Chico 4 September 2020

As long as we were on our side of the hill, the air was clear and the temperature was delicious. Lots of new pavement on Comptche-Ukiah Road.  Lots of traffic, too. The 11 o'clock UPS truck was late.

But the thick grasses are tinder dry, just itchin' to burst into flame. All along the way, I was seeing overgrown forest, thick undergrowth, a fuel load to write home about. I am so glad we don't live in this part of the County.

Down into the miasma and north, the freeway vanishes into the cloud ...and heading this way, the smoke is thinning. An amazing amount of traffic, and lots of out-of-state licenses. I guess there's no plague over here. (Au contraire; 80% of the contagion is inland. Get me outta here!)

Very civilized lunch at the Blue Wing Saloon at the Tallman Inn in Upper Lake. Perfect service; we shared a not particularly picturesque but delicious Philly Cheese Steak. The Girl from Philly said “Meh, bun's too lofty but maybe I like that ...and better than Philly meat.” One of the ongoing mysteries: why people call something a familiar name when it's nothing like..?

Clear Lake was covered by a thin layer of smoke, making its surface look fuzzy.

Temperature beginning to rise above 100° already. All along the way the side of the road is covered with ready-to-burn grass.

Out into the Valley at Williams, and the horizon is gone: no Buttes, no Sierras. Lots of Almonds (say “Aah-muns”) and Walnuts, then fields and fields and fields of viridian green Rice.

The heat is debilitating. We're in our sweet little apartment on Flume Street right across from Saturday Market. Soon's I hit return, we're off the Chad's.