Dramatic ocean scenes, unique flowers, and drizzly cold weather, punctuated our first leg of this road trip. Later in our trip when the thermometer stayed above 100, we prayed for drizzle.

Above: Just minutes from Eureka, California, the Samoa Cookhouse, the last surviving cookhouse in the West, continues the tradition of serving lots of good food. Food is served in the same style it was and is served to the lumber workers.

While in Trinidad be sure to dine on the pier and stop into Katy’s smokehouse for fresh smoked fish. Great halibut. Lots of smoked salmon for the rest of your trip.

Eureka is flush with Victorian style homes. On the way there we lunched at the Benbow Inn. It was too hot to dine on the patio and the hotel is under renovation so it wasn’t what I had in mind. Will have to return sometime soon hen it is back to normal.

THE SECOND LEG OF OUR TRIP TOOK US TO “OUR FAMILY RANCH” IN HAPPY CAMP. IT IS ON THE KLAMATH RIVER 100 MILES EAST OF ARCATA on the 101 AND 100 MILES WEST OF YREKA ON THE 5. WE WERE IMPRESSED WITH THE HEALTHY FOREST AND THE BEAUTIFUL KLAMATH RIVER. HAPPY CAMP WAS A LOGGING TOWN UNTIL THE GOVERNMENT PUT A STOP TO LOGGING THE OLD GROWTH FOREST, SOME SAY TO SAVE THE SPOTTED OWL. IT IS A REMOTE AREA, BUT TRULY A PARADISE. HOWEVER, YOU MUST STAY ON GUARD FOR A BIGFOOT SIGHTING.

FOR THE KIDS, COLLECTING EGGS FROM THE FREE RANGE CHICKENS WAS A THRILL. THEY WOULD FOLLOW KAREN AS THOUGH SHE WERE THE PIED PIPER. THEY WOULD EMPTY THEIR GARBAGE FILLED BUCKETS FOR THE CHICKENS TO EAT, THEN PET THE GOAT AND FORAGE FOR EGGS. EVER NOTICE HOW ORANGE THE YOLKS ARE ON FRESH EGGS? MY SISTER CASEY WOULD COOK UP GREAT BREAKFASTS FOR US ALL, INCLUDING OMELETS FROM THE FRESH EGGS AND HERBS AND VEGGIES FROM HER GARDEN. OH, AND ALWAYS FRESH FRUIT FROM THE PEACH TREE.

FISHING ANYONE? THE CHAMBERS POND IS FLUSH WITH FISH, RATHER EASY TO CATCH (AND THEN RELEASE). THE KIDS WERE THRILLED.

THE LOVELY GAZEBO AND PADDLE BOAT MAKE THE FISHING POND EVEN MORE FUN.

ONE YEAR OLD HARPER LOVED RUNNING IN THE HAY FIELD. THE HAY HAS ALREADY BEEN HARVESTED FOR THIS YEAR. IN THE EVENING THE COWS ROAM THE FIELD TO THE DELIGHT OF THE CHILDREN. OCCASIONALLY BEARS ARE SPOTTED AND DEER ARE ALMOST ALWAYS PRESENT.

POOL TIME IS ALWAYS FUN AND COOL, BUT FOR A LITTLE MORE WET ACTION, RIVER RAFTING IS THE THING TO DO.  FEW SMALL RAPIDS.  MAYBE AN OSPREY OR A BALD EAGLE OR A RIVER OTTER.

The Klamath is the most important North American river south of the Columbia River for anadromous fish migration.^[12] Its salmon, steelhead and rainbow trout have adapted to unusually high water temperatures and acidity levels relative to other rivers in the Pacific Northwest. The numerous fish were a major source of food for Native Americans, who have inhabited the basin for at least 7,000 years. (Wikipedia)

 

ADMITTEDLY FOOD WAS A BIG PART OF OUR HAPPY CAMP EXPERIENCE. CASEY HAD IT PLANNED OUT. HERE SHE TRIMS A BOWL OF OREGON SUGAR PODS FOR DINNER. SHE ALSO MADE A TON OF LASAGNA FOR ONE NIGHT. JENNER BBQ’D CARNE ASADA FOR MEXICAN FIESTA NIGHT.  GEORGE BBQ’d MOST OF THE TIME AND TREATED US WITH A LOVELY SALMON DINNER.

NO TIME TO REST. CASEY GAVE A LAVENDAR WAND MAKING WORKSHOP. THE KIDS WERE THRILLED AND STARTED MASS PRODUCING THEM TO ‘SELL’ TO THOSE WHO WERE NOT INCLINED TO MAKE THEM. THE LAVENDAR ON THE RANCH IS PLENTIFUL. THE WANDS ARE LOVELY AND KEEP THEIR SCENT. I KEEP ONE NEXT TO MY BED.

