Road Tripping

Well, If I took time to catch up on my life in this post, I wouldn't have a minute to blog about now. So, suffice it to say I have been really really busy and now have escaped with Papa for a little vacay. And I needed it. I have been working almost 24/7. Retired?

Anyway, Papa took a geology class last semester. The more he learned, the more he wanted to take a drive to see some of California's geological wonders. Then I mentioned that the Picasso exhibit would be at the deYoung in San Fran.

I calculated when I could get away, Papa researched and planned, and here we are at the end of our first day on the road. Papa has many expectations for each stretch of our journey. I love just riding along, listening to explanations, and examining the scenery......imagining paintings. Anything more is frosting. No demands, no expectations.

So the first frosting today was a red tail hawk swooping down a ravine along Old Creek Road, giving us a marvelous view from above. Sunlight showed his colors to their best advantage, providing our first important nature moment of the trip - not long after left home. The second came as we drove parallel to 101 on deserted Indian Valley Road. As we headed north examining rock formations, an adorable roadrunner popped out of the brush and ran along in front of us. I almost got the camera out before a car came from the other direction, frightening him away.

What a beautiful drive through almost unspoiled territory. We didn't see the raptors and bobcats Papa had hoped for, but we did see ash throated flycatchers, western meadowlarks, acorn woodpeckers, and doves as our little road dipped and rose along the San Andreas Fault. Baked, golden, tree dotted hills surrounded us and finally ushered us onto highway 25.