Navigating the fires

We knew about all the fires – everything out West is burning, mostly nearer the coast in California. Since we entered British Columbia on our way south, there was a constant haze of smoke in the air. Some days it was denser, and other days just a light haze, but always there. Since we were sticking to the far eastern edge of California we assumed we would be all right – wrong again!

We knew I -5 was closed in central California so we planned to avoid it like the plague. We were still sticking with US Hwy 97 planning to veer more easterly outside of Klamath Falls Oregon. That is when the first surprise occurred – Oregon Highway Patrol had blockaded Oregon Hwy 39 heading southeast out of Klamath Falls due to uncontained fires there. After being forced into a tiny neighborhood area where 50-foot rigs should not be driving, we managed to find our way back to 97. A quick scan of the atlas showed a California Scenic Highway 161 running east along the California/Oregon border that would take us back to California Hwy 139 – the same as Oregon 39. We just took it, hoping it 50-foot rig friendly, and that 139 would be back open by then. We did OK on both accounts.

As we checked in for the night in Standish CA, Arnie, the RV Park owner, asked us where we were off to tomorrow. We told him Willow Springs, which was pretty much a straight shot on US 395 south. He told us that he had just heard on his radio that US 395 was closed between Truckee and Bridgeport – directly in our route – and when we checked with CA DOT, that was true. Another uncontrolled wildfire was there.

So, we are in the throes of trying to get around that wildfire by taking small Nevada state highways just east of the California border, trying to make our way back west below the fire. The only good news in this whole ordeal was that I was trying to get the Equinox registration renewed, and was navigating all kinds of barriers having to do with not being able to get a smog check in Nevada. So, with any luck, I will be able to find an open smog check station along our route.

Talk to you soon!