G & M Travels 2011 #11
Hello again,
This is actually number 10 and I'm only calling it 11 because I forgot to number the last one 9.....so there
was no 9 and never will be. No one even noticed except me anyway, I guess.
I already wrote this earlier tonight but my #$%#^@$ email program on this new computer sent it
somewhere I can't go so I'm trying again. This me I'm making a document....live and learn.
OK - so we left Sonora about ten days ago and headed up the old 49ers trail through all the old gold
mining places in them thar hills. It really is a beautiful, but slow, drive. We camped along the way at a
couple spots and even got to take our kayaks out in Gold Lake. Mike felt it was thus named because it
had a golden hue (according to him) but I think it probably had something to do with 14 karats. The lake
had lots of little islets and would have been more fun but it was pretty windy until the day we left . But
we got some good paddle time in.
We made our way to Mt. Lassen Volcanic National Park and found that the road had just opened six days
earlier! There is tons of snow everywhere this year. We were glad that we'd been there before and had
taken some of the interes ng hikes to the volcanic areas because there was no way to do so this me.
We camped at Manzanita Lake, which is near the north entrance and at a manageable eleva on. The
hike around the lake in the morning was beautiful with nice reflection photos of Mt. Lassen.
Next we went to McArthur to visit Maynard (Mike's older brother) and his wife Pat. We really had a
wonderful me. I'd not met Pat before and have been delighted to make her acquaintance. The four of
us yakked our heads off for several days, in between eating and staying up too late.
They live on several acres with lots of oak trees in a beautiful area. Their pup, Lakota, is part (or
mostly?) wolf. What a cool dog. We really had a great me and we thank you both once again.
Next we went to a very cool place about 25 miles or so south of Mt. Shasta on a river (McCloud River?).
Some places are just better than others and this one was great. Not only could we hike to several
waterfalls, but the camping areas were paved. Not only the parking spots, but the place where the table
and the firepit were located. Clean! We're usually dealing with lots of dust. Plus we were camped right
on the river.
You could reach all three waterfalls within about a four-mile walk. Lower Falls was a swimming hole and
lots of folks were jumping off the cliffs. Middle Falls was the largest and Upper Falls the most remote.
All were beautiful and it was a great trail. One thing there that we'd never seen before was the green
plants that grew everywhere along this river. What are they? Someone let me know. Neither of us had
ever seen anything like them.
Today we drove up Mt. Shasta as far as you can at this time. The road isn't all the way open
yet.....snow! Tonight, we're camped at nearby Lake Siskiyou. Photos of Shasta are still in my camera.
Anyway, I'm going to try again to send this and then I'm going to bed!
See ya later......
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