky is what makes these pictures for me.

Nothing behind me,

everything ahead of me,

as is ever so on the road.

                                             Jack Kerouac "On the Road"

Amen, Jack. Amen.

Fun Facts: Along the Cascade Range. More than 500 volcanic vents have been identified in the State of California. At least 78 of these vents have erupted, some repeatedly, during the last 10,000 years. Sooner or later, volcanoes in California will erupt again, and they could have serious impacts on the health and safety of the State's citizens as well as on its economy."  

C. Dan Miller, USGS 

Well, duh!! Ya think!?!

"California is the most geologically diverse state in the nation. We are known for our earthquakes, landslides, and flood hazards. But our nearly forgotten hazard is our volcanoes." 

Dr. John Parrish, State Geologist of California. USGS

Hahaha, all kinds of potential for fun in California!!

There's a storm across the valley, clouds are rolling in,

the afternoon is heavy on your shoulders.

There's a truck out on the four lane, a mile or more away,

the whining of his wheels just makes it colder.

                                                           John Denver "Back Home Again"

And the snow helps make it colder, too.

It was 1132 when I got this picture. Nearly six hours into the trip and I just made it across the Oregon-California border. I'd covered over 350 miles at this time. 

Fun, fun, fun.

And I was on my last two discs for The Thirteen Gun Salute.

I wasn't surprised and I'm not bragging or complaining, just observing, that shortly after I crossed on over into the Oregon Territory, the weather, which had held all through California, turned nastier the farther north I travelled.

It seemed as if it would just threaten, beat its chest a bit and then sulk away. At least that's what I was hoping it would do.

But I wasn't too confident.

At 1238, hour seven on the road, the weather was seriously getting nasty.

I caught a little precip right after this, but nothing to fuss about.

Then it cleared and looked like it would be easy sailing. It was 1255 and it was right about now that Jack Aubrey and Steven Maturin successfully concluded their mission; wrecked the Diane on a uncharted shoal while going home; weathered a particularly foul typhoon which destroyed their ship and, finally, began making a boat from the salvaged hull of the Diane with which to sail on to safety at Batavia. 

A story which is to be taken up with the next installment, The Nutmeg of Consolation.

But, Hey! I had rainbows in the sky, no foul weather for me,

No Sireee, Bob!!

In fact, things were looking rather pleasant.

Until 1504. In my ninth hour of driving, with two stops for gas and three stops for relief, I ran into this gully-washer.

I mean it was pelting down with such force and vigor that I had to slow the Ol' Mini down to 50-55 just so I could try and see what was happening ahead of me in enough time to stop if necessary.

It was thick and it was nasty.

And it lasted for over 20 minutes until I was able to drive out of the worst of it.

But things still looked dicey and so, as I neared the turn that would take me to the Central Coast of Oregon, I had my fingers crossed.

Finally I arrived at Exit 253 in Salem. Now I was heading west...and this was the view to the west. 

Yikes!!

It sure wasn't looking warm and fuzzy.

But, Ta-Da!! I made it. In fact, once I got on OR 20 and OR 18, I didn't get anymore rain. That works for me!!

It was 1652 and I had been on the road since 0543. Eleven hours of steady driving and I had covered the 680+ miles from RWC to LCO.

Hey, it's good to be back home again.

Sometimes this old farm feels like a long lost friend.

Yes, 'n, hey it's good to be back home again.

                                                              John Denver "Back Home Again"

Thank you, John. I couldn't have said it better.

I did better than I thought I would. I had some serious discomfort in my knees and left hip and leg but, y'know, all-in-all I was doing good. Thank heavens for Mr. O'Brian and his wonderful historical imagination and his skill in writing an exciting story. It helped the time to move along.

And, thank heavens for the Ol' Faithful Mini. Stout fellow, she carried me safely and quickly home.

And I'm glad I was able to go. It was a grand adventure, coming and going.

Hahaha, you find happiness where you are, right!?! 

When there's one day here and the next day gone.

Life is good.

          Hooah!!