Rambling

Day 52 & 53-July 20 & 21

Our destination for today is Lassen Volcanic National Park in California. The ride down I-5 then over to the park is a very scenic trip. Some of the old mining towns in northern California have become beautiful little tourist towns, mainly because of their proximity to winter activities. Mt. Shasta was stunning with her snow capped peaks shinning in the sunshine. Jess & I were both feeling the need for a little relaxation so we decided to make it an early day by stopping for the night at Manzanita Campground just inside Lassen Volcanic National Park.
We enjoyed an early morning hike around Lake Manzanita where the water is so clear that we were able to see trout swimming by. The tranquil beauty of this area of the park makes you want to just sit still and listen to the sounds of nature. The forest consists of several different types of pine trees, with cones ranging from an inch to a foot. This would definitely be one of those places we would come back to just to experience the peace and quiet.
After loading up we drove deeper into the park and were absolutely amazed at how much snow there was still on the ground. It appears that last winter brought record snowfall amounts to all of the western mountain ranges. Access to many of the trails here was limited because they were still under so much snow.

When we arrived in Truckee we decided that we would stop here for the night. After setting up camp we drove into Reno to see the lights and have dinner at a casino. I was also ready to support the state of Nevada by giving them my $20.00 set aside for the slots.