Colorful Keith

My brother and I took off up the river last week to see the fall color.
It was an absolutely beautiful drive, and of course, wonderful to see Keith again.

I can't help but laugh at how goofy he looks here, like a little kids doll. Sorry Keith, but its true!

The Clackamas river is really amazing any time of year, but fall can really blow your mind

vine maple and lichens!

Most of the yellow you see is big leaf maple

rapids

Keith!

Isn't it amazing?

Isabella Rose

Now that I am finally home (yea Oregon!) I get to hang out with my Katerina and her darling Isabella.
She is getting cuter and cuter every time I see her. How am I ever going to resist her?

More hot springs, then headed home

On our last day of driving, we found another hot spring. This one was more built up, but really fascinating.

The hot water came through these channels in the rock and over the end where people built up pools.

It was really fun.

Then we headed across the Sierras. This is a view from Monitor Pass.

And Ebbetts Pass

The sun was setting

What a spectacularly beautiful trip!

Bodie

Back to posting pics about my California road trip.

This is Bodie, a ghost town in eastern CaliforniaIt's an old gold mining town that had quite a reputation for licentiousness and murder.
The place was huge, and is now a state park

Most of the houses are amazingly intact (or what is left after some huge fire at the turn of the century)

Most people apparently just up and left everything

It was kind of fun to wander around and peek into all the windows.

The old church

A sawmill for firewood. Almost worth more than gold in this crazy place

An old car

Inside one of the old blacksmith's shops. See the giant bellows?

The general store

The school

a lesson

Max and Rin in the old mine elevator

The road to Bodie

Another cold night

After Mono lake, we found a camping site on road to Bodie. I have to say, I think this was my favorite camping site ever.

The view was spectacular

Then there was the whole god fingers thing

Pretty mountains
Max making dinner. We ate pretty well on the trip
The sunset got pretty spectacular as the night went on

The real thing was so much better, fingers of fire and all that

Morning was truly spectacular

Max took this pic of me and Rin

lovely