Driving Home 02-29-16

It was a seven hour drive today, including one pit-stop, a gas fill up and an hour and a half to drive the 1/2 hour drive from Pasadena to the 57Fwy.  The traffic was light until Pasadena and there was only one construction project which wasn't much of a hold up.  The sky was blue, as I went south the hills and fields went from very green to mostly brown.  Rain is predicted for the weekend - but we will believe it when we see it!  The hold up east of Pasadena was a multi-car accident which included a motor home over the side, requiring a crane on the roadway to haul it out.  So, three right hand lanes were closed.  The traffic was mostly stop with a short "go" in between.  Gr-r-r-r. When I finally reached home I unloaded part of the car and then took a nap which gave me a second wind.  Now it is all unloaded - but not all put away.  That is the downside of traveling - coming home to unload, put things in their place, go through the mail and do the laundry!   But it was worth it - a fine trip.

After driving across the fertile valley from Mary's the road goes up over Pacheco Pass (elevation 1,368 feet) a winding, but well designed climb.

  

At the top there is a stretch of flat road where trucks stop to test their brakes.  Once over the top the highway winds down around the large San Luis Reservoir which isn't very full right now and hasn't been for five or six years.   

I turned south onto I-5 and discovered that I had missed the almond trees full bloom - I should have driven up on I-5 instead of 101.  See how white it is under the trees; looks like snow.  But it is the fallen petals of the almond flowers.

It is really obvious in this picture.

On the east side of the highway the land stretches out flat to the foot hills of the Sierra.  Lots of farming and cattle and sheep raising. 

While to the west side the almond groves continue for miles.

Finally we are out of the farmed area and the raw land is carpeted with a yellow flower I cannot identify, spread out between the sagebrush.  The coastal mountains are just shadows in the distance. 

 

And then I am on the 210 Fwy going east from Pasadena.  I was very familiar with the Honda in front of me as we crept along for miles.   See that strange brown thing in the 2nd lane over?

It is a truck full of irrigation pipes.  Seems like a heavy load.  It also was around for miles!

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