Miscellaneous: Annular Eclipse of the Sun (May 20, 2012)

I just got back from Reno, having made a spur-of-the-moment decision to drive there this morning to get a better view of the annular solar eclipse today (actually, now yesterday). From Santa Rosa the full ring at the peak of coverage would not have been visible. We went to the Fleischmann Planetarium on the Reno Campus of the University of Nevada--it seemed a likely spot to find people who'd be watching. Unfortunately, it clouded over exactly at the best moment (photo), which obscured the views of the ring of light around the moon's shadow, but it was still a lot of fun to see.

On the Road: (Pacific Northwest, 2011) Home Again

I'm home again today, having stayed last night in Reno--at the same hotel I used on the way out, again for $27 a night. I stayed the previous night in Eugene, Oregon. Most of the past two days was spent driving through pretty countryside--lush in southern Oregon, gradually drier and more rocky as I moved into California and Nevada. Along the way I stopped at the Lower Klamath National Wildlife Refuge, where I took the driving tour of the wetlands there. I got a new life bird, the Redhead, a duck that's not that uncommon, but one I'd never managed to see before. There were hundreds of Eared Grebes (photo), in the breeding plumage we rarely see at home in Sonoma County. Otherwise, it was mostly Coots, Scaup, and White Pelicans--and blue dragonflies, whole clouds of them clinging to the vegetation by the water. Along the way, stopped at a stoplight, I found myself behind a pair of bikers. Check out their license plates (hers says BW8N4ME, his says IBW8N4U).

On the Road: (Pacific Northwest, 2011): Reno to Bend, Oregon

I'm now having a late dinner (10:00PM) at a McMenamins brew pup in Bend, Oregon, having left Reno this morning. I have yet to find a hotel, but first things first. I took a quick drive around Reno before heading out. I see that there are some older, more interesting neighborhoods, but I took only a quick look. Nothing startlingly interesting--although I did happen to drive by an odd house (?) that looked like a Hawaii-themed campsite, if that makes sense. It looked like what might be called a "folk art environment." Hmmm.... No idea what it was, but it may warrant investigation next time I'm in that area.

Hit the road fairly early, heading first for a place called Honey Lake Wildlife Area, along the northeast shore of Honey Lake. I walked around a bit and saw some birds, notably, dozens of Nighthawks both flying around the way they do, looking for insects on the wing, but also perched in trees, which I've never seen before. Nighthawks are one of my favorite birds. I used to love to watch them at dusk in Ohio, behaving like bats. They don't live where I live now, so it was a lot of fun just to see them. There were many Western Kingbirds (very noisy), a couple of Kestrels, many Brewer's Blackbirds and Red-winged Blackbirds, including at least one that appeared to be a Tricolored Blackbird. There was a Yellow-headed Blackbird as well, and a solitary Spotted Sandpaper.

The rest of the day was mostly spent driving north on Hwy. 395 and then Hwy. 31 and Hwy. 97, to Bend--a long haul, but vastly more interesting than equivalent drives through Nevada or Kansas. At least the scenery was varied and interesting. It was rough and parched in some areas, with exposed rock seams pushing out from softer, eroded rock, looking like gigantic fossil bones. In other places there were lush-looking grasslands and wildflowers--many purple lupines--and always mountains in the distance. About half way along the route, I passed a second large lake, which appears to have been Lake Summer. As I approached Bend, a snow-capped volcanic cone appeared, which may have been Mt. Bachelor. In several places along the route I dodged thunderstorms like then one pictured above.

On the Road: (Pacific Northwest, 2011) Santa Rosa to Reno

Drove the slow route, through Winters on my way east and north from Santa Rosa, heading for the Lake Tahoe area. These are mostly familiar roads. I stopped at Lake Berryessa, near the Montecito Dam to look at the interesting rock formations there--places where sedimentary strata have been turned completely on their side. Stopped here and there to look for birds, but didn't see anything of interest. From Winters I took the freeways, as it was getting late. As it is, I didn't arrive in Reno until about 8:00PM. I had trouble finding a place to eat that was still open at 9:00, which seems bizarre in a casino town, but I found a 4-star hotel room for $27 dollars using Hotwire--first time I've ever done that, but it was brilliant. Had a nice glass of Loire Rosé at an excellent little wine bar called the West St. Wine Bar (148 West St.). Dead on a Tuesday night, but, as a result, had a long, interesting conversation with the man behind the bar, Chase, who had lived and worked in Italy. Very friendly, very knowledgeable. He recommended a restaurant around the corner that serves late, where I had a tasty grilled cheese sandwich--a very late dinner. He told me about an old section of town that I plan to check out on my way out of town--heading north on Hwy 395. The sunflower field below was between Winters and Davis.

On the Road: Salt Lake City to Reno, Nevada

Made it into Reno, Nevada late last night. It was a long drive from Salt Lake City, via I-80, but the alternative would have been to head south, by way of Las Vegas, and that would have left me in Los Angeles and added another day of driving just to get somewhere, so Reno made more sense. I plan to do some bird watching today near Lake Tahoe, but expect to be home late this afternoon--after more than three weeks of driving. America is a big country.

On the Road: Reno

I find myself in Reno, Nevada, after a long day of driving not redeemed by a great deal interesting along the way and made somewhat arduous by almost non-stop construction work along the route. I decided to stay in Reno mostly because it was a convenient day's drive from home, and because casino towns usually have cheap hotels. Reno looks much like Las Vegas but not nearly so over-the-top. I have little interest in gambling, but I had a cold beer in one of the casinos because I was hot and tired, which was very refreshing. The people look mostly bored and lonely, and there is little interaction going on. Mostly people stare at slot machines, or video poker tables. A few more-animated groups are at craps tables and roulette wheels. I mostly enjoyed the wild neon lights in the place, The Peppermill.

Heading further east tomorrow, assuming my car is still in the parking lot in the morning. Haven't yet decided where I'll stay. Salt Lake City may be too far, but it's the next logical stop. I dread the barren expanse of northern Nevada I will have to cross to get there. I'm hoping there will be some good birding around the Salt Lake area, though.