Typist: Bethany
Nineteen days ago when driving into Yakima, Washington, I was reminded of how much I love volcanoes. During our pet friendly road trip to the Southwest, I didn't think I had forgotten about my passion for the Cascade mountain range. Yet when I got my first glimpse of Mount Shasta, the Cascades southern most peak, it took my breath away. I guess it is true that absence makes the heart grow fonder. But I am not the only one who missed the mountains. I know three traveling dogs and a cockatoo who were quite pleased to be back in Cascadia as well.
Nineteen days ago when driving into Yakima, Washington, I was reminded of how much I love volcanoes. During our pet friendly road trip to the Southwest, I didn't think I had forgotten about my passion for the Cascade mountain range. Yet when I got my first glimpse of Mount Shasta, the Cascades southern most peak, it took my breath away. I guess it is true that absence makes the heart grow fonder. But I am not the only one who missed the mountains. I know three traveling dogs and a cockatoo who were quite pleased to be back in Cascadia as well.
The only dog friendly hike near downtown Mt Shasta is Gray Butte. However, the road to the trail head was closed due to snow. Yes. Snow. It is almost 7,000 feet up after all. So we parked at the Bunny Flat trail head and walked up the road until the snow became too deep to safely pass. The dogs were thrilled to see snow. Leo was surprised to see snow. And we all had a wonderful time.
 Hooray for snow! |  Snow! Snow! Snow! |  Snow? |
A gorgeous day in Cascadia, Shasta-Trinity National Forest, Mt Shasta, California.
| I certainly love the Shasta-Trinity area and could take an entire three week vacation just there. But this three week road trip is winding down so we must continue north through Cascadia towards our house in Seattle. I have driven this stretch of Interstate 5 more times than I care to count. This time, however, all of the green was particularly striking. I enjoyed the colors of the deserts we recently visited but all of the green of the Rogue and Umpqua valleys had me grinning from ear to ear for hours. |  Leo catches one last lovely view of Mount Shasta from his Popemobile. |  Day four drive from Mt Shasta, California to Salem, Oregon: 316 miles. |
We stopped amid the green in Wolf Creek, Oregon. The sign on the interstate said there was a historical site and a park. That seemed the perfect pet friendly road trip stop. And it was! Except for the ticks. Taking the good with the bad, though, before we even got out of the van we saw a healthy and happy wild turkey. Leo was very impressed. I wish it had eaten more ticks.
Leo with a wild iris at Wolf Creek Park, Wolf Creek, Oregon.
 Huxley and Wilhelm on the bank of Wolf Creek. |  Brychwyn and Huxley on the trail at Wolf Creek Park. |
Despite the extensive tick check I had to do before we left Wolf Creek Park, we couldn't leave town without a visit to the Wolf Creek Inn. This 1883 tavern is the state of Oregon's oldest continuous use hotel and Jack London stayed there in 1911. Since after this photo shoot we drove on the state capitol, I have a feeling our Oregon history lessons are just beginning. Hopefully this was the end of the ticks, though. While spending almost three weeks away from Cascadia made the Cascadian Nomads canines, psittacine and human miss our home, absence does not make the heart grow fonder when it comes to blood sucking parasites.
The historic Wolf Creek Inn, Wolf Creek, Oregon, Cascadia.
Please forgive any & all rough spots in this post as it has been done on mobile from the road! We will be reading and enjoying your comments but, due to being on the road, it will be difficult for us to respond right away. Thanks for understanding and for coming along on our adventure.
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