Home from SJBautiste 09-04-09

Driving the Lexus is growing on me - the ride is smoother, I hear less road noise, it tracks much better than the van, and it will do 100mph (should I need to for any reason). I miss the sliding side doors and the large 'trunk capacity' in the Caravan. I miss having some place to put change and other small items in the driver area. But one thing I really enjoy is this 'trip display' among the choices on the dashboard. I'm becoming more adept at driving this car which is reflected in the mpg, 24mpg is what I got in the Caravan on long trips. It is great knowing exactly how many miles I can go on the gas left in the tank. Sorry it is such a poor image - too many reflections - but I took it while driving.

I don't know if the drought is having this effect or it is later than I think. The leaves are already turning on the trees on the road up to Mary's.

Here is a Buckeye tree, always the first to lose it's leaves, but it is already almost completely bare.

Off in the distance a California Sycamore glows in the sunlight. I suppose I can't reconcile the autumn leaves and the temperatures in the 90s while I was up there. It just doesn't seem that autumn is upon us so soon!

The fires in SCalifornia are being contained and several are out. The big Station Fire that I could see so well on my way north on Sunday has burned over the tops of the ridges so only the smoke is visible. I could see Mt. Wilson and it didn't look as though the fire had burned to the top where the venerable Mt. Wilson Observatory is located. The scientists and landmark enthusiasts were very, very concerned. It is so tragic that two firemen lost their lives fighting the fire, which was set by the hand of man.