Alturas is not a place you go to; rather, it is a place that you drive through to go someplace else. This drive is usually done very quickly. I live here for the time being and I was walking around this evening. I felt so many things, really I did. I felt scared because some red necks yelled things and had an ominous looking pick-up truck. I felt depressed because the paved road I was walking on didn't seem to be paved anymore. I was beguiled by some tall, pretty looking trees only to stub my toe while looking up. I was struck mostly by the feeling that this place would be quite nice if people actually cared enough to do something about the general "broken-in-ness" that is very much everywhere. The old shops, old houses and barns would be a nice place to be if you needn't worry about gravity and the various other critters who seem to like things "broken-in." However, mountains are something to see. The Warner Mountains still have snow on them even though it is summer as does Mount Shasta which can still be seen even though one hundred miles away. Things aren't so bad; it's good enough for now.
