The drive
This is my second post about our summer vacation.
Sunday morning (July 31), we started to drive up the coast. We really hoped to be able to see Napa or Sonoma Valley and some redwoods, but we just didn't have time. It was really sad. :(
We drove through a lot of farmland. Dan commented that it seemed a lot like the Midwest. We had to stay on I-5, so we couldn't see the coast. At one point, we were struck with a massive smell. Augh! It was overwhelming! Soon, we saw why. We were driving past one of the biggest herds of cattle we'd ever seen. We think there were 10-20,000 of those guys! Unbelievable!
We got to Redding, CA around 6:00 that evening. We stayed at the Tiffany House B&B, and it was so lovely! That evening after a nice dinner, we went to see a bridge with a glass bottom. We expected it to be clear so we could see the water below, but the glass was frosted. It was a little disappointing, but perhaps we're just hard to please! :)
The next morning, we had a lovely breakfast of salmon corn cakes (sounds weird, but the proprietress is an excellent cook and these were delicious) and then a swim in the pool. After a bit of a problem showering (the water heater had decided to give out, though that was quickly repaired), we hit the road again.
We were no longer bored with the scenery! Just after Redding, the highway started running through the mountains of northern California. It was quite lovely, though the inclines slowed us way down.
When we got to Oregon, we got a surprise: Oregon doesn't allow self-serve gasoline pumping! Really, that's ok. It was actually a nice thing. I don't like pumping my own gas. :)
We arrived at the Portland airport with just a few minutes to spare before the drop-off deadline grace period, and then we waited for Dan's uncle to pick us up.
Sunday morning (July 31), we started to drive up the coast. We really hoped to be able to see Napa or Sonoma Valley and some redwoods, but we just didn't have time. It was really sad. :(
We drove through a lot of farmland. Dan commented that it seemed a lot like the Midwest. We had to stay on I-5, so we couldn't see the coast. At one point, we were struck with a massive smell. Augh! It was overwhelming! Soon, we saw why. We were driving past one of the biggest herds of cattle we'd ever seen. We think there were 10-20,000 of those guys! Unbelievable!
We got to Redding, CA around 6:00 that evening. We stayed at the Tiffany House B&B, and it was so lovely! That evening after a nice dinner, we went to see a bridge with a glass bottom. We expected it to be clear so we could see the water below, but the glass was frosted. It was a little disappointing, but perhaps we're just hard to please! :)
The next morning, we had a lovely breakfast of salmon corn cakes (sounds weird, but the proprietress is an excellent cook and these were delicious) and then a swim in the pool. After a bit of a problem showering (the water heater had decided to give out, though that was quickly repaired), we hit the road again.
We were no longer bored with the scenery! Just after Redding, the highway started running through the mountains of northern California. It was quite lovely, though the inclines slowed us way down.
When we got to Oregon, we got a surprise: Oregon doesn't allow self-serve gasoline pumping! Really, that's ok. It was actually a nice thing. I don't like pumping my own gas. :)
We arrived at the Portland airport with just a few minutes to spare before the drop-off deadline grace period, and then we waited for Dan's uncle to pick us up.
