Monday, May 15, 2017

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.......

20 comments:

  1. I think what makes it seem you guys know a million people is that you keep in touch with all of them--you are to be commended!

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    1. Have to credit Facebook for that, I'm afraid we had lost track of most of them before.

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  2. I'm betting you're meeting up with Laurel and Eric...say hello from us! We'll be at Emigrant Lake in early June.

    These NorCal forests are particularly stunning this year!

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    1. Not taking that bet :-))) We thought we were going to miss them!

      There were some signs of beetle damage at the highest elevations, but Lassen's forest is really healthy and beautiful other than that.

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  3. What a gorgeous drive through Lassen NP. Your header photo is so pretty. I agree with Janna. Its so cool how you have kept in touch with friends and family and actually have real visits. Safe travels.....

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    1. Thanks Gay, I love seeing Yosemite Valley every time I open the blog! We are truly blessed to have this opportunity to catch up with old friends - we love finding out how they ended up where they are!

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  4. I love how you meet with family and friends. That's just as good as the beautiful scenery. Remember taking that Clearlake cut to sneak from inland to coast or visa versa. Lassen was gorgeous 40 years ago with no snow, and you know how I feel about that white stuff. You'll love Oregon.

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    1. We're having a great time seeing everyone. I was thinking that Hwy 20 would be a great route to get over to the coast. We do love Oregon.

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  5. You do know a heck of a lot of folks. There's two things to do with those old bridges - maintain them; or burn them. Fortunately Fran does the former ... I've never seen Lassen with so much snow, you'll enjoy going back when you can get out and explore.

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    1. We do want to get back to Lassen when all the roads are open - it's a beautiful area!

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  6. More fun in some beautiful areas! Lake side parking is always a treat:) Isn't it amazing what elevation can do to the temperature! I'm glad you enjoyed your Mother's Day snow:) Lasson looked great with all the snow. We were able to do a half day motorcycle trip through Lasson while staying in Redding a couple years ago. It was our last day and the four wildfires blocking our visit were finally out or under control. The park road opened at noon that day. Now we need a repeat longer visit. Safe travels to Ashland!!

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    1. We didn't want you to have all the snow fun this Spring!! We also want to get back and see more.

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  7. Whoa, all that snow!!!! Eric and I still haven't been to Lassen together -- isn't that crazy? I just love that you have so many friends in so many places and that you stay in touch with EVERYONE. And yay, now you're here in Ashland!! And we're even next door neighbors! ;-))))

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    1. Funny how it's the places closer to home that we are most likely to have missed! It is so fun having you right "over there"!!!

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  8. That's one strong woman to have lost two men she loved in the space of three years. So glad you were able to stop and see her. We've always wanted to Lassen but probably not with those walls of snow. Can't wait to hear about your visit with Eric and Laurel. Wish we were there too. Oregon is #1 on our places we have never been that we have to figure out how to make happen.

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    1. You guys will love Oregon - it is so incredible in many, many ways.

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  9. It seems you have places to stop and friends to visit in lots of areas. Good for you. Enjoy!

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    1. It's just us from our next stop til July 4th :-)

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  10. What wonderful visits and scenery! Never been to Lassen? Didn't look like you were able to get in. Still too much snow?

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    1. We saw enough to know we want to see the rest of it. We were inside the park for a few hours.

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