Two Trails

So the weather here has not been the greatest for lounging on the beach and swimming.  Wind and cool air makes coming out of the water an unwelcome option.  Why get out you say?  Well, I just can't stay in the water as long as I could when I was younger.  Instead, we came up with a few alternative options.  A lakeside trail ride to Carol's in Prattville for ice cream on the southern side of the lake, tennis clinics at the LACC Rec courts, and a hike up Mount Harkness in Lassen Volcanic N.P.

Two years ago when we were on this same trail Fin was on his attached "trail-a-bike" and Haven was in the bike trailer.  Haven got bike-sick and made quite a mess.  This time she just had to conquer her bike gears and the mentality of using your muscles to ride up hills.  She thought the bike ride was harder than the previous hike to Bumpass Hell.

Thank Ya-Ya for the tennis outfit.  Who knew she'd actually be playing tennis in it.  It took a bit of time for her to get the timing down to hit the ball.  Her backhand, in this shot, is better than her forehand.  Look out Sharapova!

Fin's second year with tennis camp and he still doesn't have his Wimbledon look yet.  He couldn't care less though.  He's not in it for the fame or the money.

They want to do it all.  I still contend that there are no fish in this lake.

Don't they make a pretty cute hiking couple?

We made it to the top of Mt. Harkness.  You can see Lassen Peak in the background here.  The volunteer fire lookout took this shot of us on the fire lookout tower balcony.  Very friendly couple there today.  They've been coming there for at least 5 years.  Volunteers come for 4 day stints to relieve the N.P. ranger who is on for 10 days.  Finlay's first question to us and the lookouts:  "Is being a fire lookout boring?"

So why do the volunteers keep coming back?  Just look at that view!  Too bad my camera only gives you a sample of the 360-degree view that is so important at a fire lookout.

Lassen Volcanic N.P.

     We drove to Lassen yesterday.  HURRAH! nobody got sick.  It seems these mountain roads can always entice somebody's stomach...  Anyhow we went on two hikes the first to Bumpass Hell.  Funny name, yeah, but imagine the family who actually has the last name Bumpass.  This place is actually a crater from a larger volcano, Bumpass Mountain.  The second hike was to Cold Boiling Lake, which had cold volcanic gasses bubbling up in parts of the lake.

Finlay usually has to be silly or grumpy in his photo shoots.  This one is no different.

I will never do justice with my camera.  You'll just have to go here and smell the sulfur.

This is a view of Lassen Peak we usually don't see from Lake Almanor.  Check out Vulcan's eye in the largest intrusion.

Legends about things like Vulcan's eye were popular conversations on our hikes.

It's hard for me to hold the camera and be in the photograph at the same time.  I smell Holiday cards...

Doing our part to help the environment.

We were all tired by the end of this side trip.  We hit Buffalo Chips in Westwood for pizza.  Always a treat.  Looking forward to the Rec's beach today, seeing all of the new renters getting sunburned, and listening to music at the bandshell tonight.