November 29, 2025 - Return to Fresno

Title: November 29, 2025 - Return to Fresno

Hike Info : Description 

Hike Info:

Type:Car

 

Description:

Each morning I have been getting up earlier. This morning it was 6:45. When I got up, I went for a walk-I have been meaning to do that each morning, but failed in my execution. This morning’s walk was nothing special, just around the neighborhood, about 40 minutes and about 2 miles, I think. There was a little library which I stopped and looked at. There was a couple of books which are interesting to me: A Sand County Almanac by Aldo Leopold and The Answer Is… by Alex Trebek. I only made a note of the books for further reference. One of the joys of being a book snoop.

When I got back, David had returned from his walk and Rachel had gotten up. I had my breakfast. Last night’s Costco puzzle was being attacked with fresh vigor from all participants. But by the time we were ready to go, the puzzle was still under construction, maybe half finished.

Now the question is, what should we do with a half completed puzzle? I was given the green light to pack the car. As Andrea and I were packing, I had an epiphany on how to transport the puzzle. The puzzle is on a thin piece of plywood. David had covered it with cardboard. I unpacked the car and lifted up the cargo liner out of the back.Steven slid the board and puzzle under it so it was doubly protected. Then loaded all of the luggage on top of the cargo liner. Nothing back there would be sliding around, including the puzzle.

We left a few minutes after 10 with Rachel driving. There is a stop at Shotz in Rio Dell for coffee for Rachel and Sherri. Steven and Rachel got a breakfast burrito. Then off we go again. A little after 12 we pull into a rest stop and swap drivers. Steven is now driving.

David posing for Sherri

Along the way, we talked about how to record things of interest along the various roads we travel. Andrea has a spreadsheet of things along I-5, since they travel that a lot. But we do not only travel I-5, but 101, 99 and several other roads. Do we do separate spreadsheets for each road? Create filters? Raachel recommends creating a Google map with the places. That sounds promising.

Just north of San Rafeal, we change drivers. Rachel is back behind the wheel. I think she is determined to drive to Turlock. Sherri has indicated that she would like to get the car washed at the Turlock Costco. Also we will need to get gas there. But that is about 4 hours away. She drives over the San Rafael Bridge, through Berkeley, then Oakland. All of this, the traffic is not too bad.

When we hit Turlock, we decided that we would like to eat before getting gas and the car wash. The eating establishment is DustBowl Brewery. The meal is good, but it is a bit pricey. Sherri had a Mushroom Marsala Burger, Steven a Spicy Hawaiian Pizza, Rachel a Jack Burger (vegetarian) and I had a Double Dipper TriTip Sandwich. We got there before it got crowded. But I could see where how this place would be really noisy when full.

After eating, I drove to Costco, all of a mile and a half. There we got gas. Filled up the tank. It looked like we still had three gals left, or about 65-70 miles more we could have driven-not enough to make it to Fresno. Also, we went through Costco’s car wash. I relinquished the driver seat to Rachel. She took us home from there, arriving a few minutes before 7-about an hour before I expected us to. Maybe because I was not driving or because we stopped at only one rest stop.

I saw this on Facebook as we were driving back and sent it to Lawrence and Andrea. I could very easily be the one who would be deported from Oregon.