To Portland

February 12, 2023 to February 13, 2023

Super Bowl Sunday

Conditions are gorgeous today - warm, sunny, perfect for an exploratory ride in the Napa Valley - an area we haven’t biked through since a loop of the Northern California coast almost twenty years ago. That’s not happening today of course, because we’ve used up all of our discretionary time. With only two days left and still nine hours of driving between us and Portland, we need them both for the drive.

Well, in theory we could bike today and pull a really long drive tomorrow, but that doesn’t work either. We’re really lucky with today’s fine weather because it makes the most direct drive north viable, along I-5 most of the way over Siskiyou Summit and through Ashland. If we waited until tomorrow we’d have to add at least two hours by detouring to the coast because the weather is changing tomorrow - temps will drop fifteen degrees, precipitation will come, and we could expect snow or freezing rain at the summit. Without snow tires or chains we really couldn’t risk it.

So north it is today, with the plan to cross Siskiyou summit this afternoon while the weather is still good and then drop down to Ashland to spend the night. I’m fine with this approach because it promises to be a scenic drive, and if we arrive in Ashland early enough we can take a walk through Lithia Park and the foothills south of town. Odds are good that I’ll see a wood duck in the pond in Lithia Park, and maybe a second new species to put me up to 100 for the year before making it back to Portland.

It’s a pleasant, fast drive for the first two hours, driving a steady 80+ on the quiet highway along with the few other cars out on the road. We pull off for a service break at a rest area and another for gas and coffee at Red Bluff, but other than that we just drive.

Not long afterwards a small white pyramid appears on the horizon straight ahead; and for the next hour we watch Mount Shasta slowly enlarge as we approach it. As we near the mountain I start pestering Rachael to take some landscape shots to help us remember the drive by.

Lake Shasta, another distressed reservoir showing the result of the past several drought years.

Nearing Dunsmuir we get a brief glimpse of a grey, jagged formation to the left that makes me think of the Dolomites; and when we come to a turnoff to Castle Crags State Park I pull off on an impulse to see if we can get a proper look. We get our look alright, and a little more adventure than we’d anticipated. The final half mile of the road up to the parking lot below the vista point is a challenge, to say the least: very narrow, steep, winding, and single lane - for two-way traffic. There is almost no spot that widens enough for a proper turnout where you can give way to an oncoming car, so all the way up and down again we were anxious about encounters. There was just one on the way up, luckily enough at a spot with just enough shoulder that the two of us could ease past each other, very slowly. The passenger in the oncoming car got out to guide the driver, watching for clearance both on our side and on the opposite one, which dropped off steeply down a slope.

There were half a dozen cars at the top and several view-gawkers about when we came to the end of the road, all of whom had left by the time we headed down ourselves. When our turn came I kept as fast a speed as felt safe, hoping we’d make it down before anyone else arrived. And we did, barely - another car was turning up toward us right at the end, churlishly trying to claim the entire lane rather than just wait five seconds in his wide clearing and then revving up the mountain. Guys!

So, just a tense situation that worked out fine. The big disappointment though was the video Rachael shot with her GoPro on the descent to remember this little adventure by, which she was chagrined to find later captured herself rather than the road ahead. Ha, ha.

The unnerving half-mile drive up the bidirectional single track road to Vista Point. We’re sorry we don’t have a video of this experience, but the GoPro videographer captured a selfie instead.

At the end of the road it’s still another half mile to the vista point. As we walk I keep an eye and ear out for higher altitude birds like gray jays or varied thrushes, but the woods are disappointingly silent today.

The view we’d been waiting for: the jagged granite profile of Castle Crags.

The view we hadn’t been thinking about was worth the detour also. The summit of Mount Shasta is less than twenty miles distant.

Back on the highway again, we enjoyed a scenic drive across the Shasta Valley and over Siskiyou Summit, dropping into Ashland about 3:30. With plenty of time until dinner we each took off on our own for a walk. Mine was a disappointment, as the pond in Lithia park was empty today - the only time I’ve ever seen it that way. Usually there are dozens of waterfowl about, but maybe it’s still too early in the spring yet - or maybe they don’t bother showing up until the theater season is underway and they can expect a steady diet of handouts from the tourists.

North of Dunsmuir crossing Shasta Valley, the broad basin east of Yreka. These rolling amber-hued hills are gorgeous today. This is another region I’d like to return to with the bikes some day.

Shasta is such a stunning mountain, especially as snowbound as it is today. From this perspective we get a good look at Shastina, its prominent satellite cone. Although dwarfed by Shasta, Shastina is a significant peak in its own right. At over 12,000’ it’s the third highest of the Pacific volcanoes, beneath only Shasta and Rainier.

Climbing Anderson Grade, approaching the Oregon border. I thought this was the start of the climb to Siskiyou Summit at first, but we’re following the Klamath River as it cuts through a gap of the eastern Siskiyous. We’ll drop again on the other side before the largest climb begins.

I didn’t find the birds I hoped for in Ashland, but Rachael did see Mammal #5, a black-tailed deer.

I almost forgot to capture a record of our celebration dinner at Osteria La Briccola, an excellent new northern Italian restaurant we’ll have to plan on revisiting the next time we come this way.

Monday: to Portland

Not much to say about today’s drive, which we’ve taken many times over the decades. Except that today the weather changed, bringing the first rains as we drove out of town and then a heavy downpour as we crossed the first summits. And except for a quick stopoff in Eugene at the Bike Friday outlet to pick up an order I’d placed two months ago: a new rear rack and underbag, and packing materials for protecting our suitcased bikes to replace the ones lost when UPS gave away our luggage to Madam Guillotine in Nice last spring.

We’re in Portland for exactly a month this time, counting down the days until we leave for Palermo. Lots to do - dentist, taxes, friends, a financial consultation with Elizabeth, Dad’s birthday, clear out a lot of junk from the storage unit, a few jazz concerts, a few dinners at old favorite restaurants. Hopefully there will be enough time and weather conditions to get in some rides and spot a few more birds before we fly out.

Sunrise in Ashland as we walk across the parking lot to our motel’s breakfast room. It looks like a brilliant day to ride, if it weren’t freezing and if rain wasn’t due to arrive in another hour or two.

We’re staying in an aerie this time! We’re up on the 20th floor with a east-facing unit so there should be some fine views eventually. It’s solidly overcast this afternoon and evening, but we’re anxious to see what mountains are visible when the sky clears.

Rate this entry's writing	Heart	11
Comment on this entry	Comment	5

Ron SuchanekWelcome home!
Reply to this comment
1 year ago

Andrea BrownWelcome back!
Reply to this comment
1 year ago

Scott AndersonTo Andrea BrownThanks! It’s nice to be home for awhile at least. I’m looking forward to a bit of routine in our lives.
Reply to this comment
1 year ago

Scott AndersonTo Ron SuchanekThanks, Ron. I’m happy to be back and find that it does feel like home.
Reply to this comment
1 year ago

Janice BranhamGlad to read of your safe arrival. Its great fun following you around Tucson, virtually and irl.
Reply to this comment
1 year ago