This Saturday, it was down to Red Bluff, up Highway 36 all the way to Susanville, and then back Highway 44 to Redding.
Presently, the snow will fly, and a cavalier trip like this will be possible, but much less fun. So, the time was now.
Here's an "open road" shot going southwest on 44. There's a plethora of big empty meadows on this route, and on occasion a patch of aspens, like these. The colors were right on, and although there was less drama than a trip over Carson Pass on Highway 88, which is what we used to do to enjoy the aspen when living down by Sacto, it was still nice to see these glowing patches of color contrasted with the dark green pine forest.
Finally, I've identified multiple back roads I passed on this trip that will require further investigation. For that, it'll be the mighty Dodge truck, and a cooler full of snacks and cool drinks, and perhaps some powder to burn. Maybe I can find a suitable place to camp and shoot, which I'm sorely missing since relocating to the north country.
Mrs. CW loved the drive and the beer. The Orange Car got to stretch it's pistons and heat up it's tires. I found a multitude of places to investigate later. A good trip.
Fall road trip, Excellent! Always love the contrast of the changing colors contrasted with the evergreens!
ReplyDeleteIs that southwest on 44 or southeast on 44?
ReplyDeleteSouthwest. I know that patch of aspens. Poison Lake, I believe, is on the right.
DeleteFrom looking at the dust on the tires of your Dodge I thought you might be visiting in Georgia. They still have dirt interstate hiways in Georgia.
ReplyDeleteThanks for taking me along!
ReplyDeleteLooks like the smoke wasn't too bad. This is good.
A little flatter in parts but it kinda looks like my Western North Carolina terrain and sky.
ReplyDeleteDon't think I've seen "presently" used correctly since the last "Lord Peter Wimsey" novel I read.
ReplyDeleteI suppose that comment is ambiguous. I meant that admire you for using it correctly. Mostly you see "presently" used to mean "at present".
ReplyDeleteThanks, I appreciate that. I'm still working on avoiding apostrophe mistakes. I must have missed the day they covered that in fourth grade.
DeleteGood call, Henry. For sometime soon I use "anon". If I mean right-now it's "currently".
DeleteThe Eagle Lake IPA looks great. We have similar brewery-pub operations springing up all over, in the big cities and small towns. They have good food and great beer, a little different in every one.
ReplyDeleteThe big breweries are going to be in trouble.
Love your modern muscle car. If your governor gets his way, will you get a orange Tesla? The suped up electrics are amazingly fast. But, lack the throaty exhaust, which announces the power of a V8 which feels like it's alive verses the dead sound of EV.
ReplyDeleteYou know, Greg, when the dealer started the car and I heard the magnificent rumble/roar for the first time ever, I went into a bit of a seizure and began to drool out of the corner of my mouth. It was supernatural. The engineers at Dodge did a fantastic job tuning the motor/exhaust for the sound. I had to pass a few slow RV's on this drive, and the beast just whipped around them and I was doing stupid fast speed almost immediately (I can't say what that was in writing - the CHP might be reading this). What a blast!
DeleteBut, an electric car would kick it's arse for acceleration.
Back around 1980-ish while attending CSUC, I drove those same roads in my '69-ish BMW 2002. I say -ish because Weber carb, header, 320i rims, rubber and suspension. Great fun.
ReplyDeleteThat Lassen Ale looks tasty. I used to shoot on a pistol team with one of the founders of Sierra Nevada.
WOW - what memories this brought back. My wife and I lived in Orange County (Anaheim) during the 90's. In 1997 we took a 12 day trip up the coast to Redwood country. Camped in Prairie Creek Redwoods State park. After a week we drove back down the coast and across to Redding, through Lassen Volcanic State Park and over to Susanville. Then down 395 to Bridgeport for a few days. Then 395 south back to OC.
ReplyDeleteBefore kids, before everything. Back home in Virginia now with grown children. Thanks for stirring these great memories. California is indeed a beautiful State.