Two Days, Four Biomes

To drive across the U.S. is to experience firsthand the great diversity of environments in our country. Friday, we awoke in the dark, and on our perch above Agate beach, we watched the last of the fullish moon over the ocean, reflecting brightly on the water- a perfectly clear night sky above. We drove down the Oregon coast until we just could not assimilate any more wild rugged beauty: the waves in high wind smashing against the many rock outcrops was humbling and breathtaking. We turned eastword just north of Coos Bay for biome number two: the most incredible drive up a river valley toward just south of Eugene. Along this drive, despite the beach winds, we encountered mirror-like river waters reflecting the autumn leaves along the edge, and at one place, a lone fisherman barely making ripples with his line.

Biome number three began after we crossed Interstate 5 in northern California. Here, we drove many hours through evergreen mountains, and saw the most unusual (and sad, to us) dry lake beds. We could not tell if they had been that way for years, or if this was the result of a recent drought. We lasted until Susanville, just west of Reno, then dropped about ten minutes after we checked in to our motel.

Biome four was the stark desert landscapes we encountered in Nevada as we trudged along southward toward Las Vegas, passing through some towns with a wild character way exceeding Bisbee.

Smoke hung over the mountains to the west of us, reminding us of the California wildfires, still ablaze, and we wondered as we grew more tired, if we would find lodging in Las Vegas, or if everyone who could, would- get out of town. It seems they did, because there was not one single room in all of Las Vegas, save a $700 suite at the Bellagio. We were close to panic due to exhaustion, but managed to find a modest room just beyond Vegas. I won my obligatory several hundred dollars at a nearby local casino ($700 to be precise- in the usual way- with less than 20 minutes of wheel of fortune).

That's it for day number three. Of our trip; of the world series, of THE OMNIVORE'S DILEMMA (essay to come on that- oh my gosh!!!)