Happy Birthday to Sorrel Ann, on a day (with typical music tasks accomplished early... composition of The Decameron - Day 2, page 38; and pdf for San Timoteo Can[yon]tata 25) that leads up to 8911 feet by evening, and begins at about 179, racing across the Sacramento Valley and up into the
Sierra Foothills,
with
fire
in
the
mountains around Yankee Jim and Iowa Hill --
adjacent to Auburn and
Colfax --
smoke chiaroscuroing the scenery past
Emigrant and
Yuba Gap /
Pass /
Canyon
all the way
to
Castle
Ridge,
the skies clearing by
Donner Canyon and
Pass,
heading across the
Truckee River,
through
Martis
Creek
Valley,
up and over into the Tahoe Basin,
crossing
into
Nevada,
and
up the slope of
431,
beginning the walk at
Upper
Grade
Parking
(c. 8000 feet),
through
the
interior
uplands
to
Tahoe
Meadows,
with
more
views
all
around.
Briefly
explore
several
trailheads
before
continuing
as
far
upslope
as
possible
(a new John Cage piece, ASFUASP? --
on the road, at least)
to
Mount
Rose
Summit
(Pass).
The return is again a long one,
winding
down
into
the
greater
Reno
Valley,
north on 395, and back west on 80 to another half-a-night of avid class preparations before a few hours repose.
