Board game thoughts & a shower scalding

I took the Golden Gate out of San Francisco and attempted to see the redwoods at Muir Woods.  I say attempted because I drove all the way there, passed 4 parking lots that were full and decided that the scenic drive (with steering wheel movements reminiscent of a bad ’80s arcade game in the rapid back-and-forth motions) had put me in a less than nature-friendly mood.  I doubted the behemoths had changed much from when I was a kid and used that thought to make me less annoyed at my failed viewing.  Nothing however could lessen my rage at the broken GPS lady when I was weaving around San Quentin, unsure if I was heading the right way. 

Starving and a bit queasy, I reached for my trail mix.  I’d had this particular mix before but didn’t remember getting such a crazy amount of peanut brittle my last go-around.  Originally, that pinch of sweetness was why I picked this one but now I was essentially eating bite after bite of candy.  Who is taking this on a trail, I thought to myself?!  How does this nurture a hiker?  Unless they were hiking in Candyland.  Then, it would feel appropriate.

Approaching Lake Shasta and all it’s many campgrounds, I began to see the extensive roadsigns that choose to nix the words and just show items. There were colorful squares with binoculars, a shoe, an anchor, a life preserver. It was like the Parker Brothers came out and designed an outdoorsy version of Clue.  I believe the murderer is L.L. Bean, near the trail, with the hiking boot.  Perhaps the time alone in the car was getting to me.

I stopped at a hotel next to a Dairy Queen in Medford, Oregon.  The only notable event was the next morning when I excitedly walked towards the shower and turned on the water.  A good, long shower was a luxury these days and I had been looking forward to this one.  I played with the temperature knob, moving it back and forth.  I gave it time in every different direction but all I could get was burning hot water.  I even tried putting my foot in to see if I could stand the heat.  I could not.  I quickly pulled my foot out and saw a red mark form.  It was 30 minutes until my late check-out and the possibility of moving all my stuff into a new room and getting on the road in a reasonable amount of time was not good.  I bit my lip, gathered my stuff and checked out of the hotel.  On the way out, I got a Dairy Queen dipped cone and continued to the highway.  A piece of the hardened chocolate fell onto my arm while I was driving with both hands occupied.  I looked at my arm and looked back at the road.  My arm.  The Road.  My arm.  The road.  I touched my lips down to my forearm and sucked the chocolate piece right off.  Your standards can change after 3 weeks in a car.