The expedition began with a lonnnnng flight to San Francisco...boy, were our arms tired.
(sorry)


I was able to track the entire flight on my handheld GPS unit, watching the ground go by and checking our location on the screen.
Right here we're flying over I-75 near Findlay. GPS units are now verboten to use while in flight (you know, those evil satellite signals
 might somehow interfere with the aircraft flight controls...the same flight controls that receive satellite signals from the GPS system.)

We rented an SUV-type vehicle, and were given the option of picking out whatever SUV they happened to have on the lot. I was gravitating towards the Saturn VUE (since I was currently driving a Saturn vehicle), but Linda said, "Hey, let's get this Jeep Liberty!" I said ok, since I had never driven a Jeep vehicle for any length of time before.   (Little did I know the later consequences of this decision.)   Also please note the wimpy tires.

Yes, Dionne, I do know the way to San Jose.

Welcome to San Francisco. By the way, "No."


Heading across the Bay Bridge. This was the one that partially collapsed in the 1989 earthquake.


Crossing another part of the bay, watching a new bridge under construction right next to us. Quite a bit of new bridge
construction seems to be underway in the Bay area, as a new bridge is also being built right next to the Bay Bridge as well.


We stayed in Redding that first night, as did this group of Forest Service firefighters.



Lassen Peak reflected in Lake Manzanita.


Linda hiking through Lassen National Park.

This scrawny deer was in search of park maps.



Outside of Lassen, we found a small park that featured a lava tube.



Fun with flashlights inside the lava tube.





Interstate 5 north with Mt. Shasta on the horizon. Shasta is a BIG stratovolcano.


We stopped for lunch in Weed, California. Insert your own joke here.


Mt. Shasta on the horizon.



Arrival in Grants Pass, Oregon.


Next...Meet the Harrises!