Today was my move from my sister's to our daughter's. I found what looked to be a really straight-forward route. Ought to be a piece of cake, and bring me onto I-80 in the outside lane, ready to exit.
Oh what a cluster! Somewhere north of San Rafael traffic got very thick. I mean really heavy. It was stop and creep. I got off to get some gas so I wouldn't run out partway across the Richmond Bay Bridge. I wanted to pee and get some food, but the vibe at the McDonald's and the A&W wasn't right and they were very crowded so I just got back on the freeway. I got off the freeway at 6:05 and back on minutes later. From there the traffic was terrible, even for the Bay Area. At the end of a half hour I'd gone almost three miles. At the end of an hour and 45 minutes I'd gone 5 miles. What should have been a two hour drive (according to MapQuest) tuned into a five hour drive!
And the language! There was one gal who was not happy about how long it was taking to merge, so she decided to make people get out of her way. It's "bleeping merge? Bleeping let people merge. It's bleeping merge!" I'm sure most of you can imagine the word I'm bleeping. Then it turned out she didn't really want to just merge, she wanted to get from the outside incoming lane to the inside lane of a 3-4 lane freeway. Once she bullied the first drive by hanging out the window and screaming at them, she plowed all the way across traffic.
I tend to be more laid back and will let the occasional driver in front of me. I don't let in the ones who race to the end of the merge land, then insist on being in front of me. I just "don't see" them. Today I was yelled at. I had windows down since it was actually cool once I got that far south. A pickup with a horse trailer was pulling alongside on my left, people were waving, so I eased back to let them in. With the windows down I could hear the driver behind me, and probably the passengers, too, yelling NO! at me. Nothing they could do about it. The were disgusted enough with me that they zoomed to the outer lane and got ahead of us. I did not, however, let the companion truck and horse trailer in front of me. One at a time is enough.
So, enough for tonight - enough traffic, enough hours in the drivers seat enough rude people. I'm hoping tomorrow will be a smooth ride out of California, back toward Montana.
Sunday, June 28, 2015
Patient cat
I've been at my sister's for a few days. She has a Golden Retriever and a mixed-breed medium sized dog, a somewhat social cat and a hermit cat. I actually saw the hermit cat twice on this visit. Her daughter, next door has a Golden a miniature dachshund and a conure.
I've been watching an incredibly patient cat. The cat enjoys being behind the big fan that helps keep the air moving in my sister's house (look in the upper right corner of the picture). Part of the day her daughter's dogs are here while she's at work. The dachshund delights in harassing the cat. She will "herd" the cat, going for her front legs. She will pounce at the cat. She will get in the cat's face. She will chase the cat.
And the cat just ignores her. Sometimes the cat will travel across the room on the furniture, but I've not seen her lash out with claws. I've not even heard the cat complain more than one quiet little sound. None of the cats I've had in the past would have put up with this little dog. Some of them would have drawn blood, others would have just slapped her silly without using claws.
I've been watching an incredibly patient cat. The cat enjoys being behind the big fan that helps keep the air moving in my sister's house (look in the upper right corner of the picture). Part of the day her daughter's dogs are here while she's at work. The dachshund delights in harassing the cat. She will "herd" the cat, going for her front legs. She will pounce at the cat. She will get in the cat's face. She will chase the cat.
And the cat just ignores her. Sometimes the cat will travel across the room on the furniture, but I've not seen her lash out with claws. I've not even heard the cat complain more than one quiet little sound. None of the cats I've had in the past would have put up with this little dog. Some of them would have drawn blood, others would have just slapped her silly without using claws.
Friday, June 26, 2015
Cool Coastal WeatherT
Today, to escape the heat (around 100) we packed a lunch and headed out to the coast.
At McKerricher State Park, in Fort Bragg, the seals were out on the rocks. The tide was out (but coming back in) and people were checking out the tide pools. The fog was getting ready to come in. After a walk on the boardwalk and a picnic lunch, we headed further down the coast.
There were plenty of flowers out, too, in a variety of colors. The wild radish was plentiful in white, pink and yellow. There was a wild geranium of some kind, brodeia, ice plant and some composites I'm not familiar with.
We wound up going further than originally planned, but with the fog it was all cool. And that was the idea. When we came back into the Hwy 101 corridor, the temperature was bearable, but with each mile we moved north it got hotter. It was still in the 90s when we got back to the house and inside was hotter since it had been closed up for the day. The fans came on and the temperature started coming down.
Not sweltering through the day as it heated up made a big difference - instead of sticky sweaty clothes, we came into the heat as it was starting to abate, so it's much better than last night.
At McKerricher State Park, in Fort Bragg, the seals were out on the rocks. The tide was out (but coming back in) and people were checking out the tide pools. The fog was getting ready to come in. After a walk on the boardwalk and a picnic lunch, we headed further down the coast.
There were plenty of flowers out, too, in a variety of colors. The wild radish was plentiful in white, pink and yellow. There was a wild geranium of some kind, brodeia, ice plant and some composites I'm not familiar with.
