8915 N. Van Houten Ave.

April 29

After getting organized, doing a couple of errands and having breakfast, we were on the road to Kirsten and Matt's new house in Portland at 10:15. Straight up I 5 north, 275 miles. No sightseeing today!  However, the scenery along this portion of I 5 north was as lovely as many of the scenic byways we traversed!  We drove through lush, green, rolling hills. 

We stopped about noon in Sutherland for a fast food lunch. The temp was 53 degrees with scattered showers. One of our few days with clouds and rain!  We made a stop in Albany to get the car cleaned up! After 3 weeks with the top down, the interior was gross!  We found a place that did a full serve car wash, inside and out, for $18! We wish there were a place like that near Harwich!  It is one of the best car wash places Peter's ever seen!  Congrats to Connie for finding it online!

On our way to Matt's shop, we encountered more clouds, some showers and pouring rain!  At 4:00 we arrived at Tonkin Gran Turismo and got the grand tour from Matt of the new facility. Very impressive! Peter was like "a kid in a candy store" with all of  the new and used Ferraris and Maseratis. We left shortly before 5 and soon.....downpour!!!! And ugly traffic!!  We finally arrived at 8915 N Van Houten Ave. just after 6 and just before Matt!!!  We got the grand tour from both of the new owners......and Daisy!!!

Impressive!!   

We had to get our Mustang back to the rental company so we drove to the airport in two cars, left the convertible and went to Handsome Pizza for dinner. Great pizza!! They have one named after the renowned Brooklyn pizza chef, The Di Dara pizza!!!  The chef and Peter had a long chat!  Back at home by 9:30 (past our bedtime!!) and chatted until 11. 

Crater Lake, a "Must See!"

April 28

We were up at 8, checked out at 9, and, with the top down and 60 degrees, we headed to Starbucks. Soon we headed for the Shasta Dam/Shasta Lake Scenic Byway. Shasta Dam is the second largest dam in mass in the U.S.  A 9 1/2 mile long conveyer belt was used to transport the building materials to construct the dam. We crossed the dam on foot.....STEPS!!  There we stood with the vista of Shasta Lake, Shasta Dam, snow covered Mt Shasta and the Sacramento River!  Awesome!  We left dam at 10:30 and came upon 2 deer crossing the road!!!

Then we proceeded  to I 5 and 44 west to the Volcanic Legacy scenic Byway  California.  It was now 70 degrees. We drove through green, rolling, forested hills with snow covered mountains far in the distance ahead of us. On the road we passed homesteads, vineyards, and an unusual statue. Climbing to an elevation of 2600 feet (65 degrees) we went through  Shingletown,  population 1000. Driving through Shasta National Forest the speed limit  was 65, 57 degrees and 3700 feet in elevation. This was very different road for us.....high, flat and very forested. We skirted Lassen Volcanic National Park where the road is closed until June. The next town was Viola, population 97. Soon it was jacket time, 51 degrees!  We saw trees with power lines on them. At elevation 5000 feet, in the  Lassen National Forest, there was a view of  Lassen Peak, 10,478 feet high and the centerpiece of the park. 

It was now 46 degrees with little patches of snow near the road. We were practically alone, yet on another great road!  We did try a couple mile detour, a dirt road over babbling Hat Creek. Rt. 89 has plenty of solitude, beautiful trees and nothing much else!  After the town of Old Station, we drove through a large area burned by forest fire. 

At 1:15 we stopped at Burney Falls just off 89. AWESOME!!! Just inside the entrance to the state park, we took a short, steep hike to the base of the Falls and back. We had a quick picnic lunch there and we were back on 89 at 2:00, 65 degrees. We drove on through beautiful, forested, dotted roads to Oregon with snow covered Mt. Shasta in the distance. Suddenly there was a deer in the shadows in middle of road!!  Quick brake!! We continued through Shasta Trinity National Forest where there were still very few vehicles and the Cascades ahead and to our left. 

