The morning is gray and laden with fog. The bridge across the might Columbia River, 4 miles long, fades quickly into the mist as I look out from my motel window. Where'd all my sunshine go? I'm checking this out at 7 am because some very rude people were having an animated conversation right outside the door to my room @ 6:30 in the morning! What is up! Since I'm essentially WIDE AWAKE I guess I'll get up and maybe get an early start on today's activities. I turn the TV on and of course it's nothing but more reporting on the atrocities wreaked upon the US 2 days ago.

So I leave Astoria and head down the 101, southwards of course. I'll wait to see if the fog bank lifts before deciding on how I'm going to proceed. If it looks good I'll drive down the Oregon coast - at least for a while. If not, I'll grab Rt. 26 towards Portland and I-5. A fine mist condenses on the windshield as I pass through Clatsop Station. It's not drizzling, but it's close. Up comes Rt. 26, and looking down the coast I see no improvement in the weather so I bear left and head inland.

"Largest Sitka Spruce in the U.S." "Ok. I can check that out." I hang a left, across the one lane bridge, to the parking lot of the Klootchy Creek Sitka Spruce, 206' tall, 56' in circumference, 750 years old, and the largest tree in the state of Oregon. It is impressive. There are many large trees surrounding it, but none come close to the scale of the spruce. Pretty cool.

The drive along 26 cuts across the coastal range so it's up and down and curve left, then right... Not a bad drive; a little bit scenic I guess. By the time I get 10 miles away from US 101 the sun is shining quite nicely thank you. This is much more like it. No big deal about not going down the coast as I have done it before and it's a very, very long effort to do so. If I had a few days just for that I'd probably be up for giving it a shot. But as it is...

Finally, I hit the 5 and start kicking some butt down the highway. The weather is gorgeous, but the drive... Well, it's not ugly, but it's definitely not scenic. The Willamette Valley is ok I guess. Just nothing special. At least I am able to keep up a good pace so I should be able to put a lot of miles behind me today and maybe get an early stop for the evening. (So I can write this all up!)

Once I get past Eugene, the road starts to gain some elevation and takes a more twisted course as we enter the Siskiyou Mtns. of southern Oregon. Now the scenery is starting to pick up so to speak, and I must be careful lest I stray from my lane as I checking things out. The trucks are mostly behaving themselves and I am just eating up the miles. I don't have enough gas to get out of Oregon, so I have to stop at Roseburg for one last full service fillup. It just seems so strange, like something from a time warp.

I reach the Siskiyou Pass (4310') and start a long, winding, steep descent into California. Yayyy!! I had contemplated stopping for the night in the adjacent Cascades-Siskiyou NM (one of our newest), but clouds were gathering to the east (where it was located) and they did not look friendly. Plus there wasn't a specific exit for it as I think none of it is developed. I believe it was given Monument status because of its ecological importance as a biological crossroads, sitting where it does at the intersection of the Cascade and Siskiyou ranges. Some other time.

Into California, the road rides high on either side of a steep-walled valley, then drops to a valley bordered by some nice looking mountains. Approaching Weed I can see Mt Shasta, due to its height, sitting alone and proud, with it's peak smothered with clouds. Off in the distance I can see rain falling, and a short distance later I am the beneficiary of a smattering of tiny drops myself. I guess no camping for me here either. As I pass Shasta, the southwestern flank is not quite so cloud covered, so I have a nice view of the gray and red rocks which make up the mountainside. Here the interstate follows the narrow valley cut by the Shasta River and it rises and falls quickly as it follows its twisting contours. It's a very pretty ride and the roadway an impressive work of engineering. It's a shame that clouds and mist obscure the views as they would normally be quite grand I would expect.

I cross over Shasta Lake and I am impressed by how low the level of the waters are. It was a dry winter and I doubt that the lake was ever close to full this year. Maybe this winter will be better. Here, with my windows down, I enjoy the air redolent with the fresh scent of pine as I scoot on by, the hillsides being packed with tall, green (and uncut) trees. I breathe deeply with relish.

Finally, I come into Redding. At about 6 pm. This will be my stop for tonight and I should have plenty of time to rest, eat, and write. And plan the next 2 days. From here I'm not sure where I'll go. I'll have to give it some thought. I suppose I could head for the Bay Area, but then... I don't think I want to drive down the coast as I did that last fall, but... Any suggestions? If anyone has a special place they could recommend to me - between here (Redding) and Torrance - give me a call on my cell phone: 310.508.7896  It's a local call (at least local to 310) so...

Almost home!