Author: bjregan

Enjoying retirement activities. Main goals for retirement are to stay spiritually, physically, mentally and emotionally healthy.

R&R in Medford, Oregon

Our travels have brought us to my daughter’s house in Medford, Oregon, where we are enjoying a week of rest and relaxation as spoiled guests at her home.  She and her husband have both taken a week of vacation from their jobs to spend extra time with us.

Enjoying a coffee break in Jacksonville, Oregon, after a Saturday morning bike ride with family and friends

Our two granddaughters will still have school this week, but we are enjoying their company weekends and evenings.  Everyone attended church together this morning and now it’s nice to spend a quiet afternoon at home.

Last week’s camping excursion in Lassen National Forest at Eagle Lake Recreation Area was short, but enjoyable.  The lake is California’s second largest natural lake, which we thought was interesting, since we had camped just the week before at Clear Lake, the largest natural lake in California.

Eagle Lake in Lassen National Forest

The 2 lakes are very different in their environment and surroundings.  There is much more development around Clear Lake, since it is so close to farmland and populated areas.  The Clear Lake campground we were at was in a state park.  Eagle Lake, about 15 miles from the small town of Susanville, is in a national forest, isolated and undeveloped.

View of Susanville on the road that winds from the mountains down into the valley.

The Lassen National Forest campgrounds had just opened for the season the day before we arrived.  National Forest campgrounds don’t have the amenities of state parks, but I thought the campground at Eagle Lake was much nicer than state park campgrounds.  There was even hand soap in the bathrooms, which I have not seen in any California state parks!  Another benefit is that national forest campgrounds cost less than state park campgrounds.

Driving the back roads in the area around Eagle Lake we noticed a bright red flowering plant that we had never seen before.  We later discovered that this was Snow Plant, a parasitic plant that grows under pine trees in coniferous forests at higher elevations.  A very odd-looking plant.

 

The next day after camping at Eagle Lake, we drove into Susanville and rode our bikes on a stretch of the Bizz Johnson National Recreation Trail.  The section that we were on parallels the Susan River, crossing several bridges and going through two tunnels.
One of the bridge crossings on Bizz Johnson Trail, tunnel entry in background
Bridge crossing on Bizz Johnson Trail, basalt lava cliffs throughout the Susan River Canyon
Susan River along Bizz Johnson Trail
Leaving Lassen National Forest we drove along the eastern edge of the Cascade Mountain Range and made our way north into Oregon.  Thursday evening we stayed in a motel in Klamath Falls, Oregon.  On Friday, before heading to Medford, we took a couple of hours to ride our bikes on the OC&E Woods Line State Trail.
OC&E Woods Line State Trail, near Klamath Falls, Oregon

Today we are keeping a close watch on the weather, not because we have any concern about camping or outdoor activities, but in hopes that the sky will be clear of cloud cover.  So far today, it has been overcast one minute and cloudy the next.  If it is clear between 5-7 pm we will be able to see a rare, annular “Ring of Fire” solar eclipse. There has not been one of these visible in the US for 18 years.  Oregon is one of the states where the phenomenon will occur.

Even if the weather this afternoon prevents us from seeing the solar eclipse, there are so many other reasons to enjoy our time with family this week in Medford, that we will have no room for complaints.

Another Excellent Adventure

The sign on the back of this bench seemed so appropriate for the incredible journey we have been on.  The bench was a viewpoint stop on a hiking trail that we walked after breakfast this morning.  Let me fill you in on the latest news of our travels and explain where we were on our morning hike.

We left Carson City, Nevada, Thursday morning, driving around Lake Tahoe and then over the Sierra Nevada Mountains on the Carson Pass Scenic Byway.  Both of us had been around Lake Tahoe before and knew what a beautiful place it was.  But Carson Scenic Byway was new territory and we were both caught by surprise at the awesome scenery on the 58-mile route.  There’s definitely a reason for its scenic byway designation.

Lunch stop along Carson Pass Scenic BywayA lake viewed along Carson Pass Scenic Byway

Thursday’s drive ended at Indian Grinding Rock State Historic Park campground in the Sierra Nevada foothills near Jackson, California.  I enjoyed the history lessons in the park, which is designed to preserve the artifacts and illustrate the culture of the Northern Sierra Miwok Indians who inhabited the area centuries ago.  The campground, however, was not one of the best for providing a restful nights sleep.  Adjacent to the park was a farm, that, although you couldn’t see it through the trees, you could hear the loud, annoying cries of peacocks.  They make a sound like stranded cats and must not sleep at all, because they kept wailing all night long.
Reproduction of Roundhouse used for ceremonies and social gatherings by Miwok Indians.
Main grinding rock showing numerous holes where Miwok women pounded acorns and other seed into meal.
A tired Miwok tourist.

Besides the history at Indian Grinding Rock, we had the opportunity Friday, as we were leaving the area, to drive through Volcano and Jackson, reading historic signs of the California Gold Rush days.

View outside of Jackson, California.  Structure to left is Kennedy Gold Mine Frame Head.

On Mother’s Day weekend we were spoiled by the lavish hospitality of our friends, Bob and Alice, at their Rio Vista, California, home.  Sunday morning worship service at their church impressed us with the friendliness and welcoming attitude shown by everyone in the congregation.

Yesterday, leaving Rio Vista and driving northwest, we passed through the beautiful Napa Valley, viewing miles and miles of vineyards bright with new spring growth.  Our destination for the night was Clear Lake State Park on the shores of California’s largest natural lake.  This campground was very quiet; no noisy peacocks to prevent a good night’s sleep.  We had enough energy and time this morning that we were able to enjoy a hike on a forested trail over the ridges that surround the park and overlook the lake.  One of the stopping points was the bench in the photo at the start of this post.

Trail at Clear Lake State ParkView of Clear LakeMount Konocti volcanic peak on south end of Clear Lake

Tonight we took a break from camping and are in a motel in Chico, California.  The weather has been great and we hope tomorrow evening to be camping again around Susanville, California.