Mt Shasta and Klamath

As we go through the valley, we see what appears to be a stand alone mountain up ahead. It looks funny and seems to be light brown. What a deception! It is Mt. Shasta, looming far in the distance, and it is covered in sparkling snow! It changes shape and positions as we approach it. We will go around the West side. At 14,000 feet it is breathtaking. When we are north of it, we spot a long train at its base, giving it some perspective. (Click on the picture to make it bigger.) Shasta will be in our sight for most of the day.

When we cross the border into Oregon, we are looking for a place for the night. Our first choice, Tingley Lake, is just north of Merrill, Oregon and Klamath Falls. My family lived in Merrill while my father worked on the project that takes the irrigation water down through the farmland, and which is now the subect of so much controversy over whether farmers or salmon are more important. Tingley Lake, it turns out, has no RV spots available due to some irrigation project going on nearby. While John gets directions to a different spot from the owners --a delightful mother and daughter team-- I watch two large muskrats swimming in the lake, their long black shiny rat tails swishing in the water. They are almost the size of beavers, and seem to make a game of coming ashore and jumping back into the water.

Our newly recommended spot turns out to be north of Klamath, about an hour away. It's now late, the sun is starting to set, and we are tired. It's another long day. John quoted to me before we left, "What's the difference between an adventure and an ordeal -- ATTITUDE! '" I keep that in mind after another 400 miles, nine hours forty minutes on the road.

I tell him we have to eat dinner at the restaurant that is part of the RV Park. It's called Merlitas. There is a bar with a few customers inside, but we are the only ones in the restaurant side. After looking over the menu -- pot roast with gravy, liver and onions with gravy, chicken fried steak with gravy etc, we order hamburgers. Someone comes in and sits in the booth behind us and after discussion with the waitresses, decides to order the special, a beef burrito with two chicken tacos and sides of refried beans and rice. Oh - it must be in celebration of CINCO DE MAYO! Anyway, although I can't see the meal as it is delivered, or the person eating it, it turns out that the hot salsa is a little too much for him. He comments "I'm startin' to sweat from my eyeballs back!" When he finally asks for a take out box, the waitress remarks that he hasn't done much damage to the meal. His reply "I didn't do much damage to it, but it's doin' damage to me! " As he goes to the check register, I see him for the first time - a short, very rotund trucker with a large beer belly. He has two huge key chains on his belt, attached by a large chain. He puts on his cowboy hat and leaves with his take out box. The waitress notes, "what he has left is enough for a family meal at home."

Three state troopers come in, all having arrived in separate cars. They are young, fully uniformed with handcuffs, batons, guns, etc. They call in for a "meal break" and all of them order water and salads. Good for them!

There are three young waitresses in this restaurant, and a cook. We wonder what their lives will be like. This is a good job, probably, for the time being, but what does the future hold for them? They live so far away from any major area where there might be jobs or schools.

There are two truck cabs parked in front of the restaurant. They are both a light shade of lavender! Who do they belong to?

In front of the managers' house, daffodils and jonquils are in bloom, but they are bowed over, and I can't help but wonder if they feel they made a mistake, coming out when it's so cold. The managers' dogs race to the fence, yipping furiously. They are under a huge sign that says "No Dogs."

To bed on a full stomach. Something we vowed we would not do. But we would have missed the local dialog, and we now have a new line about doin' damage to a meal before it does it to you!

Our heater is on in the camper and we are cozy for the night. John thinks to unscrew the water line from the camper. It's now 38 degrees, and we think it will probably get below freezing during the night. Good thinking!