Friday October the 5th

When I arose at 4:20 am Betsy was already up and moving about. After coffee and last minute personal packing we shut off the water and hot water tank, pulled the plug on the media center and were out the driveway by 5:00am

The drive up to Pittsburg was mostly in the dark - something I usually try to avoid. By the time we got to the Pittsburg exit the roads were getting busy, but not terribly so.
I-376 to the airport is pretty painless now and we arrived at the Departure area at exactly 6:30.
After numerous smooches and a long hug Betsy and I parted. She was on here way to Cleveland and then out to Fort Wayne. It would most likely be a month before we would see each other again - a mixed blessing. ;)

Click on the photos below for a larger image.

  Photo by Mike Breiding - Click for larger image

The morning was warm and misty as these photos attest.

  Photo by Mike Breiding - Click for larger image

My last look at the leaves until next Spring.

Do you remember the opening sequence to "Highway to Heaven"?

Highway to Heaven   Photo by Mike Breiding - Click for larger image

This view reminded me of that.

  Photo by Mike Breiding - Click for larger image

I love those big, puffy clouds - from up here and down there.

  Photo by Mike Breiding - Click for larger image

It wasn't long before we were crossing the mid-west with it's checkerboard like layout of roads and farms.

  Photo by Mike Breiding - Click for larger image

A river runs through it. I wonder where this was...

  Photo by Mike Breiding - Click for larger image

By the time we were getting out towards the Sangre de Cristo Mountains I started noticing these patches of brownish orange. The deeper into Colorado we went, the more I saw. At first I was puzzled by this. What could it be? Then, I remembered how south eastern Wyoming looked when I visited there a couple of years ago. There were 1000s of acres of orange-ish brown conifer woods, all the big trees were dead from a bark beetle infestation which was killing all the conifers from 8" DBH and up.
Now, I was seeing the same thing, only from the air.

  Photo by Mike Breiding - Click for larger image   Photo by Mike Breiding - Click for larger image   Photo by Mike Breiding - Click for larger image

By the time we flew over the southern Rockies we were seeing a good bit of snow.

  Photo by Mike Breiding - Click for larger image   Photo by Mike Breiding - Click for larger image   Photo by Mike Breiding - Click for larger image   Photo by Mike Breiding - Click for larger image

Now we are leaving the Rockies and getting into the Canyon Country.

  Photo by Mike Breiding - Click for larger image

This may be the Blue Mesa Reservoir near Gunnison Colorado.

  Photo by Mike Breiding - Click for larger image   Photo by Mike Breiding - Click for larger image

I was really diggin' the snake like twists and turns of some of the water courses. What a view!

  Photo by Mike Breiding - Click for larger image   Photo by Mike Breiding - Click for larger image   Photo by Mike Breiding - Click for larger image

Out of nowhere there was this blade shaped dune area. It was the only one like it we passed over. Mysterious.

  Photo by Mike Breiding - Click for larger image   Photo by Mike Breiding - Click for larger image

Where are we now? Southern Utah? Not knowing the exact flight line I can only guess.

  Photo by Mike Breiding - Click for larger image   Photo by Mike Breiding - Click for larger image

I thought the terraced hillside looked interesting and wondered what caused it to form in this particular place.

  Photo by Mike Breiding - Click for larger image

Here is the eastern edge of Lake Mead. We are getting close to Vegas now.

  Photo by Mike Breiding - Click for larger image

Lake Mead is the largest reservoir in the United States in maximum water capacity. It is located on the Colorado River about 24 mi (39 km) from the Strip southeast of Las Vegas, Nevada, in the states of Nevada and Arizona. Formed by the Hoover Dam, Lake Mead is 112 miles (180 km) long when the lake is full, has 550 miles (890 km) of shoreline, is around 1,221.4 feet (372.3 meters) at greatest depth, has 247 square miles (640 km2) of surface, and when filled to capacity, 28 million acre-feet (35 km3) of water. However, the lake has not reached this capacity since 1983 due to increasing droughts.

Source: WikiPedia

  Photo by Mike Breiding - Click for larger image

The section above refers to the droughts in the area. And here you can see the prior water level (white strip) which has not been reached since 1983.

  Photo by Mike Breiding - Click for larger image

Here (and below) you can see a ghostly hint of more of the inundated canyon.

  Photo by Mike Breiding - Click for larger image   Photo by Mike Breiding - Click for larger image

The only boat dock I saw as we flew over.

  Photo by Mike Breiding - Click for larger image

Now, what do you suppose this parking area is for? It seems in the middle of nowhere to me.

  Photo by Mike Breiding - Click for larger image

This is on the eastern edge of Vegas - a newish subdivision next to what looks like a quarry. Or perhaps the initial earth moving for another subdivision.

  Photo by Mike Breiding - Click for larger image

Desert sprawl. Note the lack of trees

  Photo by Mike Breiding - Click for larger image

A look at downtown Vegas and some of the older neighborhoods.

  Photo by Mike Breiding - Click for larger image

Lots of trees here in these older neighborhoods. They look like mostly conifers and palms.

  Photo by Mike Breiding - Click for larger image

The last shot before we landed at McCarran Airport.

  Photo by Mike Breiding - Click for larger image

What a slogan...

  Photo by Mike Breiding - Click for larger image

There are over 200,000 slot machines in Las Vegas. And a few of them are at the airport.

  Photo by Mike Breiding - Click for larger image

This shot is for Betsy!

After collecting my luggage I boarded the shuttle to the Rental Car Center. Then I had the joy of spending the next hour in line and watching the slow as molasses folks at Thrifty process rentals.
I was lucky to get a women who wanted to tell me all about here dead brother who had been killed on the way up to the mountains - where I was going. Jeez...

After I left the rental facility I got on I-15 south which was fairly busy in spots. Lots of trucks hogging both lanes, except when there were truck lanes.
Along the way I stopped at a Micky'Ds for some grub and found a line of about 20 Asians all trying to figure out what the wanted and then relate that to the teen-age counter attendant. It looked like it was going to be a loooong wait. So, I had a quick pee and left.

I got to Barstow and picked up 247 south.
The drive down 247 was wide open Mohave Desert. I then picked up Rt 18 and started the slow and circuitous climb into the San Bernardino Mountains. There were many ancient Junipers clinging from the rocky slopes. That soon gave way to Limber Pine (maybe) and others I did not recognize. There are many conifers here in SoCal. Take a look.

I eventually ended up at Big Bear Lake. A four seasons resort town. The elevation here is around 7,000 feet.

Big Bear Lake

Big Bear was a bit busier than I anticipated. I forgot about it being Friday and lots of folks were coming in for the weekend. Being spatially challenged I got turned around and was sure I was on the wrong side of the lake.
But, that turned out not to be the case and soon I was knocking on Cindi's door. The time is now 3:30 Pacific, 5:30 to me. I was glad to be here.
Cindi showed me around the condo which is flanked by towering Ponderosa Pine which are constantly whispering in the breeze.
We then set out for to run errands and get food and beverages.

Cindi fixed us a nice dinner of baked cod which was heaped high with chunks of tomatoes, peppers and onions. Very tasty!

Then we settled in for a quiet evening here in the Mountains.
I am a long way from home but this feels pretty close to me.

 

 

'Till next time...

 

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