GIGO: words unreadable aloud

El Parque Nacional del Rio de los Reyes Santos

Busy weekend. Thursday after work, headed east for the (17th) annual camping trip to Kings Canyon National Park. (My fifth or sixth year there.) Saw some long-time friends and met some new friends. Hiked up to Mist Falls on Saturday. Returning to my car, I found a note to "Mr Lanchmar" about my mother having had to go to the hospital in Reno for heart surgery. So Sunday afternoon I drove through Yosemite, and up 395 to the Biggest Little City in the World. Despite the reason for it, it was good to see my parents, all three of my brothers, and (unexpectedly) a cousin who happened to be at a conference in that town that weekend. My mother is doing well (considering), and is on the road to recovery.

Tidbits seen along the way:

Fresno is being held hostage by an utterly incompetent construction company. The freeway east from CA-99 is CA-180, and the sign said "180 East Exit Closed. Use alternate route". Period. No alternate route was suggested, nor marked.
The Kings River is named for the Magi, the "We Three" kings, because it was discovered on Epiphany. Surprising to me how late — 1806 or so.
On the drive to Reno, I avoided Fresno because of the idiots who have its road system disassembled this month. Little roads cut across toward Millerton Lake, and it looked like some new money had flowed into the area. I figured that it was just expansion from L.A., but then I drove by an Indian casino. Aha, Mafia money.
Got to see Yosemite Valley in the twilight.
Stopped north of Walker, CA, on 395, to dig some dinner out of my ice chest. Except for the occasional truck passing by, it was quiet and DARK. No moon, bright bright milky way across the sky.
I actually found a pretty part of Reno. Southwest part of town, a nice little park on a hill ("Windy Hill") with some cool trails, a flume ("Last Chance Ditch"), and a corn maize maze.
Headed home on I-80, amidst threat of snow in South Lake Tahoe, and over Tioga Pass, where I had been just a day or two earlier.

I've seen a lot of misspellings of my name over the past 3 or 4 decades, but never "Lanchmar". I may choose to adopt the name — there are no Google matches at all for it, tonight.
11:28:30 PM comment/