Our saga continues on our trip around the USA. After a 10-day stay in the McKinleyville, CA area, we pulled up stakes and headed north on California 299. But not before some scrambling to get things in working order.
 During the 10-day stay, we had a great time visiting Katie Emerson and her boyfriend/room mate Luke . There was much to do as you know college students, they're busy with classes, projects, papers and work. The yard was mowed, then areas trimmed around fences, above ground garden, along the house, etc. The kitchen sink had been plugged for weeks, the carport needed a good once over to remove a heavy spider web infestation, and yesterday morning the bathtub drain plugged up. I put on my lowest cut jeans (like plumbers wear), and used a plunger to no avail. Then I tried a snake (long, narrow metal shaft that you work down the pipes...and that didn't work. I had Katie unload a closet behind the bathroom and we found an access panel. I took that off, removed a pipe and again tried to "snake" it but that didn't work. Time for the big guns. I used the high water pressure bladder, that when you turn on the garden hose it expands to block the pipe then shoots a heavy stream of water down the pipe. It worked like a champ! After putting everything back together and reattaching the access panel and refilling the closet, we were finally ready to hit the road - a couple of hours late, but what the heck, we are on vacation!
 We took US 101 to Arcata and turned northwest on CA 299 . This is the same road we drove for an hour on to get to Willow Creek and the fun spot on the South Trinity River. Our first destination was Redding, California, about a three hour trip on serious mountain roads that went from 200 feet to over 6,000 feet including switchbacks, turns and tight corners. After over three hours we made Redding, got some gas and Dolly and I feasted on a couple of tacos from the gas station deli - I think its called Aztec Restaurant. It wasn't bad, but kind of small. We drove north for a few miles then continued on the 299 then turned onto 395 through some beautiful broad valleys, lower hills and mountains and a fantastic view of Mount Shasta, far to the west. While driving along this stretch we passed a couple of raptors sitting on a telephone pole - BALD EAGLES! We turned around in the middle of the highway and got a couple of photos before they got bored with us and left. Also down the road we found a crop duster was refilling his plane with weed killer or pesticides and got a few photos of him . Our goal was Alturas, CA and we stopped there for the evening meal (at an Italian place - I had a cheeseburger and Dolly Chicken Fingers. One of the best burgers I've every had, with a healthy side of curly french fries. We continued toward Oregon as the campgrounds in Alturas, didn't look appealing at all. Along the way, we had seen a huge lake that is next to Highway 395, and I figured there would be several decent campgrounds. No way. The huge Goose Lake was empty! Evidently from the severe drought in the area. We finally got to Lakeview, OR, and found our campground was another ten miles down Oregon highway 140. We made it about dark, got set up and turned in about 9:30.
 This morning was cold, in the lower 40's and there was a high clouds to block the sun so it didn't warm up until about 11 am when the sun came out.
 Dolly and I took a "nature walk" in late morning and found hundreds of Rock Chuck, also called Marmots. They scurry everywhere in front and beside you. We also photographed some Song Sparrows, Red Winged Black Birds and came upon a couple of mule deer. At one point, Dolly stopped and said "look!" In front of her, about 50 feet away was a large tan and white Pronghorn Antelope! I fumbled with my camera and only got a fleeting photo as it sped off into the sage brush and Juniper trees. We've also seen a large number of Barn Swallows and a pair of Magpies (no doubt Heckle and Jeckle) in a tree just above our campsite.
 We like this place so well, we have decided to stay another day or two (you can't beat the price at $18 a night). 
 Have a wonderful Memorial Weekend, and do keep the servicemen and women who made the ultimate sacrifice in your thoughts and prayers to make and keep our country safe and free.
 Love ya!
 Cheers,
Jan, Dolly and Chi Chi