I tend to believe US 97 might be the prettiest, most dramatic, road in the US. From begin to end, it’s the grand tour of the Cascades, the volcanic mountains. From the north, by the time you’ve seen the hundreds of cones, driven through the Newberry Caldera, and crossed a few lava flows, Shasta looks downright dangerous. It’s not, chances are good you’ll make it, but you’ll get a funny feeling in your stomach.
I’m in the Central Valley of California, a town called Orland. It’s just a rest stop overnight before I head into Sacramento for a few days of R&R.