Back on I 5, we drove north for 8 miles to 97 north. Mt Shasta was now to our right!  We were  still on the Volcanic Legacy Scenic Byway through Weed where we passed Shastina Lake. "Little"  Lake Shasta?  Again we were on a different kind of road, open with strong cross winds.  We passed Juniper Valley and entered Klamath National Forest at  3:15, 59 degrees. Butte Valley National Grasslands is just what you would picture!  Unfortunately, then we passed hills ravaged by a forest fire on both sides of the road. We drove through Dorris, population 1000, at the Oregon border and entered Oregon at 4:00. 

At Klamath Falls OR,  at 4:30, we decided to go on to Crater Lake, Rt. 97 to Rt. 62, much of the road on the Upper Klamath Lake, the largest body of fresh water by surface in Oregon. There were bugs all over windshield again. Back in Oregon!  We were all alone on the road in farm country with mountains in the distance and snow at the side of the road. It was 54 degrees when we entered Crater Lake National Park at the south entrance at 5:15. We followed a forested road and had to put the top up at 44 degrees at 5:25. A vista into a gorge was unbelievable!  We soon arrived at the turn into the road to Crater Lake.  Lots of snow!!!  Everything was closed but the road!  There was deep, deep snow on roadside up to the lake. At 7000 feet and 39 degrees we trudged through the snow to an incredible view at the rim of Crater Lake. Spectacular!!!! The annual average snowfall there is 43 feet!  The lake gets all its water from the rain and snow; it's the cleanest, clearest, deepest lake in U.S.  

Back down to Rt. 62 at 6:10 on a very twisty curvy road. By 6:20 the snow was practically gone and it was up to 50 degrees. We drove on a densely forested road following the Rogue River to Medford OR. We arrived there at 7:30, got dinner supplies, checked in, had dinner and fell into bed!

Sun, Clouds, Hail and Rain!

April 27

We said our goodbyes to Bill and Francine about 10:00 this morning after a breakfast of homemade waffles and Francine's signature cappuccino. What a comfortable stay with them in Tiburon, both relaxing and seeing new sites!  I will see Francine again in a couple of weeks as we attend our 50th reunion from Regis on the East Coast. 50 years!  Seems like yesterday!

We left Tiburon under cloudy skies and 60 degrees so the top was up!  We were heading for Redding CA. but we changed our itinerary slightly to include a dotted road!  From 101 we drove east on 37, then north on 80 and 505, then turned slightly west on 16 at Madison for a short scenic drive to Rt 20 and then on to Williams and I 5 north to Redding.

On Rt. 16 there were orchards on both sides of the road. In Esparto it was sunny and 67 degrees so the top went down!  We drove through some very small towns, saw farms, orchards, vineyards and an unusual statue of a person seated and reading a book!  In Cassini there was a huge resort. We passed an olive tree grove in Brooks where we also saw a herd of sheep. Our road was in a lush valley between green rolling hills hills. At Rumsey, the hills closed in around us so we stopped at 1:00 for lunch at Rumsey Canyon,  11 miles from the turn on Rt. 20. 

Our picnic lunch packed by Francine, was a true gourmet luncheon which we devoured at the side of the road from which could hear the nearby rushing river.  

We left at 1:15 and, uh-oh, rain! The top went up!  Good decision because hail  (reported at 1 1/2 inches) soon started along with some thunder. We stopped on a paved pull-off; the temp had gone down 15 degrees in 5 minutes with blue sky in the distance!  Holy smokes..,,what a storm!!!!!  We left after 20 minutes under drizzle and gray sky!  Exciting!  We turned east on Rt. 20 to Williams and were soon on I 5. The sky was clear at 2:00 and by 2:30 the temp was 69 degrees. Soon top was down again!

We entered Redding at 3:45 and 71 degrees and found our way to Sundial Bridge. This bridge which crosses the Sacramento River, is a one-of-a-kind glass decked pedestrian bridge, designed by the Spanish architect Santiago Calatrava. It is the tallest working sundial in the world. We walked across and then hiked a couple of miles  along Sacramento River Trail, a 19 mile paved trail system. Got a lot of steps!  

