Crossing San Mateo Bridge – South Bay. Clouds lined the coast but lightened up as I headed east. I didn’t get photos as the traffic was heavy and there were no places to stop, but the valley was beautiful. It had been very hazy when I came through 2 weeks ago – today, the air was clear, the sky was blue and all of the greens, yellows and browns of the farms were vivid.

Part of the moth ball fleet in Benecia-Martinez.

Donner Pass on I-80 is in either poor condition or undergoing reconditioning. Both were tough driving. The areas being worked on had narrow lanes. The poor condition areas rattled everything on board. There was not a rest area open from the East Bay until Donner.

Our spot tonight – more room, more grass, more trees and quiet. It feels good to be here.

No one called me on my naming of this morning’s post “Westward” when I was physically headed East. The west coast states do not have the “wild west” feeling that the inland western states have. Even though I was heading in an eastern direction, I felt like I was heading back to the west.

Not foggy, but very thick, moist, heavy air this morning. Karl and I just returned from our morning stroll and I’m making final preparations to depart. We should be rolling within the 1/2 hour – by 7:15-7:30. Today’s semi-plan is Reno-Sparks area but pressure is off and we’ll do what we feel like. I want to enjoy Donner Pass and the mountains as after that it will be downhill and flat until we turn north next weekend.

Hwy 1 north to 280 south to 101 south across the San Mateo Bridge, out to Dublin and north on some X90 route to I-80 east is today’s route.

See you down the road!

Noon – just finishing a long break in the parking area of Weimar Country Store in Weimar, CA – just east of Auburn and West of Reno. Made a reservation in Fernley, NV 130 miles away – should arrive 3:30-4:30 vicinity and have a nice short day tomorrow.

Drive has been fine and pretty as the valley was clear, but there were NO, NADA, NONE rest areas and we got lucky with this stop. Carol, the proprietor ok’d our parking, a nice long walk for Karl and I acquired a wonderful roast beef, avocado, cheese and onion sandwich as well as fuel. Off we go now.

1:30 – an open rest area at Donner Summit, elev. 7227. Light rain, 42F and still a bit of snow on some of the rocks.

3:30 p.m. – arrived Desert Rose RV Park outside of Fernley, NV. All is well and cool at 52!