We wound up going further than originally planned, but with the fog it was all cool. And that was the idea. When we came back into the Hwy 101 corridor, the temperature was bearable, but with each mile we moved north it got hotter. It was still in the 90s when we got back to the house and inside was hotter since it had been closed up for the day. The fans came on and the temperature started coming down.
Not sweltering through the day as it heated up made a big difference - instead of sticky sweaty clothes, we came into the heat as it was starting to abate, so it's much better than last night.
Thursday, June 25, 2015
Only 2 states today
Today was almost entirely a California day. I started in southern Oregon and within minutes was in California. I saw a few interesting things while I was on the last leg of this first part of my trip.
I saw a highway rest area that has a horse resting area. I'd never seen that before. It was on Hwy 97 a little south of the Oregon border.
I saw a white bird with black on the top of its head and a longish orange-red bill. It was hovering over the slough beside the road. It was a common tern. A little further on there were 3 white pelicans that were dirty looking from being in a pond with a lot of scummy stuff on it. But they seemed to be catching fish - it looked like one of them was swallowing a fish as I went by.
I saw how to minimize fire danger when mowing roadside grass. First the water truck sprinkles the grass. Then the mower cuts the grass. Finally, the third truck in line is a fire fighting type truck, just in case. The grass is so dry it smelled like the straw you'd put down for animals instead of lawn mower clippings.
I also saw a newly started fire. It was over the hill from the road I was on, at the far eastern end of Clear Lake. It hadn't been going very long when I saw it. A few vehicles passed me going to the fire as I headed to Upper Lake. One was a wildland fire crew truck, one was a support truck and the last one was a bus. The bus was empty, but I assume it was on its way to pick up a crew, as it was labeled as a CDF fire vehicle.
This part of California is still hot and dry. It doesn't look that different from normal years, since dry grass is normal after March or April. But it is drier than it looks and today topped out at around 100 degrees with a noticeable breeze. At almost 10 pm it's still over 80 in the house. The large noisy fan is coming to my room with me to help blow the hot air out of the room. Sleep will be difficult tonight. Oh well. We'll get some relief tomorrow by taking a picnic to the coast, where it should be 20-30 degrees cooler.
I saw a highway rest area that has a horse resting area. I'd never seen that before. It was on Hwy 97 a little south of the Oregon border.
I saw a white bird with black on the top of its head and a longish orange-red bill. It was hovering over the slough beside the road. It was a common tern. A little further on there were 3 white pelicans that were dirty looking from being in a pond with a lot of scummy stuff on it. But they seemed to be catching fish - it looked like one of them was swallowing a fish as I went by.
I saw how to minimize fire danger when mowing roadside grass. First the water truck sprinkles the grass. Then the mower cuts the grass. Finally, the third truck in line is a fire fighting type truck, just in case. The grass is so dry it smelled like the straw you'd put down for animals instead of lawn mower clippings.
I also saw a newly started fire. It was over the hill from the road I was on, at the far eastern end of Clear Lake. It hadn't been going very long when I saw it. A few vehicles passed me going to the fire as I headed to Upper Lake. One was a wildland fire crew truck, one was a support truck and the last one was a bus. The bus was empty, but I assume it was on its way to pick up a crew, as it was labeled as a CDF fire vehicle.
This part of California is still hot and dry. It doesn't look that different from normal years, since dry grass is normal after March or April. But it is drier than it looks and today topped out at around 100 degrees with a noticeable breeze. At almost 10 pm it's still over 80 in the house. The large noisy fan is coming to my room with me to help blow the hot air out of the room. Sleep will be difficult tonight. Oh well. We'll get some relief tomorrow by taking a picnic to the coast, where it should be 20-30 degrees cooler.
Wednesday, June 24, 2015
A long day
I'm on the road, heading south to make a quick visit with my sister, and to pick up "the kids" and bring them to Montana for the 4th of July. Of course, I'll have to take them back a few days later.
Today I drove over 650 miles. I got a fairly early start - 7 am Mountain time. And I didn't stop much, so I made a lot of miles in a shorter time than I might normally have taken. My poor butt is paying the price. The tailbone area is really complaining tonight (and for the last several hours).
I didn't quite make it a 5 state day, but I did drive in 4 states. 35 miles of Montana, then I crossed the Idaho panhandle into Washington, turning mostly south and crossing most of Oregon north to south. I'm not far from the California border, maybe 30 miles or less.
As you come down the Columbia River you suddenly notice there is a large, snow-covered volcanic mountain. It's hazy and very distant, but very distinct. It's Mount Ranier or Mount Hood. As you turn away from the Columbia, you realize there are two large, snow-covered volcanic mountains. A bit further along, I came to a turnout with pointers and names and realized I was now seeing THREE large, snow-covered volcanic mountains. And some others to go with them. The markers identified Broken Top, the Three Sisters, Mount Bachelor, Three-Fingered Jack, Mount Jefferson, Mount Hood, Mount Saint Helen, and Mount Ranier. The three that really stand out because they also stand alone are Mounts Jefferson, Hood and Ranier. (It's hazy, so the major peaks don't stand out all that well in this panoramic shot, but you get an idea of the terrain here. The concrete strip at the bottom is the edge of the peak identifier.)
