Friday: Shasta

After a lovely couple of days, time to head north from Yosemite. The drives here are as interesting as anything as the scenery and small towns are just so varied and evocative.

We had no particular destination in mind for tonight - we just needed a halfway point between Yosemite and our next destination. We had Redding, CA in mind but didn't fancy a larger town so overshot that. So we're now in Shasta Lake - a very tiny town with a motel which hasn't seen any money invested since goodness knows when. We're enjoying it, though, for a different type of experience. I'll also let you in on a big secret that makes all the difference - on road trips, we always bring our own duvets (comforters, dear American friends). If we don't need them, fine - but, if like tonight, they can make a difference, then wonderful!

There's one bar and one restaurant in town. While in the bar, we got chatting to Justin and Danielle and ended up playing pool with them. She's training to be a nurse, he builds swimming pools - they're getting married next year. Both dream of travelling, yet have never left Shasta County.

Here's a picture of our motel reception, such as it is.