HIGHPOINT OF NORTH VALLEYS REGIONAL PARK 138X, RATTLESNAKE MOUNTAIN 105X, TWIN PEAKS August 5, 2022

We had a big rainstorm the day before, so I stayed indoors, going for a 2 for $5 special with the local fast food, then some won ton soup. I laid a lot in bed, somewhat fearful of a relapse into depression, but got up at a decent hour on this Friday. Going to the fast food for more diet soda and a cookie, I figured to see what the day's weather would be like. Restless in the early afternoon, I again had won ton soup, though my photo was out of focus.

Exiting the eatery, which gave fast service so I tipped $5 cash to also make up for yesterday, their convenience payment did not allow for any easy given gratuity as with other places. It wasn't now raining and blue sky appeared to the north. I risked it and went for a bag of the local bump. My camera battery gave out so I missed some photo ops, with a rabbit, birds, and numerous other lizards. There was water flowing in the small creeks, as I remembered that I had my phone to snap a few pictures of that.

Doing some webwork at home, I began to get more energy, which I wouldn't have believed for me being a 70 yo, before my treatment. Motoring to the fish and chips fast food, I had the 2 piece cod meal, paid by my Watch at the counter. It seems the drive-thru doesn't take convenience payment as the reach of their device still isn't far enough. With more energy and daylight, I drove to the Huffaker Hills TH where still no outhouse exists.

Bagging the Rattlesnake first, it was then to Twin Peaks. Clouds made for an interesting sunset, and I gleefully accepted that the psychiatric treatment works, and in addition, I was told today that the provider would happily sign me off on my meds for my drivers license. This saves me the ordeal of last year, where the then provider said that he has to know me for six months, then refused service. An online mental health site also led me to believe they'd do it, then they refused. Luckily, a provider out of the blue signed me off, just in time for Thanksgiving, but then he left his practice without notice to me.

Assuming my medications work, I look forward to an exciting rest of summer, albeit just bagging local bumps. Not desiring any sort of rescue, I'll see how much energy returns to me, and turn back when I start to get tired. Donner Peak wasn't even a thousand feet of gain, but to be satisfied with all of the pretty girls that I ran into on the PCT, this gives me some heart. People refuse my website, otherwise I think I'd be a local peak bagging celebrity. Best to master the rocky trail of the PCT southbound, and then start on slightly more challenging goals. My hiking does depend on the air quality conditions, and so far this year, it hasn't been so bad.

With the end to the summer hiking season, it'll be to more bump bagging which I know that I can do year-round, and who knows who may come to me? Today, I overspent my budget, with about $2 for the diet soda and cookie, then some $12 for the won ton soup, and then $13 for the fish and chips, so a total of some $27. I had put my daily maximum budget as $20, so about $600 a month. But come next month, my auto insurance premium may be down to $55/mo. My energy bill is deemed really efficient, but the rates did rise. The mortgage rates are too high for another cash out refinance, and I'm in no hurry for another home equity loan. It seems that spending a lot on good dining helps my mental state, and I check the menus for the casino fine dining. Though with inflation, everything is more expensive, and to dream about prices returning to the levels of past years reeks of insanity.

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