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Signed lease at Siegel Suites 7th Street apartment, so as to have bonafide 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 $1782/month (plus 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. Part of me wanted to vote Trump, as a protest against the existing political establishment, but then I reflected that I'll have to suffer the consequences if Trump leads the country into disaster. Ukraine is an example of what can go wrong when voters allow radicals to take charge of a country, and Trump is nothing if not a radical. He was already radical back in 2020, when he incited that absurd insurrection, and his radicalism has worsened since then.
Senate is extremely likely to be Republican dominated regardless of who is elected President, which will greatly restrict what Harris 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 former comedian and 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.
Foot problem was most serious issue (mentioned 23 Oct 2024 in previous trip report, but pain started a few days before that). Evidently, I strained attachment of plantar fascia to bones at front of right foot while doing morning stretches to improve dorsiflexion. It's now about 3 weeks since pain began and pain is finally 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.
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 the 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.
Verify bicycle touring gear
Stronger elastic for securing euro socket adapter to charger
Make important passwords 16 random digits
Apartment notice
Voter registration card
Reservations: Eastern Sierra transit, motel6 Reno, Motel6 bishop, Ridgecrest
Starting odometer ?????.
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.