A Few More Visits and Our First Time in Lassen National Park

May 12-15, 2017
Colusa, Los Molinos, Redding, California

I realize that it sounds as though we know a million people, and that we stop to see every one of them in our travels.

Seems like that to us too!!

Usually we spread our visiting out between multiple stops where we don't see anyone we know. In California that definitely hasn't been the case. After all the folks we saw in Sacramento, we make three more stops where we see even more!

Bill's brother passed away three years ago and we've only had the chance to see our sister-in-law once over that time. We were so happy that she found love again, but tragically she lost Stan to cancer last month as well. We had to see her on our way north.

The Colusa County Fairgrounds RV Park is the perfect spot for us to park just off I-5. From there it's a beautiful hour drive over Hwy 20 west to Clearlake. Well, it would be an hour without the road construction that is so common this time of year.

The delays aren't bad when the countryside is so pretty.

Oak covered hills line both sides of the highway.

View's from the lake house are stunning.

The water is at a 20-year high, flooding some of the waterfront homes in the past months. Marilynn's home had no damage.

Bill and Marilynn. We love this woman so much!!

It was a bittersweet visit, wonderful to see Marilynn, very hard to leave. Hoping we'll get her to come see us on the road!

Friday morning we were up and out early after a quiet evening in the nice green fairgrounds that we had all to ourselves. We only used the electric, but it's $20 for FHUs with 50 amp, and a great spot to stop for the night. 

Dog-tv in Colusa, California

Neither of us have seen Lassen National Park, and we have another good friend from high school who lives in the little town of Los Molinos. We're here for three nights at Hidden Harbor RV Park - right on the Sacramento River. It's been too long since we've been in a pretty natural setting, and this spot is really lovely. Nothing fancy, a few permanents, grass sites that are surprisingly level. FHUs with 50 amp. We love it!!

Friday night we set up our chairs along the river and enjoy several cold brews, listening to the many birds and laughing at the toddler playing naked in the sand beside us.

Saturday we drive the one mile to Cathy's beautiful 20 acre property. She has been here nearly 40 years, raised her family, horses, and organic walnuts. With a half mile of waterfront along Mill Creek and old growth oaks, it is a little pieace of heaven.

Mill Creek, Los Molinos, CA

Fluffy in the Flowers

Learning the history of the property.

We love the old barn.

Cathy and Bill.

We drive to Lassen National Park on Sunday morning. It's a beautiful, sunny day. At least until it starts snowing, then it's just a beautiful day.

The changing landscape from walnut groves to golden hills strewn with lava, to large blooming bushes, to thick oak and hardwood forests, to tall pines on steep slopes, to massive lava flows, to majestic volcanic peaks, make for a spectacular drive.

The road is closed beyond - snow banks are still over seven feet high.

The falling snow is a wonderful Mother's Day treat!

Mt Lassen

When we get back to Los Molinos it's 75 degrees.

Hail finds us in Shingletown.

We really love this area.

It's only a 40 mile drive to Redding so we take our time getting ready Monday morning. Win River Casino is another easy stop for the night. We're here to meet up with friends, also from high school :-))

Curtis, Cindy, Bill, Sharon, Sohana, Becki Jo and Linda

Bill and Sharon were life guards at the high school pool, and haven't seen each other in 40 years!

The Eller sisters - Becki Jo, Linda and Cindy. Cindy was Bill's sister-in-law for a short time

We're so glad we made the stop to see all these great folks. Next we head out of California for a few days in beautiful Ashland, Oregon. And a serendipitous reunion.......