Squirrels, Part Deux and Automobile Heaven

When I woke up this morning, it was pouring rain!  Oh, no!  I was thinking this would certainly put a damper on my outdoor plans.  But, as I drove east leaving Klamath Falls, OR behind, I found sunny skies and white clouds ahead of me.  I wasn't the only one feeling good.  There were ground squirrels galore running across the road.  They all seemed to avoid getting hit by vehicles, although I came close to nailing one.  A squirrel with a death wish just sat in the middle of the lane as I drove over it...and missed, thankfully!  After driving from Oregon into California, I came upon a state Department of Agriculture inspection station.  The agriculture officer asked me if I had any fruits and vegetables.  I replied carrots and California oranges.  I expected him to ask for my oranges, but he waved me through.  Nice!

My destination for the morning was the Modoc National Wildlife Refuge in Alturas.  I was hoping to see wildlife, particularly waterfowl.  But, the current drought conditions due to lack of snow runoff has left some of the ponds completely dry.  I was still able to see some birds, including an American Avocet and long-billed dowitchers.

While I was at the refuge, I saw the same type of ground squirrels I almost ran over earlier.  A couple of them didn't seem to mind me taking photos of them.  They were so cute!  From the refuge's wildlife guide, I found out they are called Belding's Ground Squirrels and are common in northern California.

In the afternoon, I drove to Reno, NV to visit the National Automobile Museum. This museum, also known as The Harrah Collection, is one of the best auto museums in the world.  I had last been there seven years ago, and I was interested to see if there was anything new.  I love looking at old cars, especially the REALLY old models.  We're talking about stuff from the 1930s or earlier, and this museum has a LOT of those!  I spent a good two hours perusing the collection, which included a 1927 Lincoln L-152, a 1910 Oldsmobile Limited Touring and a 1932 Packard Ninth Series. 

There was also the automobile that won the 1908 New York to Paris Auto Race...an American 1907 Thomas Flyer.  But, not everything in the collection is that old.  Did you ever own a Hot Wheels Beatnik Bandit?  Well, there were a couple of  REAL Beatnik Bandits, built by Ed "Big Daddy" Roth.  And, I put together a Don Prudhomme "The Snake" funny car plastic model when I was a teenager.

Tomorrow, I'll be exploring some more natural beauty.  The weather report looks favorable, and the temps will be cool...just the way I like it!