1979 California Diaries Continue...

April 24, 1979

The next day I woke up with Michelle's child face smiling at my sleeping expression. I dragged myself  grudgingly out of bed and patted the little blonde head. After a few stretches, I climbed into my first shower in three days. The sparkling, clean water tumbled on me and I felt exhilarated. But we all forgot shampoo, so Ivory soap washed my hair. I climbed out feeling clean, but it was muggy and I opened the door. Such a smell and I knew not where it came. Was it me or my hair?
Michelle had a tremendous mess and walked out of her Pampers. The horrendous stink permeated the small room. Because of this discomforting smell, I hurriedly dressed and got ready for the day.
Herman was still in bed, but Diane was up. We decided to walk to IHOP while Herman would join us later.
It was still early and cool in the bright sunshine. Mornings are so refreshing and beautiful even on a busy highway of a fair size city. Holding Michelle, listening to her baby talk, I felt great. Sometimes I think I can never express what mornings mean to me. I write often of them, but the words never come to explain my ideas, except for others words. It's newness excites me.
Herman didn't join us as the crowd gathered by the time we had finished. So we waited just a little longer and then started our journey back to the motel. The tiny white Rabbit zipped into a side street and we scurried to it. Herman wasn't angry as he didn't feel like a big breakfast.
After we were amusingly embarrassed by Michelle in a doughnut shop, we wounded our way out of Fresno.
The fields were a fresh green with avocados, asparagus, and vines. The sun always is making these products. As flat as the land was, the road twisted and turned sharply because of the differently owned farms.
The road began up the mountains and before I knew it the approaching noon heat backed off. I was forced to close the window and then a little while later ask Herman to close the vent.
But the view was fantastic as the mid morning sun sprinkled the large valley checkered with farms. I wanted to stay in that farming valley and explore, live off the land, discover the what seemed the simple life. Still the road climbed up and up and I wanted desperately to see what was also in front of me. So I absorbed and soaked and breathed in the scenery. 
The pine trees became red and tall. And the ground was covered with snow! and the skies were gray! What in California? In the mountains, it is like that.
We entered the Sequoia National Park, but all the roads were closed except the one to Grant Tree. We ventured through the squatty trees to the parking lot of Grant Tree. We hiked on the snow covered trails in our tennis shoes, sandals and street shoes.