From Santa Rosa, CA to Roseburg, OR

Haven't had a lot of spare time to make blog entries the last couple of days, so I've got a lot of ground to cover - both metaphorically and geographically.  Santa Rosa is almost as far away from southwest Virginia as we get on this trip, but it was also the place where I have seen the most people with connections back home.

Robin and Hardy warming up before the show

The stage at the Wells Fargo Center for the Arts

Entrance to the theater

We arrived at the Wells Fargo Center for the Arts Thursday morning for a sold out student matinee.  The show went well and afterwards I had a chance to visit with Don Bowman and his girlfriend Julie.  Don is the son of Larry and Joyce Bowman, friends back in Bristol.

During the afternoon break Robin, Mike O and I took a cab to Paradise Ridge, one of the many vineyards that make the area around Santa Rosa known as California's Wine Country.  It was a quick but relaxing visit.

Mike O and Robin kicking back with a view over one of the Paradise Ridge vineyards

Llamas on the hillside overlooking the winery

Had our second show that night and things went well.  The Wells Fargo Center hosts a lot of different types of entertainment, from music acts to comedians to plays.  In fact, the folks there told us that Wells Fargo is one of HBO's main places to tape specials.  The folks there were incredibly kind and accommodating.

Wells Fargo marque at night

The front of the theater reflecting the sunset

After the evening show I had a chance to visit with Mary Ann Slaughter and her husband Allan Moss.  Mary Ann is a friend from way back.  She and I worked together in radio theater in the 90's and even did some Theatre Bristol work together back in the 70s and 80s.  She now lives in Napa (about an hour from Santa Rosa) and had seen in the San Francisco newspaper that we were going to be in Santa Rosa so she'd made plans to drive the hour from Napa to attend our show.  Mary Ann also has a Barter connection.  Her daughter Lisa was once an apprentice at Barter several years ago.

The next morning we headed north from Santa Rosa toward Oregon.  As has been the case so often on this trip, the scenery continued to awe us.

Ben and Sean appreciating the northern California countryside

Going into northern California takes you into the southern end of the Cascades and near the town of Red Bluff we could make out Lassen Peak, the southernmost active volcano in the Cascade range.  Before Mount St. Helens, Lassen Peak was the site of the last volcanic eruption in the Cascades (in 1915).

Lassen Peak

As we moved further north the terrain became even more mountainous and in the distance we could see Mount Shasta.  It pretty much dominated the horizon until well after we made in into Oregon.  As we continued north clouds began moving into the mountains and stayed with us all the way to our stop in Roseburg, Oregon.

Mount Shasta

Clouds roll into the valleys of the southern Cascades

Sunset in Oregon

After we checked into our hotel several of us walked a couple of blocks to Casey's, a highly-recommended diner.  We weren't disappointed.  It wasn't crowded and the service and the meals were outstanding.

Vince ordered the special for takeout at Casey's.  It took two huge bags to hold it all.  If you're ever in Roseburg, go there to eat.  It's well worth it.

This is our last golden day off on tour so we're not travelling today.  It's a rainy day in Roseburg and even the locals admit that there's not much to do in town.  Several people are renting cars for drives into the mountains or over to the Pacific, about an hour-and-a-half trip either way.  Some of us are taking advantage of the time just to chill and relax here.

I have to say that even though there's not much to do, the people I've met in Roseburg have been - without exception - some of the friendliest and most outgoing folks we've met on tour.  If the folks at the Windmill Inn and Casey's are any indication, Roseburg is a truly cordial community.  So I might just make a visit downtown if for no other reason than just to chat with folks along the way.  Not a bad way to spend a day off.