Valyermo – Approach and Retreat

Posted on September 29, 2002 in Travels - So Cal Weather

A thick layer of selfish clouds hovered over the valley and withheld rain. The broad shelf rammed itself against the saw teeth of the San Gabriels and held its place. It was cool, a truer autumn day than the previous ones. I looked for signs of the wildfire as I approached the mouth of Cajon Pass. If there was smoke, however, the clouds disguised it.

I drew in a long draught of atmosphere when we stopped for gas at the Pass. A stiff wind chilled me. I would not have been too surprised to have seen bits of ice crashing down. The glowing ash and heavy barbecue scent I expected to smell from the fire, however, were missing. I wondered if it still burned or if this cold weather had robbed the fire tripod of one of its legs.

A hundred yards out of Cajon Junction, along Route 138, traffic backed up. I checked the roofs of oncoming cars to see if people had lashed personal belongings to them. I saw nothing of the sort nor any overcrowded cars nor any panicked looks in the eyes of the drivers. Caltrans called the halt to weld in a new guardrail, not to evacuate Wrightwood.

The oppressive cloud cover broke just past the Wrightwood turnoff. The desert stretched north from the sharp north front of the San Gabriels. It would not be a prostrating day, but I would arrive in San Bernardino after the fair with a reddened face.

On Sunday, we left my mother’s house, did a long dog leg out towards Los Angeles to see Frances at the Episcopal Home, and then came back down Interstate 5. Our mountain was a deep navy blue. Clouds snagged on the peak, but they dropped no rain.