Gorgeous sunrises and the sound of hot air balloons overhead made it even harder to leave Calistoga on a weekend.  We were going to miss lots of great happenings.  A chocolate buffet, wine and chocolate tasting and weekend farmers markets were just a few.   Must make a note on next year’s calendar to stay longer.

We took a few back roads so the trip to Chico was a bit bumpy.   Miles and miles of fields, this being farming country and all, going on for hours.   We spotted dozens of predators perched above the fields watching for the smallest movement that might turn into a meal.

Rice, fruit and almonds (with or without the “l”) scattered helter-skelter over the flat lands.  Had a few dusters come very close overhead as we passed rows and rows of neatly tilled brown soil and then rows and rows of green rice plants.  Looked like a strange patchwork quilt spreading out in all directions.  When we finally got close to Chico the highway turned into town roads and just past the traffic circles…TRAFFIC CIRCLES…HOW THE HECK AM I SUPPOSED TO SNAKE 65 FEET THROUGH 3 TRAFFIC CIRCLE?!  John is still laughing at my expressions while making those turns.

Pulled into our next home base, the Chico Elks Lodge RV Park, and set up camp before exploring to see if anything was left of Becky at 8, 9, 10, 11 and 20 years old and John at 25.  Walk dogs, pay for the space, pizza dinner at a small diner, watch Castle on TV and sleep.