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Signed lease at Siegel Suites 7th Street apartment, so as to have bona fide physical residence address, needed for updating residence address on record for driver's license, voter's registration, USPS form 1583 at mailing service, financial institutions. Obviously, apartment will no longer be my residence when I move out next month and become homeless again, but nothing says records need to updated to indicate homelessness nor is it possible to update records to indicate homelessness.
Apartment $1572/month (plus $115 one-time check-in fees, $85 refundable deposit, maybe $50 for sheets, pillows and towels at Walmart) versus about $511/week for Sparks Motel6, so slight savings, but I prefer the motel. Lease signing process was easy, with no need to provide previous landlord references or proof of employment/income. It helped that I was in database as previous tenant in Oct 2017. Repeat tenancy further legitimatizes statement that "Siegel Suites is my true permanent official physical residence address, to which I plan to return if and when I cease being homeless".
[Based on foot traffic and overheard conversations in office while I was engaged in lease signing process, economic conditions in Reno are worsening again. All sorts of requests to allow delayed rent payment, complaints about shady characters roaming premises at night and knocking on doors, etc.]
Last year, I wrote that I was finished bicycle touring, but prospect of 4 months hanging around Reno is depressing. So once physical residence address records issue is resolved, and various gear repairs and purchases completed, take bus to Ridgecrest and spend two months bicycle touring, then back to Reno in February.
Voted for Kamala Harris for President. If she wins, USA will continue on its current bad trajectory, but at least she is a known bad quantity, whereas Trump is a dangerous loose cannon. Maybe he'll make long-reforms, or maybe he'll lead the country into disaster, which is a risk I'm unwilling to take.
Senate is extremely likely to be Republican dominated regardless of who is elected President. Hence if Harris wins, she will greatly restriced in what she can do. In effect, I voted for 4 years of gridlock and continued bad government at the national level, followed by repudiation of Democrats and overwhelming Republican victory at the national level in 2028. Loss of current presidential election and loss of several state referendums regarding abortion would signal to Republicans that they need to stop pandering to extremists, so presumably someone less radical than Trump would be Republican presidential candidate in 2028.
Harris lost, no surprise there, nor am I sorry since I despise her and everyone around her. However, I am worried about having Trump in charge. Ukrainians took a leap into the unknown by electing charismatic political newcomer Zelensky as their President in 2019 and result was disaster.
Bought laptop computer for $270 at Walmart to replace 10 year old laptop which cost $409 at BestBuy in Jan 2014. Aging laptop very slow and made grinding noises upon starting up today, as if disk drive having problems. New laptop has 8GB RAM, 256GB SDD, Windows 11 versus 4GB RAM, 1024GB HDD, Windows 10 in old computer.
Moved into Siegel Suites apartment, which is frightfully noisy from freeway traffic. Make sure to get room on other side of building next time, if there ever is a next time. Room includes hot plate in addition to refrigerator and microwave, though I don't plans on cooking. Good wifi, but only 2 devices allowed and MAC address locked to login code, so no device switching. Since I wanted 4 devices (2 smartphones, 2 computers), had to buy another 2 device login code for $44. Ripoff mentality by management.
Slept well enough. Noise is truly horrible but no worse than camping in howling storm conditions. Plus noise motivates me to get out as soon as possible. Never stay here again, if I can avoid it, but it serves its purpose in allowing me to change my physical residence address records without committing perjury.
Various computer programs no longer available for downloading and other problems with transition to new computer. Instead of trying to replace these programs, plan is to further simplify my affairs so almost everything done by smartphone and dependence on computer reduced to minimum.
Felt overwhelmed past few days from stress and disruption in my life: Siegel Suites apartment is big step down from Sparks Motel6 due to noise and location and other disadvantages; update of official physical residence address, to allow continued operation of mailbox service; problem with one of my bank accounts; transition to new computer; nagging foot injury. Because I can't resolve certain issues while traveling, they accumulate and create a crisis when I finally get back to Reno. Thankfully, all issues on the way to being resolved, so I can finally relax. Another okay night of sleep in the noisy new apartment.
Lost sleep hat and pillow stuff sack while doing laundry. Maybe they fell behind machine when I put them on top while waiting for machine to finish previous load of another customer. Replaced with spares in storage.
Becoming accustomed to apartment, with good sleep despite constant highway traffic noise. No noise from neighbors.
While shopping in Walmart, noticed socks are now locked in glass doored cabinets and nylon dress socks no longer available. Good thing I bought lifetime supply several years ago.
Thanksgiving holiday. Dismounted and inspected rear tire. Several thorn fragments on inside of tire, several more fragments visibly embedded in rubber on outside of tire but not penetrating to inside, one thorn fragment broken off and embedded in inner tube. Despite all these thorn fragments, tire remained inflated during last few weeks of previous tour plus city riding last February and current November, so sealant evidently working properly. Removed all thorn fragments, applied 3 patches to inner tube, added another bottle of Stans sealant, remounted and reinflated.
Siegel Suites authorized $85 deposit refund [and $85 was indeed credited bank account as of 09 Dec]. Checked into Sparks Airport Motel6, $276 for 4 days. What a relief to be away from that highway noise!
Problem with right foot was first mentioned 23 Oct 2024 in previous trip report, but pain started a few days before that. Not sure what happened. Maybe strained attachment of plantar fascia to bones at front of foot while doing morning stretches to improve dorsiflexion. Currently about 7 weeks since pain began and pain still present though starting to disappear. Pain never stopped me from hiking or city walking, however pain was severe at times, so that I began to worry I might never recover and thus never be able to enjoy hiking again. Tendon/ligament issues are slow to heal.
Eastern Sierra Transit bus to Bishop ($47). Bought ticket online several weeks ago. $97 (incl $12 tax) at Motel6.
Starting odometer 27353. Eastern Sierra Transit bus to Inyokern ($25). $60 (incl $8 tax) at A Night's Inn (same price as booking but outside system). Pullups using children's play equipment in park.
Bought 4 days food at store. Beautiful day: sunny, cool, no wind. Camped 3mi north of Hwy 395.
New bladder leaked because flip-spout top not screwed on properly. Cold and windy (west, partial headwind most of day, though no problem because mostly downhill riding) but enough sun to dry things out. Camped 2mi east of Hwy 395.
Strong wind last night knocked tarp down twice. After second blow down, pitched with minimal height front and 8 stakes (regular stakes, I'm also carrying 6 sand/snow stakes). Tarp held thereafter. Wind died down towards dawn. Sunny and mild all day.
Sunny and mild. Strong south wind (side wind) started late morning, continued all day and into evening. Pitched tarp low.
Wind died down during night. Sunny and mild day. $110 for 2 nights at Motel6 in Barstow.
Beautiful weather: sunny, cool, gentle north side wind. Camped along Boron mine road, just east of Hector road.
Skipped morning exercises other than pushups and rows. Another beautiful day, with mild west tail wind. Camped 2mi west of Chambless.
Skipped morning exercises causing other than pushups and rows. Warm, sunny, gentle west tailwind. Camped along Cadiz road, several miles east of Milligan mine.
Skipped leg exercises other than squat thrusts. Warm, sunny, very little wind. Camped on Midland road, 7mi north of pass though hills.
Eastern Sierra Transit bus from Inyokern to Bishop, $??.
Final odometer ???.
??? miles (??? km) total, ??? hours pedaling/pushing, average of ??? miles/hour.
?? nights camping, 22 nights in motels. Total motel expense of $??? including tax, for average of $??/night.
Total ??? nights camping for 2024.
See Nomad page for bicycle comments.