On the Road to Lakeport, California

Day 16 Photo Album

September 18, 2009

My day began brilliant and ready for the long trek through California.  The forecast was predicted to be in the 90’s.  In reality it turned out to be 103 at the highest and remained above 100 most of the day. 

As soon as I hit the California side of Tahoe I encountered major traffic delay due to construction.  Unlike the middle states, when the signs say the right lane is closed ahead, people continue to drive in both lanes and crowd in at the very end.  Ah well, just like back home.

The construction went all the way up Donner Pass and over the top.  The temperature had climbed up into the 90’s as well by late morning.  Stopping near the end of the western slope of the pass I couldn’t believe how easily I was able to walk around in the heat.  This is my brother's old stomping grounds, so we had a talk about where I might be. 

As my brother predicted, I was nearing civilization soon and with it, heavy traffic and higher heat.  Still, I was enjoying the landscape and having fun taking very bad pictures without looking.  What a surprise to see cypress trees!  I couldn’t help look at all the beautiful dried grasses and think of them as fuels for fire.  The contrast of yellow-orange grasses and lines of trees is unique and yet vaguely similar to Tuscany.  Truthfully, I didn’t feel any Tuscan sensibility.  Perhaps if there weren’t so many cars zooming around it might feel differently.

I turned off in Vacaville to see if I could find a route into Napa Valley but failed.  So I got back on the highway and off again at Napa.  I followed Highway 29 through Napa Valley with bumper to bumper traffic coming in the opposite direction for many, many miles.  It began to thin out around Yountville so I got off and stopped in a park to eat around 3 pm.  My goal was to reach Willits and camp, but I couldn’t get through to the KOA, so I just decided to keep going and see how things developed.

While the landscape is beautiful through Napa Valley, I was getting tired of all the traffic and didn’t really feel inclined to stop at any of the huge wineries.  I set my sights on Clear Lake and hoped to reach a camp ground there before dark.

After the town of Calistoga, the traffic disappeared and the ride got very pleasant.  It climbs up and over a mountain so the twists and turns keep your speed at 30 (my speed anyway, there were many cars that passed when the road allowed it).  Now I began to feel very happy with the drive.  All those days in the desert make traffic a bit of a jolt!

I finally hit the wall around Lakeport and found a reasonably priced hotel right on the lake.  There is no one here really, just a few people.  The grounds are lovely and there are docks and a boardwalk along the lake.  I had about a half an hour to enjoy a stroll and watch the sunset.