Pragmatist
Pragmatist

Tuesday, 25 July

The bus was supposed to leave at 5:40pm, but it was actually 6:00 before we pulled out of the station.  And it was like that the whole trip, up and back.  But somehow, in spite of late departure, we always made it to the next point on time.  Some kind of transportation magic??

Friends Becke and Chris took me to the station and waited while I checked in.  I'd already gotten my ticket, but the bag(s) needed to be tagged with Greyhound's own.  I had one bag and my walker to check, and a small overnighter and my purse as carry-ons.  The purse was about as heavy as the checked bag, as it had some books stuffed into various pockets.  Next time I travel, I think I'll take a briefcase instead of a purse.  

Anyway, we got loaded and the bags stowed away.  According to the printed itinerary, we were supposed to go from Sacramento to Redding.  We had a detour (of course).  Went through Marysville and another little town I can't remember the name of, then back to Interstate 5 to Redding.  At each stop smokers rushed to get off and get a couple drags before the driver shooed them back onto the bus.  I was going to call Calichef when we reached the next stop after Marysville, but I discovered I didn't have her number on my cell phone.  That has been corrected.

From Redding, we headed for Medford, OR, with a couple short side trips.  We stopped in Eugene, briefly, then Salem, the capital of Oregon, for a short while.  I went to the university in Eugene so many years ago, and didn't recognize a thing.  By this time it was dark and the dark does change the appearance of things, By this time I was weary, trying to sleep.  It was already the next day by then, and I had been up since 6:00am, awake since 4:00am, Tuesday.

Next stop Portland.  Had a 40 minute layover before getting on the bus to Vancouver.  And took 15 minutes to Vancouver.  Megan was waiting for me as I stumbled off the bus.  After we got my baggage, it took another 45 minutes to get to Yacolt.  It's wa a a a y out in the boonies.

All I wanted to do at this point was go to bed.  Forget a shower.  Just give me a bed.  Megan had just gotten off her night shift, so she was pretty much ready for bed, too.

I tried to post a picture here of the road between Battle Ground and Yacolt.  I don't know how to do it, it seems.  Even following the directions.  I put the pictures from the memory card into My Pictures.  Then tried to transport one of the pictures to here.  Didn't work.  Oh well, I'll figure it out eventually.  Or maybe one of you cyber-intellects will guide me.

If I can figure out the pictures-to-DD scenario, I'll show you the green-green-green of Western Washington.  

Shalom