Journey day 1-3

Well it's day 1 of my journey eastward. I'm beating the heat by driving at night, and pulled into Reno Nevada just after midnight. I had no problems with the car despite 110 heat in redding, even after dark. I pretty much figure that if I can survive making it to Reno, the car repairs will hold for the whole trip. It's the gas I'm supposed to be sweating, but hey, I think the Lord will provide!!

I left Mt. Shasta at 4:40 and was in Redding by 5:40. I got my teeth, and the uppers fit nice, and so did the lowers till I ate something at around 2 a.m., then they hurt bad enough to require removal. I tried putting them back in about 4 hrs later, but it ain't happening. They will need further adjustments before that. So for now, I can wear the uppers and be semi happy. And as you can see I now have teeth!

Well it seems that the economy is even effecting the churches here in Reno. St. Vincent's is no longer giving out gas vouchers, neither is Salvation Army.

So, we'll see just how far I get before I have to make me a "spare change" sign. I found the mission here rather easily, but I only got perhaps 3 hours sleep. Then it was off to find the library where I am now, to escape the heat. I'll get some shade and about 4 hrs sleep before I head out again.

While at the Reno rescue mission, which by the way has it's own tent city on mission property, I interviewed a woman who was foreclosed on. She said she got the bank to rescind it and give her back the house and then her son committed a few illegal acts in the home and so she is not allowed back in. I could kind of tell from her tale of woe, that she's about one tuna on rye short of a picnic. I did verify the first part though, she was foreclosed on, the rest is her imagination running wild to cope with being homeless. If I had to guess, I'd say she is probably in her early 50's.

Reno really amazed me, because when I would ask for directions to anywhere, they'd be wrong. And those people LIVE there. Amazing to say the least. I finally found a place to catch some sleep with a warm breeze in the shade. I slept maybe 2 hrs until an ice cream truck's music woke me with that ever so annoying and repetitious jingle, grrrrrr.

Reno has baking hot, and the shade was most welcomed. After my nap I went to the store and got some denture supplies at a very reasonable cost, $5.

I found that my upper denture was no where ready to come out, and the glue was still holding, but I took it out anyway and cleaned the roof of my mouth, and the denture and put it back in without glue, and guess what, it stayed, and it is still holding in there. I drove to Winnamucca NV and stopped at a truck stop to put $20 in to hold me till Elko. The girl at the counter added a shower free of charge, yay "clean" me!!

Well, it's day 3, Saturday, and I made it as far as Elko Nevada, and guess what, the police stations and churches here are out of funds too. I have just enough money left to perhaps get to Salt Lake City and that's it.

I tried to make it all the way to Elko but I had to pull off at the rest area at 10 and sleep. I slept till just after 4 and before leaving I scored a free egg mcmuffin and taters and coke. I'm now at the library in Elko, waiting out the heat. So far so good on the car running without the slightest coolant leak or temp guage going above normal even in 110 degree heat and going up hills.

The Elko police were closed today, I wonder if that means it's free crime day, lol. I have never heard of a police station being closed.

Walmart is close by, I was told that would be a good place to set up a donations sign. I may go do that while I wait for the heat to die down. It has been nice and cool out, while driving at night. I even had to wrap a blanket around my waist while driving. Sitting up in the front seat to sleep is what is going to kill me during this trip.

My hand is still a bit swollen, but it's going down. The arm splint is a much more comfortable way to travel. It's a good thing too that I waited to leave, or I would have broken down out of Mt. Shasta and not have faired so well on the repair price.

I have met so many people in similar situations as mine just since I left Mt. Shasta. It is amazing that we're almost like a new urban breed of citizens. And I have met so many people, like the girl who comp'd me shower last night, who have been very helpful, even if they didn't know my circumstances.

It's weird being back in Elko, since the last time I was here, I was saying "I do" to a girl who I later found had no intentions of staying longer than 6 months. That is one reason I can't wait for dark so I can leave here and head for Salt Lake.

More to come, it's going to get interesting from here, trying to get gas money! I really hate being in a position to have to ask anyone for help, but sometimes you just have to.