Heading Home

Tonight will be my last night visiting. Tomorrow morning, I head for home. Living in other's households is awkward at best regardless of the degree of hospitality and I look forward to returning to my familiar surroundings. Still, sleeping in one's own bed is always the best.

Judging from the recent news out of Bayview, with the boat fire and ensuing death of an Athol man, and the rare appearance of a mountain goat tangling with it's own image in a sliding glass door up[ on Howard Street, it is obvious that the sleepy late fall/early winter Bayview that I left, woke up with a bang.

It seems like most every year we have deaths by drowning in the lake and this year is no exception. Some of you remember up close and personal, the effects of gas fumes igniting from a foreign source, this time, a propane portable heater. I don't have the information on whether this happened But they probably just gassed up, since that is generally when fuel fires start when blowers aren't used liberally.

The goat was probably an outcast Buck that wandered down from Bernard Peak and saw his reflection as another buck. This being the rutting season, he undoubtedly left the battlefield still horny. (Pun intended)

The hospitality of my hosts, Jim & Jean Campbell, and the visits coordinated with Larry & Liz Justus were great. Also, the folks at the Wellton VFW, which made me welcome on our visits, as well. Others we ran into were Jerry Mutton and his friend A.J. Hare and Dale and Vicki Parowitz, former owners of Gibbs Tavern and subsequent Bayview residents. They purchased a home in the Foothills area near Yuma. I missed several others some by just a few days. Dave and Annie Morrow got there about three days after I left. Dick & Annie Gasper and former Bayview residents Lou & Peggy Wilson also were yet to arrive.

This is undoubtedly influenced by my wish to get back home, so since I'm in Manteca, near Sacramento, I'll take I-80 through Reno to Winnemucca thence straight up 95 to home, weather permitting. If I get up at a decent hour in the morning, I should make Bayview by Monday Night football time. If anyone needs to reach me, I'm on a cell phone 208-623-8589. See you all soon.

Postscript:

I got up Sunday morning too early. I laid back down but sleep wouldn't come. Suddenly, an epiphany occurred. What if I just got up, packed my stuff and lit out?
I did so. Cranking away from the curb at 5:45 am in dense fog, I found my way to California 120, a shortcut to I-5. I buzzed up to Sacramento, where I shwooshed into I-80 headed for Reno, Nevada. I reached Reno at around 9:00 am at which rime I called my son, the host to point out that I had left suddenly. He pointed out to me that he, in fact had noticed, also. I got to the Treasure Valley around dusk, but it was way too early to check into a motel, so I trekked on down the road. I ended up just driving straight on through and arived at 12:30 am, eighteen hours later, Monday am. The new River Journal is out, so I'm headed to Athol for a copy.

Heading north and east, I caught Winnemucca about lunch time. I scarfed down a value meal at KFC and headed north for parts not explored for many years. More of my adventures when I get more sleep.