The End of a Week

Posted Sun Oct 25, 2009 in Bloggish

It is fall in northern Nevada. The trees are turning and the leaves will fall soon. The morning air has a crispness to it that hints at cold mornings to come. The change of the season is upon us and I’m really enjoying that. I’m truly a three-season guy.

The last few weeks have been a challenge, but last week was a kind of end-all/be-all week. I’m writing so much these days that there isn’t much energy left over at the end of the day for more writing. I start early in the morning, so I don’t write then, either.

Monday was a travel day. I scheduled a seminar for Tuesday noon for USGS folks in California a few months ago. So, I worked at home Monday morning, dealing with a lot of pent-up emails and coordination. It was raining in the valley off and on, so I decided to leave early and take it easy. I had a 1600 meeting scheduled in Davis with a colleague and I thought it would be an easy trip.

Boy, was I wrong! I took Wife’s Z4 and headed south to Minden. The “short” way is out SR 88 to SR 89, then turn west and head over Luther’s Pass and cut off South Lake Tahoe (a lot of 25-35mph limits there). I stopped at McD’s for a sandwich and drink, to take with me. I was looking forward to the aspens in the hills, their yellow-tinged leaves beckoned my photographer’s eye.

Just before reaching the state line, the sign flashed “Chain Control East from Kirkwood.” That made me nervous. But, I thought my cut-off was before Kirkwood and I was committed. So, I paused for a minute to review my route (GPS is wonderful) and eat my sandwich.

I drove on, unsettled.

The colors did not disappoint. The overcast sky, combined with the rain, brought out the colors of the aspens nestled between the darker greens of the pines. The drive was wonderful, even with the nervousness of possible snow and the bouts of showers. Then it started, mixed at first, but heavier as I drove higher into the mountains. Soon the sky was dropping big flakes of snow.

When I turned off on SR 89 to cross Luther’s Pass, I passed my first “chain control” sign. “Crap” I muttered and my stress level increased a few notches.

The farther I drove, the more conditions deteriorated. It isn’t really cold in the mountains yet, so the road was not cold enough to really hold snow, but the rate was such that the road was slushy. I passed a deputy sheriff and wondered if he’d reverse and track me down. Paranoia?

I crossed the pass and headed down into the Tahoe basin. A couple of heavy trucks in front eased down the hill, flashers flashing. I downshifted to third and let the car track the heavier vehicles. Traction wasn’t an issue and clearance would not be an issue (not enough snow). But I wondered if U.S. 50 would be closed to me.

Wife’s words echoed “Do you need to take the truck? Will there be snow?” It was early in the season and I didn’t expect snow. There was no forecast for poor road conditions. I expected an easy trip.

Wrong, wrong, wrong… The trip was turning out to be hard — not because of the conditions but because of the stress. And yes, when I reached the intersection of SR 89 and U.S. 50, chain controls were in effect and they were checking. So, I turned right towards home and drove on. I got home, moved my gear to the truck, checked the internet for road conditions (nothing significant listed), and took a call from a friend I was to meet for supper.

Then I started… again. I decided to call my appointment when I reached the other side of the hill. I kissed Wife and drove off — in the truck.

When I reached Meyer (again), there was no one there. Chain controls were lifted and I could have taken the car. Argh! If I’d just driven down to Tahoe and spent a half-hour drinking coffee, I’d be a lot farther along. That is the way of it. So I drove on over the pass and started down the western slope of the Sierras. The drive was beautiful, as I expected, but it wasn’t an easy trip. I knew I was running late, but there’s no way to make up time on this highway.

Finally, I needed to stop and pee. I pulled into a staging area where sand is stored and parked the truck. I decided to take a break and try to get calmed down. So, after taking care of business, I poured a cup from my thermos and took a few minutes to try to unwind. I was wound. The clouds creeping up the face of the western slope were beautiful.

Refreshed (a bit), I motored on down the hill. I still had a few spats of rain, but nothing significant. I called in to my appointment and left a message that I was running late. However, I arrived by 1630, only a half-hour late, but stressed and wanting some downtime. Nonetheless, the meeting went well and I enjoyed reconnecting with a colleague and we talked about a potential project of mutual interest. By 1730, he needed to leave, so we shook hands and went our separate ways.

I called my dinner appointment and scheduled a time to meet and headed for the hotel. Sue-sue (the GPS), took me directly to my hotel, where I checked in, then unloaded my gear. My friend called a few minutes late, but that was alright. We walked across the street to the Outback and enjoyed a steak and a beer.

I slept OK, but woke early and then started handling a buttload of email traffic. It began on Monday afternoon, but spilled way over in to Tuesday morning. I think it took two hours of writing to get everything moving forward again. I snagged a bite of breakfast (a waffle and some fruit) then headed for the USGS offices. They are located on the Sacramento State College campus, so I parked (way out) and humped it to the office. I walked in the same time as my contact. Serendipity!

I signed in and got the grand tour. It’s like any other government office I’ve ever been in. They are busy people, even with the contraction in the PRK budgets.

The seminar went as expected and we broke for lunch. It was good to spend time with these three men. I worked with them 20-years ago, but they haven’t changed much except for the gray.

Then it was off to my next appointment, a relatively new colleague but someone I respect greatly. I chatted with his receptionist while he finished a phone call, then we went across the street for a coffee and some time to go over a lot of things. I think I have more clarity in regards to some project work and prospects than I did before. It was profitable.

Then came the long drive home. I stopped in Placerville at the Carrow’s restaurant (and noticed the original Mel’s Diner across the street) to get some food and some coffee and regroup.

The drive home was long and hard, as I expected. But, I accomplished my mission.

Wednesday was another big spin. I had another presentation Wednesday evening plus a lot of other stuff to deal with after being out of the office a couple of days. But, I was ready and the slide show went together quickly. I made the presentation and we won another project. That was good.

But, it was about 2030 when I got home. After started about 0430, it was another long day. Thursday morning started the same, with me waking too early and working most of the day. But by 1500 I was just done, so I packed my gear and went home. I fell asleep on the couch for an hour, which is something I almost never do and hate to do that late in the day.

Friday was much the same, but by about 1400 I was just done, so I packed my gear and went home.

I got a lot done last week, but it was expensive. That’s why there isn’t much writing going on here, as if anyone really cared. But, I’m going to hang onto the site, my host, and my domain name. I’ll write when I can, and post a picture or two. There just might not be a lot of writing in the short term when so much of my energy is directed at must-do’s.

1. I feel the same way. there simply isn’t enough left in me to write as much as I want too. You out did me though, keeping up through the years. We out here, Dave, and we’re reading…

   — Mark    25 October 2009, 20:35    #
   
   

2. It’s an interesting thing, traffic… I write not so much because it drives traffic to my site, but more because there’s a discipline involved in writing regularly. Real writers set about writing as a discipline — perhaps to write so many words or lines per day. Part of that is to generate ideas for story lines or characters; I think part of it is just because writing is something they do.

   Maybe that makes sense.

   When I find I’m not writing, there is something else going on. Sometimes I step back to analyze why I’m not writing. Sometimes I’m just too tired to think about it and lose myself in reading or playing a game.

   But, in the end, I think that writing is important — for me.

   — ruminator    25 October 2009, 20:54    #