A few more Shasta area moments

While the family went up and down Shasta, I wandered around, hitting McCloud, Dunsmuir, and parts of Weed and Shasta City.  I began my day with an hour-long bike ride.  Later, in the car, I also discovered Siskyou Lake, sort of by accident.  Finally, my gang came down the hill.  Tuckered pups.  The kids went down to shower while I rode my bike down the long hill from Mt. Shasta, with Jeffery as my rear-pilot car.  We got him showered, and then we had dinner, and they are already abed!

strange bridge graffiti

McCloud Inn

Being at Mount Shasta and Weed

I picked Jeffery up from the airport and we headed up to our motel in Weed, California, where our kids would meet us later.  The next morning, today, we packed up and headed up Mount Shasta.
I only went a couple of miles, from Bunny Flat to Horse Camp, but it was momentous, both for me, and for my family history: our first time of being us-four together on the Mountain.  Wahoo!  I felt a bit wistful as we parted, them upward, me back down.

Of course, we picked one of the hottest spells of the year, with temps hitting the upper 90's.  The mountaineers got really hot and were glad to reach Lake Helen, where they pitched the tent and found shade in it and called to report in.  They hope to rise at 2a.m. to head to the summit, so that they can get down the mountain before the worst of the heat returns.

I spent the rest of the day wending around the locale, learning more of its beauty, and finding out that most of the schools in Mt. Shasta City and Weed have the best views of both Mt. Shasta and Black Butte.  Lucky kids!
Here are a selection of photo-memories for your viewing pleasure.  I am thinking of the Woods and Chavis families today in a big way.  They normally go with my family on the Shasta adventure trips.  Next time, I vow to be with them when they come to do it again.

The Backpacks

Fluidate, fluidate!

rain gauge?

The Solar outhouse at Horse Camp

I took a spill, and Kyria was a rapid and efficient nurse responder with bandaid and iodine

My family and I part ways in good spirits

the final wave of farewell

Where my family is headed

Black Butte

Conifers?  Conical trees

sun sets on my loved ones.  are they already asleep?

Mt. Shasta City High School

A cheery doorway

SOLSTICE! Camping fun as per tradition!

Sara and I went up to the Taylorsville Community Campground, which is only $14 per night, no extra car charges.  We love the place, and chose it for our traditional Solstice Campout.  We sure did miss Jeffery, Dana, Leslie, Kristine, Ashley, Kyria, and everyone else; but we kept it going steadily without a break, so.... Next year everyone!!!!

We rode bikes, walked, talked, skipped stones, viewed cattle and horses and riders and bicycles.  There was a bicycle event from Greenville to Genesee and Antelope Lake, and one bicycler called out to me "Is breakfast ready?!"  Of course it was; good Scottish Oatmeal and fruit.

Grant and Dick came to visit on Saturday.  The full moon rode the sky both nights, and we didn't use the tent fly, so we could see it all through the night.  It was a pleasant outing for us.

At the bottom of the page are a few photos of the Twain Big Bounce festival, which covered Gray's Flat and looked like lots of fun for those attending.  There were upwards of 4000 people expected to be there.

Sara is going to put her photos on her blog, so go check them out.  I am not looking at hers until I do mine, so I don't know if we'll double up.  (quit copying me!)  She's at saragrant.blogspot.com. 

Sara attracted this protective bull when she tried to photo the baby cows

Sara also attracted this wayfaring dog, named Drake, even though she didn't want to.

This one's for my Mom; the Super Moon behind the trees

packed up, ready to head out