The expected storm did come through, but not as bad as was forecast. I got dusted, but just a bit. Tomorrow I go "topside". I've observed there are about 5 times as many rental RVs as owned units here. That portends a lot of Euro and Asian tourists in the Southwest parks this year. The park doesn't officially start operating until next week. Meanwhile there are limited human resources, notably park rangers. I haven't seen a single one since...

One wouldn't normally select Death Valley as a place to wait out a storm, but I'm doing just that until maybe Friday. It's in the 90's right now, but tomorrow the wind will pick up (50 mph), kicking up a lot of dust, but dropping the temps a bit. I had a hard time getting my modem to find a phone network, which can happen here but I'm near the visitor center and expected to get at last something. I finally forced the Mifi to look for a 3G...

I'm near Bishop in a BLM campground for a night. 395 is always an interesting and scenic drive, one of my favorite routes. Tomorrow I head to Death Valley. It will be 101 degrees when I get there, but on Wednesday a cold front will come through dropping temperatures down to 79. I always enjoy DV, and this time I'll try to find a parking spot at the Furnace Creek campground which is no-reservation until next week when the official season opens....

Actually, I'm closer to Carson City at Washoe Lake State Park, an old favorite of mine. I got an early start and the weather and traffic was good so I kept going through CA without even stopping for gas. I did get stopped at the CA Agricultural inspection station, and my RV and refrigerator searched, the first time that has happened to me. I had stopped in front of a dumpster, so I took the opportunity to grab my garbage and empty it. "Sir, the...

US395 through Eastern Oregon is a "No Gas For 90 Miles" kind of drive. No humans, for that matter. Most dramatic is Lake Abert, and the adjoining Abert Rim, a most unusual geologic formation. I'm parked at a tried and true place, was called Hunter's RV but now called Base Camp RV, that is quick and easy for an overnight. And an overnight is all you should ever need here or in Lakeview. Last chance for Oregon gas, as stateline is 10 miles...

More snow, light, last night and it's still cold. Tomorrow I continue on 395 to Lakeview, OR, a very familiar place as it's my usual last stop before reaching Burning Man.

There was some snow at the summits, but otherwise suitable driving conditions. I'm at the fairgrounds in John Day for the night, then on to Burns tomorrow. It will be below freezing tonight, but sunny tomorrow.

The snow is starting now, but I hope to follow it out of here on Monday. When I checked into the RV park they said if I got a player's card I'd get a big discount. I don't normally do this, but it seemed worth it. When I went to the casino I won $120 on the slots, and left. Today I went in to collect my $10 of free play for getting the card, and won $65 playing off that. That paid for my parking costs at the RV park, plus more. Not bad.

My plan was to go to Pendleton to pick up US395 south to Reno, then Yuma. A sudden weather change came in bringing very cold temperatures, snow in the mountains, rain down here, and high winds in Washington, Oregon, and California. When I looked ahead to where I was going, I chickened out and am stuck here until at least Monday. I'm in the Wildhorse Casino RV park with full hookups. My original intent was to dry-camp for a night before...

It's peak harvest here in Cashmere and Wenatchee, a notable fruit orchard region of Washington. Pears are nearing the end of season, apples just starting, and there are loads of peaches around. Sweet corn from the flatlands nearby, and tomatoes of all kinds. I wish it were possible to eat like this all year round. Yakima tomorrow for a few days.

On March 7 I hit US101 in Santa Rosa, and finally got off it today. I'm in Cashmere, near Wenatchee, in dry and warm Eastern Washington. I very much welcome the change in scenery. And culture.

Our first neighborhood cannabis store opened 5 years ago this week, and Sea Change was the fifth to open in the state. The neighborhood, in this case Jefferson County (population 31,000), soon had seven stores, the max allowed under state rules. The state of Washington has the number of retail stores capped at about 520, about 500 are operating. That's about the number to be found in Denver and Portland, ignoring the rest of the shops in Oregon...