Modoc National Forest

At nine this morning I was pulling out of Trader Joes parking lot, headed to highway 17 north. At nine this evening I pulled over on the outskirts of an official campground to camp for the night. It's too dark to be driving around looking for an official spot and this part of the world is so sparcely populated no one will bother me tonight. 

So today I drove. First to South Lake Tahoe where I picked up a resupply box that was sent there for me earlier in the summer. Then east to highway 50, where I dropped over to 395 and just pointed my van north. 

Great clouds today!!!

Two things I found out today. First the forest service campgrounds I looked at had no water. Since I was foolish enough to leave home without a big jug of water I could only cook dinner with the last of my water at the first campsite, then I needed to move on. Secondly this part of the state is without many services. I'm used to looking at a map and seeing small towns along the way, assuming many of these towns would have at least a gas station or small store. No so. Many, many miles went by and still, no stores, no gas. I was sweating bullets, and the little gas indicator was lit up, when I finally pulled into Altruas, CA.

Not too much there...but a gas station and c-store for buying the needed water!

By then it was 8:30 and the closest campground was about ten miles up a side road but that was all I could do for today. It looks like it's pretty here (dark and all now) and I know it rained quite a bit as the ground is soaked and there's some standing water here and there. I'm looking forward to the morning so I can see where I am in daylight. 

5:30 am. Nice.