After living on the streets of San Francisco for four weeks, it’s time to head north. The food was superb … friends and family are awesome beyond measure … the amazing Indian Summer was toasty and bright … and much work was accomplished with ease. This tortuga could spend another four weeks there!

But, it’s time … and the above photo is at Grass Lake in northern California. That’s a Jeffrey Pine in the corner (the bark has a slight vanilla aroma, and the sharp points on the pine-cones point inside – you can pick ’em up without the pain). No pines in the “lake area” however, they’d drown there. That area is a wetland, full of rushes and sedge – and home to the Tiger Salamander, a cool little guy that hides out waiting for water.

Early in the morning, the sun is coming up … but the temperature is loooow. We’re between a bevy of volcanoes … Whaleback and Miller Mountain, Horse-thief Butte, Deer Mountain (and Little Deer), Goosenest Mountain … but from the temperature, there’s no volcanic activity today!!

It’s a long drive up to the northern side of Oregon … but off we go!

Here we are in the evening hours … great for taking pictures. The mountains in the distance are in Washington, just over the Columbia River. We’re going to take a side road here, through a couple of little towns, and visit a place we missed on our trip down …