Stuck in Lodi Again....

I guess you would have had to have been stuck in Lodi once in order to be stuck in Lodi again (with thanks to John Fogerty for the reference). But here I am. In Lodi. Stuck. Once.

I write this six days into a grand excursion of California. I shall probably visit this trip with a bit more information at a later date. This is just a waiting-for-the-washer-to-wash-your-clothes post. Its been a whirlwind tour of driving and camping.

I'm traveling with a childhood friend--taking a "bucket list" tour of California. Many years ago, my friend and I had talked about traveling Europe after graduating from High School. We didn't. So this nine or ten day tour of California has to be a poor excuse for the vanished dreams of youth.

The initial plan had been to visit the "Oldest, Biggest and Tallest" trees in the world. We got through the first two (oldest and biggest) but it seems like too much of a journey to go to the hinterlands of the northeast corner of California to visit the Tallest tree in the world (in Redwoods National Park). So we shall finish up this camping tour in Lassen National Park where I will, once again, seek guidance and inspiration for a piece on Ed Abbey and the disintegration of the radical environmental movement.

It might seem strange to some people at work that I am taking this trip at all since I am on "disability"; I have lots of pain meds along and my friend carries everything for me. It isn't all that much different from being at home recovering from an injury. Only the scenery is different. And I've been advised by my doctor to take lots of walks.

My friend isn't as tolerant of the "camping, non-shower, stink to high heaven lifestyle" so we stopped and got this room at the Econolodge in Lodi, California. Showered and with clean laundry, we shall resume camping tomorrow.