An 11 hour drive that took us through Seattle at dawn and ended in Anderson California at 7 pm was a study in contrasts: the fatigue created by the long drive interspersed with scenes of incredible beauty and a lot of laughter. Our departure from Camano Island was lit by a bright crescent moon over the Cascades and a rising sun illuminated Mt Rainer as we quickly transited through Seattle on the I5 in light Sunday traffic.
The Columbia River and Portland Oregon appeared quickly – our arrival over the I-205 bridge made memorable by three street racers whose lane changing antics are probably not conducive to a long life. Northern Oregon is mainly agricultural land – fields being plowed and ready for the 2025 planting, some grapevines, cattle and sheep as we drove further south. The land became more interesting as we approached the northern end of the state, and the mountainous area leading to Grants Pass and then on to Medford. Normally an area of significant snowfall, the land is snow free this year and very dry. The roads bare and travel easy.
By late afternoon we were fighting fatigue and then something truly amazing appeared from behind the hills – Mt Shasta in all her glory – took our breath away and woke us up. Lake Shasta appeared soon after – a major reservoir and recreational water body in the State – levels are down as you can see by the photo.
The setting sun took us into Redding where something remarkable happened. We stopped for fuel just outside Redding and couldn’t get the pump to work. The gas station was deserted, it was dark and I could only see three guys looking like duck dynasty cast members hanging out in the store. Hmmm. So in I went, leaving Cindy in the car on speed dial just in case. One of the guys opened the door for me and once at the counter we worked out that for a Canadian credit card to be used, fuel purchases need to be prepaid inside. Thank you guys for helping me work this out. The older gentleman at the till came out of the station and made sure the pump worked for me. The kindness of strangers so often reaffirms my faith in the world.
We are now at the Gaia Hotel in Anderson – dogs are asleep in the room, we have had ahi tuna appies and beef sliders, had a room change due to a defective heater and are headed to bed. Tomorrow on to Ridgecrest to spend a couple of nights with friends in the area. Until then – good night! And – many thanks to CJ for the photos today!