ONE NIGHT WAS MOVIE NIGHT, BUT AFTER THE GUYS DID THE SET UP, KIDS WERE FALLING ASLEEP SINCE IT DIDN’T GET DARK UNTIL ABOUT 9;30 pm

THE HIGHLIGHT WAS GEORGE AND CHRIS’ FIREWORKS EXTRAVAGANZA. FIRST IT WAS KID STUFF LIKE SPARKLERS, ETC. THEN THE REAL SHOW BEGAN.   IT WAS STUPENDOUS. THE FINALE WAS SO EXTRAVAGANT IT SENT THE FRONT ROW VIEWERS RUNNING.

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HAPPY CAMP WAS WONDERFUL, BUT EVENTUALLY EVERYONE HEADED HOME WHILE WE HEADED TO LAKE SHASTA FOR THE THIRD LEG OF THIS TRIP. WE PASSED THE LOVELY SHASTA MOUNTAIN THRILLED TO SEE THE TOP BECAUSE IT IS OFTEN SHROUDED IN CLOUDS.

SILVERTHORNE MARINA AWAITED OUR ARRIVAL WITH OUR HOUSEBOAT READY. WE RECEIVED OPERATING AND SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS AND PACKED UP FOOD, ICE ETC. FOR THE 5 NIGHTS OF EXPLORING THE LAKE.

Shasta Lake is one of the largest lakes in the western United States. Today it is at full capacity, warm and calm. We saw lots of geese, a few deer and many birds. Our boat had a slide, slept 10, kitchen, 2 refrigerators that didn’t work very well, and two bathrooms with shower/tub. 2 freezers. A front deck and back deck. We would pull up to a cove and drop the plank.

HOLIDAY OUTFITTED US ALL TO BE PIRATES. ‘SURRENDER THE BOOTY.’

HAILEY2 WAS SECOND IN COMMAND MANNING THE BOAT. ALAN WOULD EASE US INTO A COVE AND JOE & HAILEY2 WOULD JUMP OUT TO TIE US UP. HAILEY 1 AND RAQUEL (A FOREIGN EXCHANGE STUDENT FROM SPAIR) WATCHED THE FRONT AND BACK OF THE BOAT FOR TIE UP. HOLIDAY WOULD MAKE A VODKA TONIC FOR HERSELF AND A GIN N TONIC FOR ALAN, AND THE PARTY BEGINS.

BELOW THE PIRATES DESERTED SHIP FOR A TOUR OF THE SHASTA CAVERNS:

ALAS, WE HAD A PIZZA PARTY AT THE MARINA THEN UNLOADED THE BOAT.

OK, ON TO LEG 4 OF THIS TRIP. IT IS STILL 100 DEGREES EVERYWHERE, ALTHOUGH A BIT COOLER IN THE SIERRAS NORTH OF BISHOP. EVERYPLACE WAS OVERBURDENED WITH CROWDS. WE DROVE THROUGH THE JUNE LAKE LOOP AND ALL CAMPGROUNDS WERE FULL. SILVERWOOD LAKE WAS SO FULL OF WATER THAT PEOPLE HAD TO FISH FROM THE HIGHWAY BECAUSE THERE WAS NO BEACH. WE CAMPED AT ONE OF OUR FAVORITE PLACES, BROWN’S CAMP AT BENTON CROSSING. THE VIEW OF THE SIERRAS IS MAGNIFICENT. FROM CAMP WE SPENT A DAY AT CONVICT LAKE AND ROCK CREEK LAKE.

AT ROCK CREEK WE RAN INTO THE BANANDOS WHICH WOULDN’T SEEM SO STRANGE BUT WE RAN INTO THEM ON OUR LAST TWO VACATIONS ALSO! I’m GETTING SUSPICIOUS.

AT BENTON CROSSING I WAS ABLE TO CATCH, CLEAN, COOK AND EAT TWO TROUT.

OUR LAST NIGHT WE RELAXED IN THE POOL AT BOULDER CREEK RV PARK IN LONE PINE. IT WAS ABOUT 102 DEGREES OUT! IT WAS TIME TO GO HOME BUT WE ARE ALWAYS HAPPY WHEN WE GET BACK TO DUARTE.

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BELOW:  SCENES FROM THE HAPPY CAMP TRAIL LOOKING OUT OVER THE AREA.  A RIGOROUS 6 MILE RUN WAS UNDERTAKEN BY SARA, GARY, JENNER, DANNY, BOBBY