An Unusual (for us) Christmas

Klamath River just north of Yreka, California

Driving north out of Tucson at about 2 PM, December 23rd, we had planned to get on the road with half a day's drive to Parker, Arizona, but left later than we had hoped. The traffic was thick when we hit the freeway but we had expected that. Our logic for leaving when we did was based on giving ourselves a relatively easy first day. Driving after dark doesn't real work out to be easy but it was just how it had to be.

After we got past Phoenix, traffic thinned out for awhile in terms of those heading west but the freeway driving east was unending. I wondered whether they were visiting family, friends or was this a Sun Valley break? As the sky darkened, it was like a chain of golden lights stretching clear across the seemingly endless valleys.

With the sun setting, the horizon took on one of the prettiest lightings I have seen while driving this route. Maybe it was the lingering dust in the air from the previous day's wind or maybe the low sun. The sunset was a brilliant orange with light shining out from it as it filled the rim of the valley.

In Arizona, many times you drive down wide valleys and on all sides are mountain ranges. Often I have seen them with many shades of purple, but this was different. It was as though all of those mountains radiated light from behind them. They glowed as though being haloed. I didn't try to drag out the camera because I knew it wouldn't photograph. It was the impact of seeing such light all around you more than one specific photo opportunity.

On the narrow road north to Parker, after having left the LA to Phoenix freeway, a big dump truck filled with gravel bounced some out to slam against our windshield which cracked it. Of course! This had been the trip of glitches. The cracked windshield was to be the final one but one that will have to be fixed likely with a replaced windshield (we had raised our deductible the same day it happened). The crack widened some in the cold of Northern California but it basically didn't impact driving safely as it was so low.

The next morning, Christmas Eve Day, we drove all day through California. Traffic wasn't too bad. It had its moments but not more than usual given it's a freeway that moves a LOT of people. We drove that day from before light until after dark to get as far as possible making it the day from hell for our cats and us.

Basically the cats, both of them, handled the drive better than previous trips. The elder, BB, meowed a little but nothing like usual. The sad part was the younger one, Blackie, who saw it all as awful. He was stoic in his box, while the older one made any noise required.

At one point BB discovered he could pick up a false bottom that we had put into the carrier to keep him above any 'accidents' he had (he's infamous for accidents), but when he realized he could pick it up and drop it, he began doing it and doing it and doing it. Bang Bang Meow Meow Bang Bang. He soon lost his false bottom and it got quieter. His expression and the claws pretty well say it all about how he handled this.
It's a shame we cannot explain to our pets what is going on, but it was just how it had to be, and how it had to be was not fun for them. We did learn that by getting them out a couple of times, to run around the truck, to look out, that they would do then be happier when back in their boxes. They were wide-eyed and not happy but then who is happy on a long drive?

It is very weird to stay in a freeway motel on Christmas Eve even though we did have our cat kids with us. The Best Western parking lot in Corning was nearly empty of cars when we arrived and only had four when we left Christmas morning. We didn't have a dinner that night but settled for microwave popcorn (very handy to take on trips if you haven't tried it), Merlot, dry food for the cats, and a good night's sleep.


Christmas morning saw the least traffic on I-5 that I have ever seen. I did get out my camera by then to photograph Mount Shasta and the freeway ahead near Yreka. One car was all you could see on either set of lanes.


We had a bountiful Christmas breakfast at the Black Bear cafe in Yreka. It wasn't something we had planned but when we saw it was open, we jumped at the chance. Usually on long trips our meals are from fast food or we have it with us. That morning it was very nice to go in there where so many were family or friends. It felt like one big family gathering.

The prettiest part of the trip was driving through Medford, Oregon with freezing fog turning the world into a very different place. I had never seen fog that seemed to be like giant trees, something about the light and the heavy fog created a different world. I would have sworn we were surrounded by high hills covered with trees but I knew we were not. It was our second gift of mystical feeling lighting on the trip.

Anyway we are home. Everything looks great here. The cats are still stressing some. The younger one has been the most because the elder stresses us when he's not happy. The younger takes it all in and suffers with it longer. I am fixing us a turkey dinner with all the trimmings since we missed out on that by being on the road. Gotta have those leftovers.

For awhile, I won't be posting as much (although I put one together about the final touches on the house and photos of how it looked as we left. We have a lot to do here before we meet our kids and grandkids in Sunriver for our long-planned, family Christmas gathering (hoping for snow). We are looking forward to that even though it means leaving the cats behind (they won't mind).

(All photos from Shasta north to Medford)