On the road again! In this blog post, you'll see my trip from San Diego to Tiller, Oregon (and back!) where my parents now live.
You'll see some of the work my parents are doing and have done on their beautiful home in Tiller, Oregon (Southern, Central Oregon). [this photo taken in May '08]
You'll meet my mom (and that's Jessie, the great dane there.)
And you'll meet my dad (and there's Jake off in the distance-the white wolf/german shephard mix).
And you'll see just how 'sweet' life is in Oregon. [wild blackberries which grow EVERYWHERE up there!]
Brilliant!
Usually one of my first stops on my trip up is a farmers market that's right off the freeway. They've got awesome fruit. It's right at the bottom of the grapevine. Anyway...this time I picked up a pineapple-watermelon for my folks. It looks like a regular watermelon but when you cut into it, it's the color of pineapple (still tastes like watermelon)...it's crazy!Maybe 50 miles after this stop, I encountered something that struck me as just not right.
Now, this has got to be one of the grossest, strangest and smelliest sightings I've had on the nearly 900 mile drive on I-5 from San Diego to Tiller.
I first smelled the contents of this truck way before I ever saw it.
You're seeing what I first saw..what looks like an ear of maybe a cow? donkey? horse? I was very curious and completely disgusted. The guy driving the truck looked like it was just another day on the job.
So I hustled past the truck and got off where there was an overpass so I could stop and take this photo from above. It was a trash truck full of what looks like dead cows. It smelled to high heaven! I can't imagine where he was taking these animals, what had happened to them, and why, oh why are they completely exposed for all to see?!?!
I was on that 4-hour stretch of I-5 highway where it's nothing but a two-lane highway of miles and miles of farmland and nothing but big rigs to manouver. Usually, if you're seeing something in trucks, it's tomatoes like this truck is carrying or maybe oranges, walnuts or hay....but DEAD CARCASSES?! Never seen before!
This is more like the typical stuff I see on the trip up. Water towers,
Farms,
Tractors,
more tractors,
Okay, don't usually see firetrucks either, but more typical than a truck filled with dead animals!
On the trip home I saw probably about 15-20 different firetrucks/crews from all over California heading back up north after being in San Diego/LA counties helping out with the wildfires there. 
Funny sign I thought. 
Now it's getting close to dusk. I think I was approaching Shasta Mountain here. 
Yup! There it is!
Sunset on Interstate 5.
I thought this picture turned out to look like a painting. 
California countryside. Stunning!
YEAH! Finally! After 15.5 hours of driving here we are...home sweet home away from home. Okay...this picture isn't from this road trip obviously....but I thought it'd be nice for you to see the whole house.
Anyway...There's plenty of gorgeous things to see once I get to my parents house. My mom took these photos of this little guy.
She said this little doe wasn't in a hurry to go anywhere-even with her snapping photos.
"You can't see me. I'm invisible behind this post." :-)
Here's Pamela Favorite, my mom with the devil cat. His name is Digit and he's a pain in the ass. The only person he likes is my mom. He tolerates my dad, mostly because my dad likes to tease him. But Digit HATES me and every other person, including my brother. He'll hiss even if I get close to him.
Here's mom with one of her many projects. She built this log fence!
I don't know what she's doing on the roof, but my parents are very much do-it-themselves. Very creative and I'm always amazed by what they're capable of!
I love this picture! Satellite Goddess!
They live in near the Umpqua National Forrest. It's simply gorgeous there!
Giving the dogs their daily treat.
Stoking the fire.
Here's my dad, Dick Favorite. I think it was almost 16 months my dad hadn't shaved or cut his hair.
Maybe my mom convinced him the ZZ Top look was no longer in fashion.
Because he was clean shaven with a new haircut this October visit. Here he is posing with his latest project. He's laying a driveway.
All by himself. Bucket by Bucket. Crazy!
Pouring...
Raking...
More pouring,
Waiting for concrete to dry.
It's looking good!
He's incredible, don't cha think???
So, that's a little of my mom and dad. Conquerers of the Oregon Wilderness! :-)
Okay...let's do a little road trip up some back-woods logging roads of Tiller, Oregon. First, get the dogs loaded!
Tin Hat Pond. My first time here.
Mom checking out the vegetation. (or maybe picking up an aluminum can?) Looks like she's in the water. She's not.
Pretty, huh?
No one there!
Walking around Tin Hat.
Even though it was really sunny, it was chilly-probably in the 50's this day.
Okay, let's head back home. Jake needs some help up, his hips don't work too well.
Saw some cows on another afternoon drive with dad.
That's when we came across this guy in the road. Rattlesnake.
Crazy!
You can see in the photos that the snake was pretty mobile. He wanted nothing to do with us.
He's actually lifting his head in a threatening way as if he's gonna strike. Dad thought it was funny.
Now he's working on his escape.
Closer now to the brush.
Once there, it gets really hard to see him and he moves quickly almost tumbling down the hill.
His camoflauge works perfectly. 
I realize this picture is blurry, but that snake is in there on the center-left part of the photo. You can barely see him!! Makes me think twice about hiking in open woods.
How about a bike ride? These next photos were taken while on an hour ride from my parents house.
BEAUTIFUL!
Little creek near Bear Market (about 2 miles from my parents house)
Me looking over the Umpqua River. (what a dork!)
This view is about the equivolent of 2 blocks from my parents house.
Okay...time to head back to San Diego...here's the sunrise on the 5.
Shasta Lake.
The 4 hour stretch of farm land in Central California.
Acquducts make it all possible.
View from the visita point.
That's it folks! I'm back home in San Diego and looking forward to moving into my studio in another week!!! Top floor, corner unit overlooking all of downtown San Diego! LOVE IT!!!
