Today, I head for California, one of the most mythic places in the country, if not the world. The state has always represented miraculous opportunity, from the gold rush of the 1850s to the movie industry of the 1920s to internet entrepreneurs of today. The list of superlatives is long; the one I love is that the state GDP ranks among the ten largest COUNTRIES of the world. This is one big state. Smith River Canyon From southern Oregon, there are two main ways into California. The first is the drive along I 5, which I saw three days ago after rafting (see ). The other is US 199 which my guidebook describes as narrow, twisty, and difficult. The description is accurate. The highway starts in the Rou... read more

Today, I saw something unusual. While packing my car to drive downtown, I saw two backpackers cross the inn driveway. I took a look where they came from, and saw a sign for the Pacific Crest Trail, the same trail I encountered on Mount Rainier (see ). Turns out, the trail summits Mount Ashland and then passes right next to the inn. It’s signed so subtly that most people don’t notice it. The drive down to Ashland really shows the benefits of mountain skills. The road down the mountain is curvy with a continuous downgrade. As noted yesterday, it has great views of the surrounding area, including Mount Shasta in California. In low gear, one can safely drive the entire road while barely hitting the brake! The road reaches the interstate right at the crest of ... read more

I got my car back today! After two days in one place, I finally had the freedom of the open road, wind in my hair and scenery passing by. That was the longest non-deliberate break on the trip, and driving once again is a rush. The road trip has really sunk in by this point. I have to hope the desire leaves again before the end, or going home is going to be really painful. Today’s main objective is to make up the damage that break did to my schedule. In the original plan, I would spend days driving down the coast to the very southern part of Oregon. Instead, I had to cram it all into one long day, barreling down the interstate. The first part goes through the Willamette Valley. Except for the views ... read more

Well, today is the day. The first of several days where I have to stay put, involuntarily. I’m not looking forward to it. Still, it has to be somewhere, and Portland is the best available. I chose the city mostly due to the effect it would have on my schedule. I need to have my car fixed by the end of August, because the next month will involve a number of dusty desert environments. I went through the month looking for a chunk of time that covered an area I could drive in a single day. The drive from Portland to southern Oregon along the coast, for better or worse, is the best thing to sacrifice. By perfect coincidence, this strands me in the city I called the perfect hangout earlier in the trip (see ). ... read more

Today is another long day of driving. It’s longer than I originally planned. I have to get my damaged car fixed soon. I want to spend time along the Pacific coast in this next stretch of the trip. Instead, I have to find someplace I’m willing to stay put for a few days. Given my recent experience, Portland Oregon (see ) seems like the best choice of a hangout. I have a single day left to see the Oregon coast which means I need to get near there today. From Seattle, that is a pretty long drive. Some things stick out from the long haul south. Many interstates in this part of the country were built on top of existing roads. For I 5, that road was US 99. In the 1930s, the Works Progress Administration ... read more