After getting our dinner supplies at the local Safeway, we checked into La Quinta at 6:00. Ate our salads and collapsed!

6 Degrees of Separation

April 26

What a delightful day!  After breakfast, we left the house with a picnic lunch and headed north west. The day was beautiful, low to mid 60s. Once we arrived in Point Reyes Station the guys went for coffee; Francine and I headed out for a walk to "discover" the town. Essentially, the economy is driven by agriculture and tourism, both of which we saw evidence of in our walk in this west Marin County town. After meeting Peter and Bill talking to a fellow about his Austin Healey, we found the car and continued on our journey. 

We began to meander along Tomales Bay headed toward Marshall and the Hog Island Oyster Co. Stunning coastline ringed by green hills!  At Hog Island, we retrieved our picnic baskets which contained crusty bread, 2 kinds of cheeses, Genoa salami, roasted peppers and white wine. To this we added fresh oysters which Peter and Bill shucked at the table!  What a lunch!  Too bad it was too windy to light the candle Francine had brought. Talk about ambiance!

We continued our drive through green lush hills and dairy farms on the twisty, curvy road in west Marin. There were beautiful yellow California poppies growing wild at the side of road. We were looking for the Ramini Water Buffalo Farm that Francine had heard of and had called to inquire if we could visit. We DID have Mr Pizza with us and they DO make mozzarella di bufala at this farm!!

At 1:45 we finally found the Ramini Mozzarella LLC (googling it!). We met Audrey (née Hitchcock) Ramini, wife of the founder and she enchanted us. What charisma!  Her husband Craig started to build his dream, a water buffalo farm and making mozzarella, in 2009, after a successful career in the business world. They bought a total of 40 water buffalo, named them after rock stars and began their business. Unfortunately, a little more than a year ago, Craig died from an incurable cancer. Audrey decided to continue his dream and the farm/cheese business is now a "one woman show."  She sells only locally because of logistics but it seems her cheese is in high demand!  

Curiously enough, she has roots on Cape Cod:  Fancy's Farm in Orleans, an uncle Bill Hitchcock who carved many of the wooden signs still seen today and a bee farm on Nantucket owned by her Dave Hitchcock. She also lives in Tuburon!  And I later discovered that Craig grew up in Wehnam and his father was a doctor at Beverly Hospital. Maybe Amy knew him!!  

On the way home, we stopped at Rachel's for a short visit. Returning home, we had a caprese salad using Ramini mozzarella, then played a game of Hand and Foot; allow me to gloat.....the women were impressively victorious!  After a short visit to see Jason and his fairly new home, we went to Paxtis for pizza. Home, chat, then to bed!

Ahhhhhh!

April 26

After 3 days of long, exciting drives, we were ready for some "down time!"  Our dear, old friends, Bill and Francine, offered us that opportunity. Today we relaxed!  Francine and I walked the neighborhood, we all ate a great breakfast, Emma came and we played with her, played some Hand and Foot again, a walk along the bike trail to downtown Tiburon and its fountain, cards again. And then a JOB!!  Putting up the canopy over their table on the deck. It had been taken down and repaired. Now it was time to rethread the cord and get it secure over the frame. We did it....and it didn't even take much time!!  More cards, then dinner (delicious spaghetti with sausage and meatballs), more cards, then bed (on the early side compared with last night)!

Peter has known Bill for 58 years; I've known Francine for 54!  As couples we've known each other for 52 years!  Long time!  We were in each others' weddings 48 years ago!  WOW!  Time does fly!  We lived near each in Bowie for several years. Francine and I would talk on the phone EVERY DAY about 8 to plan our day!  Since the late 70s, we've lived on opposite coasts but that hasn't decreased our times together!  We have shared so many wonderful times on Cape Cod, in California, in Italy and in other exotic places, together, with our families and with the Arrows!  There's nothing like dear old friends!!

