Stamina

Having retired early, we arose at 6:20am and after a quick breakfast, headed north on the 101. We caught a final glimpse of the Pacific in the early morning light, the spindrift mingling with the sky and fog to create layers of almost indistinguishable shades of grey and blue. We traded the smell of salt sea air for the sweet aroma of California redwood as we wound our way through groves of stately trees, hugging the road so closely that there were scrapes on the trunks from errant truck drivers. Banks of fog and low cloud were winding their way through the strands of trees and reflecting the early sunlight, almost too brilliant to look at after emerging from the dark tunnel of giant Redwoods. The drive up the 199 to connect with the I5 in Grant's Pass was peaceful and inspiring. Evidence of the snow accumulations of the past week were everywhere and we were fortunate to slip through between storms.
Making excellent time, we made a snap decision to make the last leg in one leap. Tired of hotels and restaurants motivated us and we put our shoulder to the wheel, pedal to the metal, and covered 3 states in the next 14 hours. I amazed myself because on the first day of our trip back in December, I was bagged and my hip was seized after 7 hours on the road. Since then, I have become tough, road hardened like a seasoned trucker. But I must give credit to my travelling companion who is an excellent navigator and is great company who keeps me motivated and alert. A five minute wait at the border and a hassle free crossing topped off the trip nicely and we were soon tucked into our own beds for the first time in 15 days. Saturday will be spent answering phone messages, opening and dealing with mail, unpacking, doing laundry, and generally getting ready to do routine on Monday.
Coming soon ..... overall impressions of our adventure, restaurant and hotel reviews, and of course, lots of pictures.