The labels are hard to read because they are metal strips with the letters punched into them dot by dot, and they have weathered quite a bit. It was overcast, so the contrast isn't very good, either.
Well, after that many miles, and catching up on a few things on the internet ... I'm tired and need to head off to bed so I can drive another 300 miles tomorrow.
Oh, thought I'd share this ... a "portapotty" on steroids
Actually, it's a pre-cast concrete two-stall vault toilet on its way to be installed somewhere. I've seen these before. They're pretty solid. Once it gets where it's going, they'll position it over the vaults, secure it, and it will be ready to go (pardon me, I can't help it).
Today I drove over 650 miles. I got a fairly early start - 7 am Mountain time. And I didn't stop much, so I made a lot of miles in a shorter time than I might normally have taken. My poor butt is paying the price. The tailbone area is really complaining tonight (and for the last several hours).
I didn't quite make it a 5 state day, but I did drive in 4 states. 35 miles of Montana, then I crossed the Idaho panhandle into Washington, turning mostly south and crossing most of Oregon north to south. I'm not far from the California border, maybe 30 miles or less.
As you come down the Columbia River you suddenly notice there is a large, snow-covered volcanic mountain. It's hazy and very distant, but very distinct. It's Mount Ranier or Mount Hood. As you turn away from the Columbia, you realize there are two large, snow-covered volcanic mountains. A bit further along, I came to a turnout with pointers and names and realized I was now seeing THREE large, snow-covered volcanic mountains. And some others to go with them. The markers identified Broken Top, the Three Sisters, Mount Bachelor, Three-Fingered Jack, Mount Jefferson, Mount Hood, Mount Saint Helen, and Mount Ranier. The three that really stand out because they also stand alone are Mounts Jefferson, Hood and Ranier. (It's hazy, so the major peaks don't stand out all that well in this panoramic shot, but you get an idea of the terrain here. The concrete strip at the bottom is the edge of the peak identifier.)
The labels are hard to read because they are metal strips with the letters punched into them dot by dot, and they have weathered quite a bit. It was overcast, so the contrast isn't very good, either.
Well, after that many miles, and catching up on a few things on the internet ... I'm tired and need to head off to bed so I can drive another 300 miles tomorrow.
Oh, thought I'd share this ... a "portapotty" on steroids
Actually, it's a pre-cast concrete two-stall vault toilet on its way to be installed somewhere. I've seen these before. They're pretty solid. Once it gets where it's going, they'll position it over the vaults, secure it, and it will be ready to go (pardon me, I can't help it).
Monday, June 22, 2015
Deer
White tail deer are a fact of life in western Montana. You always have to watch for them as you
drive down the road. They will jump out
and cross the highway any time of day or night.
They wander through the yard – outside the fence that protects the lawn
area. They wander through town.
Years ago, when Tom’s dad was alive, we’d take an evening drive to count deer. Go down any side road and every so often you’d find a pasture or meadow with 20, 30, 40 or more deer quietly grazing.
Years ago, when Tom’s dad was alive, we’d take an evening drive to count deer. Go down any side road and every so often you’d find a pasture or meadow with 20, 30, 40 or more deer quietly grazing.
In the years we’ve been coming up to visit we’ve been hit by
one deer – it hit the rear quarter panel of our car, then got up and ran
away. We’ve been really lucky . . . so
far.
The deer also cause excitement for the dogs. At the first hint there might be one out
there, they search the fenceline. Missy
(Tom’s mom’s Boston) will blast through her doggy door and Max will stand at
the door eager to go join the chase.
Several times the deer have been right at the fence, or walking up the
drive to the houses behind here. When
they realize they’ve been discovered they take off bouncing and “pronking” (all
4 feet coming off the ground at the same time) into the forested acres beyond
the fenced lawn area.
Longest Day
Yesterday was the longest day of the year. Here in Trout Creek that means the birds were announcing the coming day by 4:30 am, morning light was beginning to make details visible by 5 or 5:30 and by a bit before 8 am the sun was over the nearby trees and lighting up the bedroom curtains. By 10:30 it was sunset and by 11 or so it was finally dark. We're less than 150 driving miles from Canada.
On the 4th of July (and days leading up to it) we have to wait until pretty late to be able to set off the colorful fireworks. We shoot off the bottle rockets and other things that mainly fly in the air, make noise or both early in the evening while waiting for it to be dark enough for the "pretty stuff" like mortar shells, fountains, Catherine wheels, Roman candles and such.
Now that the weather's turned from rain every day to sunny, we'll be watering a lot so we are comfortable shooting off our cache of fireworks without setting the forest on fire.
On the 4th of July (and days leading up to it) we have to wait until pretty late to be able to set off the colorful fireworks. We shoot off the bottle rockets and other things that mainly fly in the air, make noise or both early in the evening while waiting for it to be dark enough for the "pretty stuff" like mortar shells, fountains, Catherine wheels, Roman candles and such.
Now that the weather's turned from rain every day to sunny, we'll be watering a lot so we are comfortable shooting off our cache of fireworks without setting the forest on fire.
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