On to Tiburon

April 24

To the Osentons and the Bay area today. Yippee!!  Haven't seen them since last fall!  We left Bakersfield at 9:30, 62 degrees and cloudy. Days Inn was a great bargain and we had great accommodations there last night. We did have was a near disaster at Starbucks this morning!  I had left my wallet there, fortunately discovered it missing seconds after leaving, when Peter stopped at another coffee place and asked for some change. And then, seconds later, we were  back at Starbucks where I found my wallet on the floor!  Whew!!!  

We were on the road again, on I5 north through  the Central Valley, the most productive farming area in the world as long as they have water but water is a problem!  Into the hills, there was less crop farming but we did see  field after field of planted trees (fruit or almond?), some covered with netting. Signs we noted:  No water No work, Is growing food wasting water?

We found a dotted road on the map (dots=scenic) from I5 to 101:  Rt. 198 west to Coalinga, Rt 25 north to Hollister and then Rt. 101 north to Marin.  At 10 :30 and 70 degrees we put the top down!  On this route, once again, the terrain was different!  Oil rigs, rolling hills, more lush farm land and groves of trees. We passed through Coalinga and stopped for gas. Pretty up-scale town. Outside of town, heading into steeper hills, there were more oil rigs and scattered farm houses. The hills became greener and more treed as we climbed into the Coast Ranges. This is another Lou Combe motorcycle road.....he would love it!!!  Sparsely populated, very few vehicles! No service....again!  This is when we know we're on a road we'll enjoy!!  Peter was in heaven!!

At 12:45 we turned north on Rt. 25, another dotted road, toward Pinnacles National Park and Hollister. This road parallels the interstate but is a much nicer drive through the valley. Rolling golden hills, scattered ranches, another twisty, curvy road. We passed a small elementary school.....in the middle of nowhere!  It's yet another reminder that, although we're just passing through these beautiful countrysides, people do live, work and go to school here. We wondered how much time some of these elementary school kids spend on the bus each day.

A little further on, we passed more scattered ranches and a large vineyard. We interrupted an eagle's lunch as he was dining on roadkill!  More cars appeared near Pinnacles National Park where the Hollister Hills were to the west and the Diablo Range to the east. Absolutely stunning countryside!  Approaching Hollister, in Tres Pinos, we happened upon a lovely Catholic Church. Still on Rt. 25, just outside of the Hollister city limits, we arrived at traffic lights and subdivisions! We drove through Hollister, a decent-sized city and through more fertile farmland with crops growing. We stopped in Gilroy, the "garlic capital of the world."  Pistachios are also famed in this area. 

We reached Rt. 101 at 2:30. Enroute we drove through the heart of Silicon Valley, through the towns of Sunnyvale, San Jose and Mountainview. 

No fewer than three Teslas quietly passed us as we proceeded to Francine and Bill's. We arrived there a little after 4:30. After appetizers and a little wine, we sat down to a delicious dinner that Francine had prepared:  polenta, veal chops and broccoli rabe. Dessert was an orange cake using a whole orange in the making and no flour.   Fabulous!!  After 2 Games of Hand and Foot we reluctantly went to bed. 

Triple WOW!!!

April 23

This was a totally awesome day. Maybe our best EVER road tripping adventure! I hope I can do it justice!

We had a long day ahead of us so we were up and checked out by 8:00. Temp at our departure from Barstow was 57 degrees. We headed back to I15 north to head for Death Valley, the lowest and hottest point in the U.S.  Total desolate desert became rolling dark hills nearby and dark mountains in the distance. By 9:00 the temp had risen to 67.  Near Baker we passed an exit for  Zzyzx Rd.!!!  At 9:15 in Baker (population 735), the last populated area before Death Valley, we stopped to fill up.......$3.39 per gallon!!!! Two landmarks: the alien at Alien Jerky and  "the world's tallest thermometer" at 134 feet. 

