Dr Thunder Wonders

Greetings,

This blog is NOT devoted to the wonder of Dr Thunder, but rather the sometimes random and sometimes relevant musings, ponderings, or wonders of my life. This is not to say that I am not wonderful, but just that the blog would consist on only two lines of text if this its the sole purpose.

Just arrived into Reno yesterday after a powerdrive (560 miles in 8.5hrs) through the desolate central valley of California. I did manage to catch several dust-devils in the southern end of the valley, and even sisters (two dust devils dancing about one another). I also reported that Sacramento is rapidly spreading southward as card-deck houses are springing up like mad in Elk Grove (one of the fastest growing towns/cities in the US) and areas surrounding.

While the drive along I5 left much to be desired, I80 made up for it. It is a nice drive up into Gold Country passing towns like Auburn and Colfax and eventually into the alpine and granite landscape of the Sierras. I didn't stop at the Truckee Diner, although they apparently get great reviews (not suprising considering its close proximity to Donner Pass).

The descent into the Leeside of the Sierras was pretty dramatic as the boreal evergreen forests gave way to shrubs and desert within a matter of miles. The recent fire NW of Reno was very apparent as a giant hillside is as black as night. Drove past the tempetations of the Casinos which dominate the city skyline of the Reno-Sparks area to the house are which I am staying at for a week.

There a very nice group of Polish students, studying at DRI, UCR, and UNR greeted me very nicely. They even coerced me to try this Polish Bison Grass vodka drink that they mix with apples. Apparently, per capita Poland is the most apple happy country in the world. Guess they find ever which way to use up them apples!