Ch.43 (cont.)
The next day we started climbing out of the Central
Valley towards our final destination of the General Sherman tree on RT. 198
along the Three Rivers Gorge up into the Sierra Nevada’s Mountain range. It was
at this point I was glad to be shed of the Jeep I had towed behind into the
fire that Deb is now restoring for me. She was hoping that we would meet with me later when she has
it completed. She had mentioned something about meeting us at the General Sherman
tree, as in all the time she had lived in California she had never taken the
time to go and visit the General Sherman tree. I had mentioned bringing her
back to her place if she did. She had said she could be dropped off at the bus station
on RT 101 and she would be happy. The bus stopped right in front of the old gas
station where she lived.
Ann and Lee had their Ford Escape and they
were up on the mountain already and I really didn’t know how the sleeping arrangements
or anything was going to work when we meet up with them. I had not noticed much
of anyone following me since I found the GPS unit in the burned out sewage tank.
Deb said she would get rid of it for me and as I stood back at her place I watched
as she cocked her arm and threw it as hard as she could across Highway 101 into
the ditch on the other side of the road across from the old gas station.
“That should do it she says, and when they
stop to look for it I will shoot them in the ass.” she said .
I laughed at her rowdy ways. Deb was
different from Darla in many ways and that was what was so alluring to me about
her. More of a tom boy Mc Gyver type, give her a job to do and she will get r
done, as they say. Whereas Darla was more of the girly girl type, afraid of
spiders snakes and bugs of all kinds. Liked the plays, and like to dress nice. Darla
liked to make love on a king size bed with room to move around whereas Deb
liked to make love on the end of a pickup bed in the open in front of all creation.
Then there was Leann who just liked to
make love and enjoyed the pleasure selfishly as she lay back and enjoyed the
moment. Then when sated would do her best to return all favors. A guy could go
crazy picking just one to be with the rest of his life. And yet he was getting comfortable
being around Darla the more time he spent with her.
If Deb met them at the General Sherman tree
, then I would have to choose and stick with that one person , as I was kinda
brought up old school and I am tired of being alone. To say the least it would
be totally crazy if all three were to show up there at the same time only
making my choice even harder. I doubt if Leann will show , but again I am
certain I saw her following me before and I don’t doubt she hasn’t figured out
what I am up to and that is taking our dream trip to the Sequoias.
Also I wonder if there is still someone
following us. We had broken into a couple of times and someone wanted something
and I don’t think Leann would do it, so who? Dealing Dan maybe? It seemed kind of strange
we ended up with a GPS transponder behind the sewage tank as that had to be
placed there during a service visit to the
dealership and its location was hidden so well as you think only someone
with knowledge of the Road Warrior would only be able to do that. Dealing Dan
made a chunk off of Ann when she bought this RV and her Ford Escape. There again
if they someone was following us why didn’t
the Escape didn’t have one on it also? And
if it did when we split up with Ann and Lee
when they went to Alaska, then why didn’t they have any problems?
All of these things were going through my
mind as wheeled the Road Warrior through one hairpin turn after another in what
my Mom described as turns so tight you can reach out the window and clean off
your taillights as you go around them. Redwood and Sequoia trees were becoming
more abundant and huge logs were lying alongside the road where a tree would
fall across the road. It looked as
though they just sawed it in two pieces and pushed the bulk of the tree to the
side of the road. Wow, what I couldn’t do with a piece of wood that huge. The
foliage overhanging the road became lusher the farther up the mountain range we
climbed. The shadows from the tall trees
began to block out the sunshine on the ground and that forest feeling crept
over everything as sunlight was now a glimmer through the tree tops and prized
by all living things on the forest floor as the trees would compete for every
ray to make themselves a little taller than the next one.
I was headed for Potwisha campground on
the 2300 foot level up the mountain and as we climbed higher and higher and the
roads became more winding. I felt that Darla needed to check and see what the
status was of all campgrounds in the Sequoia National park. She booted the satellite
and was soon telling me that they had shut down portions of Highway 198 to RV’s
due to construction activities. But that we could probably make it to Potwisha campground
and stay there. She said they had two available camping spots in that area and
a fire alert was on for that area.
Again I wished I would have checked before I
started as the Road Warrior was totally unfit as we began to drive next to
gorges where the road dropped off 500 feet to one side. Darla looked once and
said ‘Oh shit’, and never looked out that side of the Road Warrior again. Signs
for Camp Potwisha soon began appearing as the mountain seemed to level out into
a plateau and soon we entered the campgrounds and were now in the Sequoia National
Park and we still had a day before meeting Ann and Lee.
Darla had talked to Ann and Lee and they
were staying in the Waksuchi Lodge and were minute’s away from the General Sherman
tree. This was at the 6500 foot level up the mountain. This was totally inaccessible
by us as Deb still had the Jeep and we were not able to drive the Road Warrior
any farther up the mountain or did I desire to drive it any further. I was
quite glad to see an open area of campsite at the Potwisha campground and it
was rather easy to access with the Road Warrior. This was a no frills campground
and required us to use the generator for electric as there was no electric or sewer
available. I pulled in and parked the Road Warrior and started flipping switches
and within minutes had the Road Warrior leveled the new awning rolled out and
then walked out the door and the step slid out on command. Everything was as it
should be.
Darla was able to reach Ann in her room at
the lodge on up the mountain and the two of them went on a talking about
everything that happened and where we were. They invited us to come on up the
mountain and spend the night in the lodge, but to my surprise Darla declined
before even asking me and said she and I were content here in the Road Warrior.
She told them we were having problems negotiating turns with Road Warrior and
that we were stuck here with their climbing equipment. That we would need a
ride around the park tomorrow if possible to see the General Sherman tree, or
we can take the shuttle bus.
As she was talking my cell phone rang and
it was Deb and I answered.
“Hey there deb what’s up?” I asked.
“Well
I have your Jeep done and should be somewhere close to you.” She said continued
. “Just need to know if you have landed
somewhere on the mountain yet?”
I told her we did and where we were and what a
convenience it was going to be able to get the Jeep back so soon. I asked her
to stay with us here in the Road Warrior rather than find lodging and have that
expense. She said from her GPS she should only be about a couple of hours away
from us. I cupped my hand over the cell as Darla was still talking to Ann and
updated her to the news that Deb had the Jeep and was bringing it to us here
tonight and we would be able to use it to get around. And that we could still
meet them at noon at the General Sherman tree if they like. We all agreed as to
where we would meet and that we would have Ann and Lee’s climbing equipment
with us if they like.
Well it all sounded like the plan was
coming together finally. Darla and I stepped outside and enjoyed a walk through
the park as we just wanted to stretch our legs before Deb arrived. We still had
to make supper and Deb could stay in my old sofa bed and enjoy the comforts of
a bad night’s sleep. Having both in the Road Warrior at the same time was a
risky move but one I needed to make.
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