Late Solstice Campout Fun!

This year's Solstice Campout was moved to June 27th to allow Dana and Leslie to come.  Since they have not made it for two years, it was such a treat to be together.  It also happened to be Kristine Irving's 27th birthday, and we were camped in Space 27, so the magic surrounded us, just by getting together.  Another treat was having Martin with us.  He bicycled from Oakland CA to Reno NV just to be with us, and his presence was delightful.  Nice of him to camp with us "old fogeys".
I do hope Sara and Grant took some photos of us kayaking!  We didn't take any, nor did we get any good photos of the wonderful geese, pelicans, and other wildlife.

When Jeffery and I arrived, Sara and Grant were already there, and mostly set up!

Dana, Leslie, Martin, Kristine, Travis, and Kinley all joined us, and we headed for the beach to fish and kayak and visit

there's Mama Birthday Girl, Kristine with young Kinley.  See our fellows in the background

clouds came up, and we got sprinkled on somewhat.

I loved this tree root

Jeffery in a sarong!!!!  I had to feel his bum.

the breakfast crowd

Our entire camp, with Lake Davis in the background.  Space 27 is the best one.

the boys prepare for our bike jaunt

Grant and Martin on the shore

Martin slept in his hammock.  It didn't rain on him, thank golly.

another fun breakfast shot

Lake Davis seen from Smith Peak fire tower

Smith Peak fire lookout tower

our lovely group

Geological Survey marker

the sunset lasted and lasted, changing shapes and colors for all to enjoy

another shot of the cool downed tree

strange grasses

colorful weeds

Grant and Sara

breaking down camp

last kayak trip, and an action shot, to boot!

This photo of bear tracks was taken before the Campout, along the Tobin Ridge road, when Brenda and I were hiking.  I just wanted to share it with y'all!

End of Spring

We've been busy with regular life lately; the kind of life that I've posted before, the same scenes of my world, different year.  But that's not to say we've been bored, or that life hasn't been glorious, because it has, and we haven't.  I still hike each week with Brenda, and even caught a dose of the old poison oak.  Jeffery's made Tobin nicer looking and gotten rid of Stuff with James's help and with the company of Jeffery's Mom.
Here's a glimpse.

This is only a few of the many vehicles that have been accessing the tracks across from Tobin every day, with much noise and clamor for a goodly portion of the day.   We think it's a track-laying project.

Here's the long view

Oroville Lake, June 19

wild penstemon

discovered at the beach.  word is; Anette put them there

It's Father's Day, so Kyria made her dad a pancake

The California Zephyr excursion through the Feather River Canyon

the vista domes.  There were only these cars behind the engines; no more.  A small train

me in my sun-protecting kayaking garb

that look is so Mom.  I wonder what one of us just said

Sara and Dorothy go for a jaunt in the kayak

Jeffery takes his Mom for a paddle on the river

a nice shot of Jeffery and Barbara

Climbing Mt. Lassen, with a overnight stay at Lake Almanor

We went to spend the night with Craig, Darlene, and Ian at their nice cottage, and then today, we all went up Mt. Lassen.  At 10, 457 feet elevation, it was a bit of a trek; the highest place I've ever walked**.  I had tried to go up twice before, but to no avail, so the climb had hit the #1 spot on my Bucket List.  Yes, really.  Thanks again to my cosmic companions, who have the patience to go slow with me, and to help me reach my goals.
(**when I was 20, my cousins Peter and Sylvie took me and my sister Sara over Loveland Pass - the Continental Divide in Colorado, which was 11,992 ft. elev. and we girls ran up the hill there, to go over 12,000 ft.)

pretty, hardy roses

Jeffery admires the work Ian and Craig did to create their art-form labyrinth

This was the beginning of the sunset.  The image is not blurred; those are shadows of the mountains cast onto the mist of the just-passed rain storm by the lowering sun

we enjoy the light show and each-other's company

That is Mt. Lassen in the center, seen from the beach of their cottage-home

as the sunset progressed, the clouds lit up in neon red-golds

Mt. Lassen in the morning, before we set out to conquer it.  It's about an hour's drive away

ready to begin hiking

the early part of the trail has a few patches of shade along the way

a map to give one hope, since the trail in 2.5 miles long

Me, Darlene, Craig, and Ian

Jeffery at the Holy Rock with Helen Lake below

slippery footing as the snow was melty

Jeffery and I approach the false summit

Craig is pointing past Ian to the actual summit of Mt. Lassen

Ian and Darlene at the peak

We got here!  I made it!!!

Darlene had only gotten to the false summit before, so we shared our wiping away of our Virgin Status on the official top of the mountain

Darlene and Craig on top of Mt. Lassen

Now we have to come down

Mt. Shasta floats in the air behind the rim of the Lassen caldera

looking at Lake Almanor from the top

Jeffery; taken by Ian

my personal favorite (photo and man)

This pin was Ian's gift to me, to honor my accomplishment.  I'm honored!