So far, the lore regarding the origin of Covid-19 places patient zero in China in November of 2019.
Well it happened. I almost made it 3 years. Your ol' pal Jimbo got the 'Rona. How did it happen? It's really impossible to tell.
Back in Saga 4, Journal 2 I mentioned how I had gotten incredibly sick in Washington state after I had begun to travel south out of Seattle. The symptoms were all there but I had a wet cough and lots of congestion. The fever was there, the aches, the chills... whatever I had, Covid or not, it was a significant illness.
The Bunk-a-Biker stay just outside of Portland was exactly what I needed. I was able to stay in an RV, away from the rest of the occupants of the household, and watch MOVIES and recover. The thing about being sick is, reading books takes energy. Plotting out where I'm going to go next on the trip, editing videos, writing like this?? It all takes energy that should be used toward recovery. So that's what I did. I laid low, I watched several movies and I did --nothing-- for a day or two.
This gave me enough energy to start to venture out into the city more, see a friend, see the end of the Oregon trail, and see myself getting ready to head down the coast ever southward.
I was in bed, watching the end of one last movie and about to get some sleep when I took a cough drop, the last before bed. It was supposed to be a strong cherry flavor but I tasted NOTHING.
I then stuck my hands into my arm pits and expected a mix of BO and deodorant (it was the end of the day after all) and I took a huge whiff. Nothing. My sense of smell was gone. My sense of taste and smell had ceased to be.
I then took a covid test. I had a few of them on hand and it turned out positive. I did a second one and then another one in the morning. All 3? Positive.
My cough then went from a wet one to a dry one. My lung capacity was shortened, meaning going for minor hikes or walks would leave me winded-- especially if there was an incline involved. Altitude doesn't help either.
It was almost 3 years and finally I'd gotten it. I've had 3 out of the 4 eligible Covid-19 Vaccines and I am currently on the hunt for the 4th. I'm still coughing and my senses of taste and smell aren't completely back yet. Since the initial day of illness, meaning the day I started feeling sick, it's been about 10 days. It's been about 4-5 since I tested positive.
As of writing this now, on the 'shores' of Eagle Lake, I have tested negative for the first time. The CDC would label me as "Symptomatic but not contagious." Good thing too, since I'm going to be staying with a friend's parents in Reno for a couple days to get ready for the rest of Saga 4.
Anyway, it's not easy being symptomatic out here on the road. No hiking, no bunk-a-bikers, and a lot of riding. In the last 5 days I believe I've done 1.5K to 2K miles.
I actually got to see quite a bit of the 'inland empire' here of the west coast. The high desert is arid, open, and empty. Silent forests of dead burned trees flank lonely highways that twist through charred mountainous passes. No birds are singing.
Eagle Lake is bone dry. The only way you'd be able to believe a body of water was once here is by the lack of trees in the bottom of this valley. All of the iOverlander camping spots around the lake said to NOT drive out to wherever the shore is. The dry lakebed is unstable and will get your vehicles stuck. Don't even try it.
My friend from Reno told me that he used to come here as a kid and play in the water. It's the 2nd largest lake within California's borders... or at least, it was. Satellite photos on Google Maps still have this lake as coming up to the shore where I'm camping but I'm not sure how long ago that was.
The people of the region are no doubt tired of the megadrought. Even episodes of New Girl that go back to the early 20-teens, around 10+ years ago, talk about California being in a drought and it hasn't changed.
Gas prices are also astronomical, but there are some factors to take into consideration:
-You have the war in Ukraine
-You have Europe's Nord Stream 2 being cancelled.
-You have Europe's Nord Stream 1 being closed and even sabotaged.
-You have Hurricane Ian making its second landfall in South Carolina.
-You have OPEC making an announcement that they're going to restrict oil production starting in November.
-Oil prices are tied to global supply so things that are completely outside of America's control still impact our prices here at home.
Tack on California taxes and demand and you got gas almost going north of $7 / gallon. Consider it a perfect storm.
The worst gas price I've seen was Deadhorse, Alaska, where it was $8.07 / gallon. The territory and isolation of Deadhorse makes that make sense. Canada in general will have higher prices, and then I hit Washington. Lower than Canada, but hardly. Oregon was the lowest it got, with Interstate-flanking suburban gas stations hitting low $5 / Gallon numbers. Didn't take long before I was in the countryside away from the interstates hitting higher $5 rates.
ANYWAY. That's all Gas. I've only been around the rural regions of NoCal so far. I'll have a better take on California soon. There will be much to tell.
-JT
10/10/2022