Crossing the mountains towing (even in march) had me spooked!
I haven't towed the trailer in snow or ice, I don't have chains for the trailer - so I really, really didn't want to hit bad weather on my way home. Watching the news, I saw there was going to be a couple days between systems hitting Oregon/Northern California - I checked the road cameras for my route - everything looked good - time to get moving!
3 days - 1100 miles.
No pictures - practically all I did was drive and sleep. There was a lot to look at though.
Las Vegas - Despite the heavy traffic and dense layer of smog over the city, I really enjoyed driving through Vegas. The highways are beautifully landscaped with rock and gravel that mimic the colors of surrounding mountains. There are sculptural elements (think metal and concrete sculptures). The over-passes, sound barriers and other concrete structures are beautifully painted and decorated.
And then there were the cell towers! I saw a half dozen or so 'disguised' as palm trees or big fake fir trees - amusing!
Wildlife or Wild Life?
I saw my first (and only) coyote of the trip early in the morning in Nevada. But, by far, the most prevalent sights in Nevada were casinos and brothels (really?, are they legal?). But, the "Shady Lady Ranch" and "Wildcats Ranch" advertising billboards were pretty explicit.
After a couple of long, boring days of driving through the Mojave desert, I was actually thrilled to start seeing trees! And mountains with snow on them! And bald eagles!
And then it started to rain . . .
A couple hours after I crossed the state line into Oregon, the rain started. It poured all the way home. But, the cherry trees and dog wood are blooming; the daffodils are out; my hummingbirds are glad I'm back and filling the feeders again. I get to see my friends and family!
I can't even imagine doing 1100 miles in three days. You are one tough lady, and I am impressed!
ReplyDeleteFor me, if I have to drive long distances, the key is to get started early (like 6:00am). That way, I can quit in the afternoon when I start to poop out. I hate to be worrying about where I'm going to spend the night as it starts to get dark (I like to be settled before then).
DeleteIt was a long haul, but I was glad to be mostly out of the mountains before the heavy rain started again!
You have to do what you can to drive safely back to Oregon when there's a threat of snow or ice in the passes. Been there, done that. Happy the weather forecast was spot on!
ReplyDeleteI caught a break! There was snow on the side of the road along highway 44 through Mt. Lassen park, but the roads were dry.
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