I have three purposes for this trip:

1) To do something I love!! I want always to have at least one trip on the books to look forward to.

2) To learn a few things about traveling alone to unfamiliar places. No longer is my wife, Bev, able to go with me because she has Alzheimer’s.

3) To connect with Bev by video call daily even on days I can’t be there in person.

My reflections during the next three days will likely be on all these themes. Thank you for traveling with me. Comments are welcome.

The first 2.5 hours driving on truck-busy freeways getting out the Bay Area was no fun. But after heading east on Highway 140 out of Manteca, the drive became wondrously less populated and far more beautiful. Nature began to ease the stiff neck and to renew my soul.

OMG! But, imagine my delight upon opening the door to the porch at the back of my ground floor hotel room and finding the Merced River flowing by.

I was grateful that the first FaceTime connection with Bev was delightful. Was it her weekday one-on-one helper, Gia, who made it so good? Was it my soul having been partly restored? I’m just grateful. No need to know why it was.

Now, I’ll head to the lounge to watch the World Cup match between the U.S. and Belgium with others. After having dinner and watching part of the match there, I came back to the room to see the disappointing ending of the match.

Ah, long after the game, sitting on the deck in the darkness and listening to the water — how magical.