On the road Jan 2011 day 1

We're off on a driving trip to Arizona and eventually to Savannah, GA.

As usual when we're headed South we drove from home to Sacramento.
It's a good day's drive, about 575 miles and 8 1/2 hours. Today we got
away from home about 6:15 AM and checked into our motel here in
Sacramento before 4:30 PM.

Weather was changeable. :) Lots of rain, some snow, plenty of wind.
No problems over the summit at the state line but when we got down
around Mt Shasta there was lots of snows. The plows were even out.

We have a new GPS this trip and we're still getting used to it. It does
have one feature I like a lot. When you're more than 3 mph over the
speed limit it puts a red background behind the speed/speed limit
display. Pretty handy if you miss seeing a speed limit reduction sign.

No photos today but it was a long driving day...

Tom

Feeding the Elk

There is a major Elk Refuge at Jewel, OR in the coast range mountains about 60 miles from Portland. Through the Winter months they allow advance sign up to ride the Elk feeding wagon on the daily feeding run. They run these from December through February and they fill up all the available bookings in the first few days of sign up. If you show up early and there is extra room on the wagon and the people who have signed up for the day agree then they will take an extra passenger or two. This morning Ron Eggers and I decided to try our luck getting a seat on the feeding wagon.

On the drive out we stopped to take some photos of this equipment shed.

We arrived at the refuge a full half hour before the feeding wagon was to set out so we took a few photos of the elk herd in the meadow beside the visitor center. This young buck posed for me with the does and calves in the background.

The wagon rides are reserved by small groups, families, friends or co-workers. This morning the group was 8 people and the wagon will hold 15. It is the choice of the group whether they will accept outsiders. This group was happy to have Ron and I ride along with them.

Through the winter months the bucks hang out together and the does and calves stay together in a different herd.

The Beastie Boys

I hadn't realized how close to the elk we'd be so had a longer lens on than would have been optimal. At least I did get a few portraits.

Up close and personal

Here an older buck warns a younger rival to stay away from his hay.

Mine

Here one of the bucks looks up from his hay to check out the people on the wagon. As long as you stay on the wagon the Elk pretty much ignore you but we were told that if anyone stepped off they'd all scatter. These are wild animals.

Here another one poses for me. It was great fun.


On our way home we stopped to have lunch at a historic farmstead which has been made over into a restaurant. This is one of the old farm outbuildings.

The End of Summer

According to the calendar, Summer ends at the autumnal equinox on 21 Sep but we all know better. In the US, Summer ends on Labor Day weekend. Days are shortening, the stores have all long since closed out the last of their summer stock to replace it with back to school supplies and winter clothing. In the hardware department, lawn mowers have given way to snow blowers and the NFL pre season has ended and the games begin next weekend.

This Labor Day, as we have done for the past several years we visited friends for their annual Labor Day picnic. This year, the Pacific Northwest truly gave us a preview of the Autumn to come. The daytime high temperature never made it above the mid 60s and the clouds overhead threatened showers and while we drove through showers on the drive out and heavy rain on the drive home, while we were actually at the picnic the weather smiled upon us.



















A weather front passes to the South.

















On a walk through the woods I happened upon these berries. Many years ago I had a dog, half golden retriever and half irish setter. Beautiful dog. The field where we walked was blessed with a scattering of blackberry bushes. When the berries ripened I'd stop and pick a couple for myself and one or two for her. After a few days she learned to pick her own. She'd ever so daintily reach out and get just the berry with her teeth. Sweet dog. I still miss her...















Every summer picnic, even an end of summer picnic, needs soft drinks on ice.















But with a definite hint of autumn in the cool pacific air a warming fire feels pretty good, too. 4 weeks ago the average daily high temperature was 81 F. Now it's 78 and in only a few short weeks it will be 75. While it was light until well after 9:00 now we're turning the lights on around 8:00.
















David leads a wood gathering party to collect additional firewood.















Soon the leaves on the alders will turn from green to gold. For now they still reflect the cool green of summer.

Perhaps the calendar is right after all.
Perhaps we will have another 3 weeks of summer.
Perhaps ...

TomB