The Drive

For some reason the drive between Seattle and Fresno is always an hour too long. I find I get nearly there, and then I have to pull over and nap for an hour. This drive was no different. Nearly there, too tired to keep driving, I pulled over and passed out at a rest stop for an hour or so. Then, I woke up, and kept driving.

I pulled into my home town around 1 am and set about trying to find a cheap hotel for the night. Since I know all of them, it's not exactly challenging to figure out who was going to be the cheapest. After trying the cheapest 3 and being told that the lowest they could go for just the night was $85, I announced, "Ehhh... that's too steep for me. I'll just go camp at the lake." Insult to injury: When I looked shocked when the desk clerk told me it was going to be $100 (before I asked about just that night) he said, "well, you guys all come at the same time..." The implication that I was a tourist just made me nearly 100% likely to not stay there. He had no idea I was a local, and it was a fair assumption, but, no. Just. no.

So, I drove to the lake just outside of town, pulled into one of the camp grounds, rolled out my sleeping bag (I couldn't even be bothered to set up my tent) and passed out. I was up bright and early and out of the camp ground before the site host was up and making the rounds. I didn't intentionally not pay, but I also didn't go out of my way to pay.

That morning was Mother's Day, and I headed to church hoping to run into old friends from my childhood. Granted, it had been 14 years since I've been there, but, surely some of the old people would still be around.

More on that next...