Driving down to California

Back in mid-August, I drove down to California to help my parents pack up their house. I felt they really needed an organizer to help get things done before the movers arrived. We left Portland on Saturday, 8/16, and the movers were scheduled to come on Thursday, 8/21.

The fires were still raging in southern Oregon/northern California.

The smoke made for some beautiful, misty pictures... until it got so thick that it started looking gross.

I took this picture just seconds after the temperature dropped from 106. This was at 5:00pm.

Approaching Weed, CA, we had a little rain which cleared the smoke. I love the clouds and lighting in this shot.

Mount Shasta.

We stopped for dinner in Weed and ate at Dos Amigos. It's a fine restaurant -- not fabulous, but the best choice from our limited options. Traveling with a dog, we had to sit outside. Fortunately it was beginning to cool off by then -- only in the 80s.

Mona spent the entire first day sitting on my lap, looking out the window. She especially enjoys watching horses. On the second day, she moved around more. Here she is down by my feet, enjoying the shade and A/C vent.