We were on Rt. 127 north, Death Valley Rd., at 9:30. Flat desert with mountains in the distance, Shadow Mountains to the east and Soda Mountains to the west. There was no vegetation on the mountains. Only spotty cell service!  There was very little traffic on this flat road with call boxes every few miles. The terrain was wide open flat desert ringed by dark multi-colored mountains. There were white rocks that looked  like sand dunes near the road.  At Shoshone the gas was $3.89 per gallon. We stopped at the museum/visitor center where we learned about the early women in Death Valley and saw some mammoth bones. At 11:00 we left Shoshone where the temp was 71 degrees. 

We traveled on brand new pavement which was nearly deserted and, at 11:35, entered turned left on Rt 190 west into the Death Valley Scenic Byway. Death Valley is the largest national park in the

contiguous US and is twice size of Delaware. The highest temp recorded here was 134 degrees and the lowest elevation is -282 feet. The terrain on entering the park had no vegetation on rock mountains to the left and to the right dirt hills with very low vegetation. Interestingly, there were very few vehicles on the road. 

Our first side trip was to Dante's View, 13 miles off 190.  At  5400 feet and 58 degrees, there was AWESOME view into the valley. The road in and out had a 15% grade for last 1 1/2 mile. As we were leaving we saw a caravan of Subaru WRX sports cars approaching the view!  Peter read that there's about 3 degrees of change in temp for every thousand feet of elevation. Back on 190 the elevation was 2000 feet and the temp was temp 73 degrees. 

At 12:45 we decided to take a dirt road off the main road to see 20 Mule Team Canyon. Remember Borax?  It was 78 degrees on this one way dirt road. Dicey!!  "This takes the cake" was Peter's exclamation!  It was exciting to say the least!  It was 82 degrees and -200 feet elevation at the Furnace Creek Visitor Center where we took a pit stop.  At 1:45 we stopped to gawk at Mesquite Dunes to view sand dunes covering 14 square miles. By now it was 85 degrees. 

At Stovepipe Wells we stopped for lunch and left at 2:40, 90 degrees. We followed a long, beautiful climb out of the valley to an elevation of 4000 feet and 68 degrees.  At 2:55, to the driver's delight, the terrain changed again!  On a 9% grade, we drove with snow covered peaks way off to our right and absolutely stunning views everywhere. At 3:10 we were literally surrounded by mountains in the distance. At Panamint Springs we were again climbing with only occasional guard rails. Such varied topography,  up and down, in and out of mountains, the views shifting from one side of the car to the other. At Father Crowley Vista Point, elevation 4200 feet, what more can we say?  We did had a chat with a biker on a 2 week trip with a group. 

We officially left Death Valley NP at 3:45, following 190 to Olancha through the Tak City hills and the Lower Centennial Flat. It was time for jackets at 65 degrees with the snowcapped Inyo mountains ahead. We followed 190 until we could see Olancha 5 miles in the distance. There we turned south on 395 after a stop in Olancha for gas. At 4:30 we turned south on 395 and drove to 178 where we turned to go through the southern end of the Sequoia National Forest to Bakersfield. 

The South Sierra Wilderness was to our right as we followed 178 through the Forest. We saw multi-limbed cacti and drove on another twisty curvy beautiful road. It was 59 degrees and time to put on s scarf. There were few very small towns, cattle and horses grazing and green fields. Soybeans? There were steep hills in the distance totally surrounding us. In Mountain Mesa we saw a busy Eagles Hall. At Lake Isabella, RVs were parked at water's edge. The town of Lake Isabella is a metropolis with even a McDonald's!  From there we drove onto small section of freeway! And then, 15 miles of twisty curvy road again, along a canyon ridge between the Greenhorn Mountains following the Kern River. Spectacular!!!  At 6:50 we left Sequoia National Forest Land of Many Oaks WOW!!!

On our way to Bakersfield we passed the LA Aqueduct, then lush land where trees were planted in rows and then desert again. Soon we entered sprawling Bakersfield, one of the largest cities in California. At 7:00 we checked into our motel. It was 68 degrees and sunny. After take out for dinner, we collapsed!  What a truly stunning day!!!