Portland to Medford

After spending Friday afternoon to Sunday noon with my mother, I took off again -- almost. My first stop was at a nearby coffee shop with wi-fi, where I checked the weather on the road south. Then it was off down I-5 toward my intermediate destination, Medford, a little less than halfway to San Francisco. I had thought of going back via the sea highway, 101, but I thought it would take too long and be too tiring. Besides, I wanted to be in my motel room in Medford in time to watch the "Sopranos" season premiere at 9:00.

The one side trip I did take was to the hamlet of Elmira, about 15 miles west of Eugene, because Richard Brautigan mentions it in his stories. I thought there was a mention of him standing on the bridge over the Long Tom River at Elmira, and I'd always wanted to find this spot to see if it would accord with the misty forested picture I got in my mind when I read Bratigan as a teenager. After circling the area for some time, and appreciating its pastoral beauty, I did find a spot conceivably in Elmira where the road crosses the Long Tom River, but unfortunately the bridge itself was little more than a simple viaduct. I took several pictures, nevertheless, and once I get them developed I'll post them.

Then it was off down the road, and driving was a piece of cake compared to the trip up -- gorgeous hills and green valleys, flowering trees, sheep and cows grazing in pastures, along with the occasional llama. The only thing that kept it from being a perfect day was that I was constantly monitoring my speed. I didn't want to get another speeding ticket.

Tomorrow, home to SF.