To & From Oregon, The Search For What It's Worth: Sun, May 12

 I'm just doing this to catch up. I got to my brother's place two weeks ago come Tuesday & left this past Monday. Overall, it was a pleasant visit, though my brother's tendency to wind himself up got me out the door. He's always a missed meal away from going full squirrel. He says it's either dealing with Momma, travel or, in this case, buying a new home, but last time I seen him when he wasn't ready to power New York City by nervous tension alone is when he got married. And I know it ain't his wife's fault, bless her soul, she does yeowoman's work there.

 Of course, I did give them some cause for stress. One of my coughing fits turned nasty & I wound up passing out. My sister-in-law called the EMT's & since my blood pressure - I have hypertension, mind - was unsettling high, we went to the emergency room. Everything turned out fine. Best anyone can tell, my coughing - which has been an issue - just caused some nerve to close my esophagus & down I went, all exacerbated by exhaustion caused by the drive that was longer than I thought it'd be & lack of eating properly. By the time I hit the emergency room, I was clear headed & the pressure was back to my normal. Still, another spanner in the works. So far, though, no return of the problem & something heavy to deal with when I got home.

 Anyhow. In Portland, I went to famous Powell's book store & bought physical books for the first time in more than five years. Portland's nice, sort of the platonic ideal of the "hipster/artsy" part of town made into a giant city. Corvallis is gorgeous, as is north California. Those giant trees defy description & give you a feeling of genuine awe. The waterfalls & rivers are beautiful. I spent an afternoon in Mendocino because of Doug Sahm & Tompall Glaser, & it charmed me into looking at rentals. Forget it, though. That town's too damn expensive for my blood.

 I need to go to bed. Maybe later I'll write about the Winchester Mystery House, a ramble through San Francisco, a three-hour traffic jam through the suburbs, & spending Saturday night in Las Vegas watching movies. As for now, I'm heading to the Grand Canyon & then on to Albuquerque. Basically,  I'm looking for a straight shot home. I'm tired. This trip is verging on no longer being fun & the sights no longer being worth it. I hate to skip Tombstone & San Antonio & seeing New Orleans again, but I just don't think I can do it. Maybe next time.