nkG & M Travels 2011 #12
Hello to Everyone,
It seems like a while since I last did one of these things. I don't know where the time goes!
Last meek we were at Mt. Shasta and even though we couldn't get all the way up the road, the views
were spectacular. After our drive up we went down to camp at Lake Siskiyou. There was a very nice,
large, private campground that even had a restaurant. So we ate out for once. Well, not exactly out but
we had a beer and ordered food to go and took it home.
Next day we went a tiny bit north of Weed and headed West over the route known as the Trinity
Heritage Scenic Biway. The top half is rather a doozie of a road. Very steep and, while paved, mostly
one lane. Thankfully we didn't have too many other vehicles to contend with. The Trinity River starts
near some meadows just aft er you reach the highest elevation. The rest of the way down is along the
river. At some point we got a more normal hiway and we camped right next to the river just out in the
wilds. It's a lot of National Forest land and it's okay to camp wherever. We had a nice fire and I smoked
a cigar! Just kidding....it was really Mike's cigar but you can see it in the photo with me!
The drive heads South along Trinity Lake and we spent a couple nights there as well. The drive circles
down to Weaverville where Hiway 299 will take you to the coast at Eureka or east to Redding. If we
weren't on our way to Boise, we just may have gone to the ocean, but Redding won out this me. We
had some serious shopping to do and it was our last chance for a Costco in California. Which means that
certain things (well, liquor) are priced extremely well as compared to the next three states we're headed
to....Idaho, Oregon and Washington.
After our shopping spree at the big three, Costco, Walmart and Trader Joes, we headed up I-5. We saw a
sign for Castle Crags State Park and since we could sorta see said crags from the freeway we said "let's go".
It was a good place to stop enroute and we enjoyed hiking up to a view of the crags, as well as Mt.
Shasta, in the morning.
We left I-5 at Weed (we've now gone in yet another circle) and headed up toward Klamath Falls. About
25 miles or so south of the Oregon border we saw a sign that said Juanita Lake CG. A little further along we saw another sign that said the same thing. So we made a U turn and headed down the little road. It
was about ten miles or so off the main hiway to the west and we, unfortunately, picked the wrong road
of the two available to get there in comfort. The road got real skinny but since there's no way to turn
around and we're probably almost there, we kept on.
Finally we were rewarded with one of the nicest
National Forest Service campgrounds ever. And a better road out of the place for later.
We got a spot right on the lake. The campsites were huge and had every type of firepit and bar-b-que
thingie and lantern hanging post ever known to us in all our travels! The camp host (Frank and his dog
Luke) came around and let us know that we got the BEST spot in the place. We already knew that.
Frank had been camp host there for seven or eight years and he and Luke were retiring after this
summer. Frank will be 88 in a couple weeks! And Luke was so cute. He'd run along (with his leash
dragging) in front of Frank in his Bronco to check in with all the campers in the evening.
There is a
PAVED mile and a half trail around the lake. Very nice.
We almost stayed two nights but we were on a deadline to get to Boise on August 5th and it was the 1st.
So on the 2nd (MY BIRTHDAY) we headed up to Klamath Falls. Our primary goal there was to get an oil
change. Mike said it was my birthday present but it wasn't! So then we went and had a mexican
restaurant lunch that was quite good. And off we go down the road to see what we can find next.
There isn't much on this lonely stretch of hiway but we found a National Forest Service info place and
learned that there were several campgrounds up some road about a dozen miles at some little lakes and
a reservoir called Leavi . This is up near Quartz Mountain Pass off Hiway 40. So off we went and found
a special place.
We actually did spend two nights on this lovely little lake. Got to hike and have
campfires and take Mike's kayak out for a spin. Only Mike's because mine has BAD and STUPID valves
and we're sick of dealing with it. It will be returned when we get back to Seattle where we bought it.
Okay, so now it's the 4th and we've only got one more day to get to Boise. It's always best to show up
with empty tanks (not fuel.....you know....the unmentionables) and clean bodies. So, we went over Stinkingwater Pass and then
soon after, Drinkingwater Pass. Now what do you so suppose happened to go from stinking to drinking?
Makes you wonder.
Our stop in Burns was just dandy and we made our way to Boise and the home of our friends Peter and
Isabelle. They used to live on Kauai and we miss them. We did see them last summer about this me.
They had just purchased their house here but had not moved in yet. So...that's where we are now. They
took off for a week of bicycling and we're like gypsies in the castle or something.
This place is quite large, 4,200 square feet. We don't know where each other is half the me. There are
f
ive bathrooms and I've made it a point to use every one at least once.
They don't have TV but there is a
theatre room with 102" screen and we watch stuff off Netflex daily. It's pretty cool. They will be home
later today and we're moving into our tiny camper and heading for the hills tomorrow. It's all good.
OH - I did sorta get a birthday present or two. My old camera would not turn off and I had to take the
battery in and out each me I wished to use it. Not fun. Plus it was four years old and very used. So, I
got a new one. Not sure if I like it yet but the photos are good. Costco gives you 90 days to decide. I'm
not used to having to use a screen to see the picture I'm taking. But it is small and that's convenient for
sure. It's another Panasonic with the really good lens. But the jury is still out.
And my faulty kayak needed to be replaced and so I've got a new one. I'm anxious to try it out. I think
I'll like it a lot. I really liked my other one but the valves were impossible.....dang it. So now we have
three kayaks to deal with for a while. And I guess that's my birthday presents.
So that's the deal for now. Mike is hoping to get some fishing in very soon. I'm just hoping to have
nothing to do.
Aloha, Gayle and Mike…
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