California’s infamous Highway 49 is a living museum of history.  In the Spring it is at its best, winding through green pastures, bank-high rivers, tumbling brooks, and fields brilliant with wildflowers.  It is the time of year when quaint towns have shed the congestion so prevalent in the summer months.  Headed for Happy Camp, we opted to travel north through Gold Country rather than the boring drive on I-5.

A lunch stop at Columbia gave us a needed break.  One of the best-preserved old towns in Mother Lode country, the site is a living history museum.  It was a mining town that grew to incredible proportions during the gold rush, then died out almost overnight. 

The main street is closed to traffic and affords a leisurely walk through town.  Modern and historic shops and saloons are open to the public, and special events are held on the weekends.

  It is a dog and kid friendly town.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Our Gold Country destination was the Murphy’s Hotel which opened in 1856.  It had thrived as a natural stopover for the Mattson’s Stage en route from the railroad at Milton to the Calaveras Big Trees.  Notable guests who stayed there during the early years include Mark Twain, Horatio Algiers Jr., Thomas Lipton, J.P. Morgan and former President Ulysses S. Grant.  Our reservation was for the Grant room.  

      

We opted to forego a private bathroom and stay in the old part of the hotel, sans tv, telephone, air conditioning, heat, etc.  The water closet was down the hall.  We hadn’t counted on the fact that it was right above the Clamper bar where rowdy festivities lasted into the night.  I’m not complaining, mind you, for it added to the atmosphere!

 

          

 Heading north on Hwy 49, we were impressed with the lush landscape, flowers, rivers and flocks of Canada Geese.

 

 

 

             

Cutting over to I-5 at the Olive Town of Corning, we headed up 5 and passed Redding.  Lake Shasta was full, the bathtub ring it had been plagued with during the past several drought years had disappeared.  With ski crowds gone  and summer visitors not yet arriving, the lake was void of houseboats.  The Bridge Bay Restaurant was closed so we opted to continue on through Dunsmuir and stay the night in Mt. Shasta City.  This cut down on our travel time to Yreka and then the 64 miles on the river road, following the Klamath to Happy Camp, population 1100.

 

 

Where is the best place in Happy Camp to take a dip?  Well, there is the Klamath River, various lakes and ponds, hundreds of creeks, or just a plain old swimming pool!

 

The ranch is quite colorful in the Spring and our dinner salads come right from the garden!  

                          Brother Chris and Boston Terrier Beatrice.          

 

A deer and two Canada Geese hold a meeting out in the pasture. A large part of our

visit  is

 eating!  George makes good use of his smoker.

    

Sister Karen raids the coop.

 

 

 

 

 

 

George also raises bees.

    

 

 

 

 

 

The main focus of the trip was to meet Scarlett!  She only cocked her head in amusement as Grandpa pushed her on the swing and made funny faces.

 

4 of the 7 Garrett sibs at one time isn’t bad.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Heading home on the River Road, a bear cub came out to say goodbye!