Here we go again,
from the calm local scene,
towards
the
potentially tumultuous
north,
hoping
the
weather
remains
resonably
benign,
given
the
season,
as
we cruise
up the Sacramento Valley,
Mt. Shasta beckoning,
over the Red Bluff -
Cottonwood Ridge,
into
the
Redding
area --
Mountain Gate,
the Lake,
imaginatively-named Gray Rocks,
windingly ascendingly towards
Castle
Crags and
Dunsmuir,
the world opening up around
Black Butte,
Weed,
a
high
way station
amidst
Klamaths and
Cascades,
windswept
grandeur,
eventually
onward to the
Badlands,
approaching
Yreka,
the
Montague
area,
Anderson Grade,
Klamath
Canyon,
Hornbrook,
Hilt.
Into
Oregon,
over
Siskiyou
Summit,
down
to
Ashland
for a
supply
stop,
further
downstream
along
Bear
Creek
past
Table
Rocks
and
Rogue
River,
towards
Grants Pass --
up and over the roller coaster of
Sexton Mountain,
Sunny
Valley,
Smith Hill,
Wolf Creek,
Stage Road Pass,
Glendale,
Canyon Creek,
and
the
Riddle-
Myrtlewood
Valley
area.
At
last
Roseburg,
onward
to
Rice Valley, ascending to Divide,
the fog winning out by Cottage Grove and the Coast Fork Willamette, darkness, hours, a very blustery Troutdale. 49th day of fall, high up 2 to 55 (Southern Oregon, 46; West End Columbia Gorge, 39)...
