Reno to San Fran

The sun follows you as you head for the foothills. Reno falls away behind you as you near the hills. You cross the border into California. Mountains loom up in front of you at the end of the desert floor. The land off to either side of you is brown sandy desert. It is the type of desert that can easily develop mirages. You start to climb in elevation as you leave the desert. As you climb the first bit of foliage you see is shrubbery which develops into a thick forest. You enter Tahoe National Forest. You have to ascend and descend a few mountains.

The most infamous hill is Donner Pass. Donner Pass takes the longest to go up and is very steep. It is named after a group of pioneers named the Donner Party. The pioneers met a tragic end on the pass. They were convinced by a wagon train leader that he knew a shortcut through the mountains. Sadly, winter was fast approaching. When the party reached the peak, a storm blew in and buried the mountain in more than 6 feet of snow. It killed everyone in the party which included children.

The mountains are covered in beautiful tall pine trees. The trees produce pine cones 2 feet tall. There is a rest stop at the top and you stop there to stretch your legs. The air is much thinner and cleaner up here than in Reno. It is hot but enjoyable. A short time later you get back on the road and start your descent.

You reach the bottom of the mountains and leave the Tahoe National Forest. The land is yellow and has some spots of green.The drought has starved the land of water and causing a high chance for fires.You travel through some small towns and a short while later reach Sacramento. The land becomes a lush green. You pass over a beautiful river that is lined with beautiful trees. You can see downtown a couple miles away. It reminds you a lot of Boise, just bigger.

You leave the green city behind and head for San Francisco. It only takes about an hour and a half to reach the home of the Golden Gate. You pass a Six Flags off to you right when you enter Vallejo. After that, to both sides of the freeway are acres and acres of houses. It is like a giant subdivision. You hop onto a bridge and are able to look out at San Fransisco Bay. The bay is is beautiful. The water isn't clear but it shines like dark blue crystal glass.