Update Part 2

Day Four: Leave for Grass Valley via Nevada City. Drove through Donner Pass and marveled at the cold, snowy, rocky summit of Donner Peak. Amazing to think of the human suffering that went into the move west for many people. Drove into Nevada City to explore the old part of town and had a nice lunch at the Broad Street Café, where they allow dogs on the patio under your table. Poked around antique shops and nature stores with Clare. Found an old water mill and gold extractor and Clare had many questions about power and crushing rocks and gold and water. We all napped in the RV on a quiet street in a peaceful afternoon. Left for Gaby and Adrian’s house in Weimar (Grass Valley) and met up with them about 5pm. They have two horses and two they keep in pasture for their neighbors, three dogs, two cats, and a pond full of frogs. When we added two more dogs to that, all hell broke loose! Hartley is going out of his mind trying to figure out what a horse is, and learning that you can’t chase them!
Dinner: Lisa made pork loin with apples and raisins, and crispy potatoes

Day Five: Lazy breakfast with Adrian making eggs and four kinds of toast. Gaby shows Clare the “Crick” that runs down the back of the house, and the pond that it empties into. Clare is still gathering sticks for her “stash pile” and loved scooping the tadpoles and small frogs the size of dimes out of the water. Lisa sat by the creek and stroked all the pretty flowers and peeled sticks. Gaby offered to give Clare a ride on Penny, the retired racehorse. Penny got a bareback saddle and Clare got a great 45-minute walk around the paddock with Gaby leading Penny in loops. Clare was ecstatic! Adrian and Tom spent the morning talking politics and financials. Then Clare roped Adrian into going down to the pond and the whole frog/dragonfly/stick/flower event repeated in a lazy, lovely fashion. Naptime was called and all retired. Upon rising we decided that we were too chilled out to go out to dinner and ordered pizza and sat around listening to the crickets and frogs, with an occasional whinny from the cadre outside. Tonight mom and Hartley sleep in the RV for a little peace and quite from the animal parade.
Dinner: Cheesy pizza from a “local” joint.

Day Six: the historic HWY 49 and points unknown!