"6 days on the road...and I ain't gonna make it home tonight"

I tried to think of a song with "Fresno" in it and I came up empty.....  Regardless, tonight we are in Fresno, California.  It was dark when we arrived so I can't tell you what my visual impressions are.  We are staying at a motel in the "old" part of the city.  As you might guess it is close to all major transportation routes, except Interstate 5.

Today was a very long day.  Last night we stayed at Roseburg, Oregon.  The 575 mile drive today was more or less uneventful.  We started out in the fog.  At Grants Pass it was -4C and very frosty.  We were careful on the highway as at times it looked like the road was icy.  There was a significant accident in the northbound lanes on one of the Oregon passes but southbound we were okay.

California gave us something today that she has rarely given us in the past.  Sunshine!  Lots of warm sunshine.  We stopped mid-day and put on shorts, shed our jackets down to t-shirts and even turned on the air-conditioning.  Wow!  Welcome to summer in December.  This was very welcome and we hope will continue until at least April.  On the other hand, it is a very dire situation in the mountains of northern California and southern Oregon.  NO SNOW!  Even Mt. Shasta looked bare.  We stopped for brunch at our favorite bakery in Dunsmuir, Ca.  Last year we parked in, and beside a large snow bank.  This year there is no snow and the temperature in Dunsmuir was about 15C.   If they don't get significant snow in the second half of the season it will be a very long, hot, dry summer, at least in northern California.

Let me back up a few days.......  Tap the heels of your Salomon hikers together and repeat after me.  There is no place like home.  There is no.......  Snap out of it Dorothy.....You are definitely not in Canada any more...

We left home a short 6 days ago.  We spent most of that time at Point Roberts enjoying being with family and friends over the Christmas holiday.  Way too much to eat at Christmas.  I gained a couple of pounds by mainly not exercising during this period.  I have gained 6 lbs over my racing weight and I feel great.  Ask me again when I get to Mesa and ride my bike up Usery pass for the first time.  I'll probably puke at the top, but I digress....  Dana seems to be fairing much better in this regard owing, I'm sure, to her superior will power.

As I said, exercise has been limited.  This has been due mainly to the weather but also due to some lack of motivation.  I keep telling myself that on December 30 we will be in Arizona and can ride, run, hike, play tennis and golf, bird watch, etc., for 3 solid months.  Surely we will get back into form in that time.  Right?  Absolutely!  We hope.....

I mentioned birding.  We did get in a bit of birding and photography while on Whidbey Island.  Dana and I went to Eby's Landing and Crockett Lake on our way to Bush Point to visit Uncle Bob and Aunt Lynda, who by the way gave us fantastic hospitality during our very short visit.  (Thanks!!)  I did get some terrific photos of a few of the birds we saw during our short outing.  I will post a couple but you can see them all on my Flickr page at:   http://www.flickr.com/photos/95573509@N08

I can't close without a few comments and observations from our trip today.  Of course the weather deserves mentioning again.  Weird and wonderful all in one day.  The I-5 highway is in good shape.  Traffic is ridiculously heavy.  It was still better than the drive from Seattle to Portland.  I still have to find a way to get around that part of the trip.  Maybe through Idaho.....  We cut over to Hwy 99 at Stockton, Ca.  Big mistake.  The road conditions through Stockton and south to Manteca was awful.  Do not go this route.  Next time, if we go this route we will stick to the I-5 until at least Paterson or Santa Nella and then go east to the 99.  It would add a few miles but it would save your vehicle and nerves.

That is all from Fresno, Ca.  Tomorrow we plan to be at Blythe, Ca. which is on the border of California and Arizona.  I realized today that if we are on the road all day tomorrow we will miss the SeaHawks broadcast.  I will count on all of you to be the 12th Man without us.  We will try to get the game on Sirius Radio but we do not know if ESPN will carry the Seattle game.  Monday we will make the short trip into Mesa.  Fun times await.....  Enjoy the pics.  Remember to click on the photo to enlarge it.

Have I seen the rabbit?  Absolutely not!

Spotted Towhee at Eby's Landing