2015 AWAY TO THE SOUTH



Mount Shasta



DAY 1 -After leaving a little late on Monday, January 5th, we drove through pretty heavy rain from Seattle thru Olympia.  Then grey and drizzle.  Noticed lots of litter on highway in Washington and in Oregon.  Too bad to see in such beautiful surroundings.    Okay, not a very exciting or adventurous start but most of the travel in the US is old stuff.Stayed in Roseburg, Oregon.


DAY 2 -Leave Roseburg - in thick fog for many miles. In the mountains it lifted a bit and drifted in and out of the valleys making a wonderous sight. The fog was a bit exciting on the mountain curves with the trucks but still not a lot of traffic. We were able to see a whole herd of elk through the light fog. Trees very naked of leaves but covered with bright green moss and grey green lichen making them look very mysterious and scary in the fog. Some hadhuge bunches of mistletoe hanging in them like giant ornaments but unlit. Saw my first shoe beside the road but single abandoned shoes on the side of highways are another story which I won't tell you now but I will say that they fascinate me.
South of Redding, CA at a rest stop we saw trees full of a kind of black bird. Red wing or yelloweye, anyway they were busy squaking and making a riot of sound - noise. Rice paddies along the way bring many birds, ducks, coots egrets and even swans. We stopped at Colfax, CA for the night in the last and only motel available. Not the worst we have ever stayed at but certainly not recommended unless like us you have passed up the Comfort Inn in the town before.DAY 3 - Off to Reno. Getting used to being on the road. Studied Spanish from a CD lesson. Listened to some Spanish radio. Somewhere along the way, we got off the Interstate and got on California 95 which is a two lane highway and very nice highway. The scenery on the back roads is so much more interesting. Here there are very small towns in the most desolate locations. We were high enough to see Joshua trees marching in unison across the desert.
Just to do something, I worked with the GPS and with an English to Spanish device giving Pete some entertainment.
We stopped in Beatty, Nevada, stayed at the Stage Coach, played some slots, Pete won, I lost, but not much. Beatty is like a oasis in that there is NOTHING else around for miles.

DAY 4 -Left Beatty in the beautiful sunshine and pleasant 72 degrees. It was lovely but desolate. There were more miles and miles of desert and mountains. Saw an establishment way off the road with a sign advertising Naked Girls - Bikini and there was another one which was a huge sign BROTHEL.

LLots of road work on state 95 but a smooth highway with very few trucks. Into Las Vegas I was impressed by the freeway into the city. The landscaping (hardscape with desert plants) was so well done and attractive. The roadsides were practically clear of any plastic which is a change from the last time I came through. Beautiful day again. We booked a room in Laughlin at the Colorado Belle. Took a little river walk, ate lunch/dinner and played the slots again. Pete doubled his money ($20) and again I lost mine - but I tried to win.

DAY 5 -From Laughlin to Lake Havasu City, Nevada.

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