Jaci Dawn

We certainly packed a lot into a two-week road trip. We capped it off with a barbecue at my cousin’s home in Sparks, right after we went through the Auto Museum.  That was a very nice way to end the trip – and Don finally got a tour of the BSA bike collection.

I have a wonderful family. I’m so glad that I grew up close to my cousins! We spend years apart sometimes, but when we see each other, we pick up right where we left off – and we always laugh a lot. And we all sing out of tune.

But Friday morning, Don was itching to head home. Sadly, I had to break a date I’d made with my high school best friend, Janet. She was going to try to drive over to Reno from Round Mountain (near Tonopah). We haven’t seen each other since graduation. I was her maid-of-honor. I really, really, really wanted to see Janet.

But we were on the road. We headed up through Susanville (I hate that stretch of road! And why do we always get stuck behind the idiots when Don is driving? If you’ve never experienced it, here’s a sample: Nevada made it a four-lane freeway. California refuses to widen it. Once you pass the California inspection station, it goes down to a two-lane highway with occasional passing lanes. But it needs to be four lanes all the way into Susanville).

When I traveled with Chrystal last year, we cut over to I-5 both times. It isn’t because I like that stretch – not at all! – but the weather was “iffy” and I wanted to be on the most traveled route if something went wrong. But with Don, we could by-pass Susanville and head toward Alturas and Lakeview. It’s a much prettier drive and a lot less traffic.

We stopped in Lakeview for gas but decided we’d go on ahead to set up camp on the Chewaucan River before eating lunch. It’s not a long drive along Forest Service Roads, and it’s very pretty. And, once again, we found ourselves camped along the Chewaucan at Jones’ Crossing CG. I’ve blogged about it here and here. Granted, the second post is just about strange things that inspire me, but…

I was a little concerned about finding a good site. This was the weekend following the 4th… But I needn’t have worried. All the treed sites were taken, but thanks to Don’s Christmas present, the Rhino canopy, we were happy in the big, flat treeless site.

How cool is that? We just roll out our own shade! One person can manage the Rhino cover, but two are better.

The extra spare tire as a work of art.

Ahhhhhhhhhhhhh. Murphy did this in the Colorado, too. Don had to keep him on a leash or he’d just swim away. Besides, we had a lot of neighbors who wouldn’t appreciate a loose dog in camp.

Speaking of camping neighbors…

We called these people “Bonfire People”. The photo didn’t capture the smoke very well, but when we pulled in to camp, their fire was burning merrily away, untended. They left several times while the fire burned. And when it got dark, they piled a ton of wood on it until the flames leaped four feet into the air.

We wanted to walk over and tell them that 346 homes just burned in Colorado Springs. We wanted to flag down the Forest Service pumper trucks that passed on the main road. It’s a big ticket for leaving a fire untended. We wanted to haul water over and dump it on their bonfire.

We considered going over in the dark and starting to dance around the fire like Kevin Costner in Dances With Wolves. We seriously considered that option.

We didn’t think Bonfire People would have been amused.

But we would have been.

Two beetles.

The Chewaucan is always a hive of insect activity.

Western Blue Flax.

There were lots of wildflowers still in bloom.

On Saturday, we made the last leg to Portland. Don’t you hate the last day of vacation?

Harvey was very happy to see us. The dog sitter was at work, so we came home to a cleaned up house and a happy Harvey.

The unmowed lawn waved happily at us, too.

When the grass is deep like this, you can see the different kinds of grasses in the “lawn”. Someone please tell me WHY we bought a house with such a huge lawn?

UGH.

Oh, but that wasn’t even the worst.

The dog that is curled up on the floor behind me right now had been very, very busy while we were off camping without him. And that is fodder for one more post on our wonderful trip to see Baby Korinne.

I plan on printing this out as an 8×10″ to remind me how precious this little girl is.

Tomorrow: why Harvey should get to live… or not.