Rain on I-5 10-14-09

Time for the Pacific International Quilt Festival! Which requires a drive up to Mary's in San Juan Bautista - it was unavoidable that today was the day. The first rain Southern California has had since last winter - February, maybe. When I posted last night it was already raining, but with the newer windows I couldn't hear it! Rain off and on all night and this morning, but not much wind in our neighborhood. I managed to diddle around getting ready and doing things I should have done days ago - my usual procedure for a road trip!

It rained through Pasadena and across the foothills (where the fires were so bad) along the 210 Fwy. Then I turned onto the I-5 and started up into the mountains when I hit REAL rain. But it didn't last long. In the Lexus the windshield wipers come on automatically when rain is detected - they are well trained as they came on periodically during the entire 5-1/2 hour drive!

At this point I could see the edge of the storm off to the northeast - the pavement is wet, but it is spritzing more than actually raining.

Down in the valley the clouds were low and slanting sunlight shining through the openings was quite lovely

The cotton is currently being harvested. Here is a truck loaded with one of those huge "bales" of cotton that I have shown previously lined up along the edges of the picked over cotton fields.

See: http://delquilts.blogspot.com/2007/11/driving-i-5-again-11-15-07.html

Not many cars on the road, but trucks, trucks and more trucks. Here is a row of nine. They kept pulling out to pass each other and the half dozen or so cars behind would pile up. I do think some truckers like to do this. Sort of "throwing their weight around."