I had some minor glitches that caused some set backs.  It turns out that the road company decided to pave the road from the north park entrance to the turnoff to camp ground, into the store.  So Thursday after noon I arrived and found myself waiting in line for about a half hour.  Then they took us up to the booth where you pay your $10 fee, and there had to wait in a long line.  Well my old Nissan Maxima got hot waiting in line, and then had to wait in another line after that.  So I went and parked in the Museum parking lot to wait, and I missed one group and the young man wouldn’t let me catch up at that time. 

So I decided to walk up to store and campground, it is quite a long way when you are walking (3/4 mile?) more or less.  Tricia and I after a few hours decided to walk out and get the car, and when I got in and turned the key it would not start.  I tried several times and it would not start, so we took the scenic walk back to campground via Lake Manzanita, a very pretty hike.  Then I had to hike to store to try to call Jim that car wouldn’t start, it was hot and that is all I knew.  Later in afternoon I hiked back out to car, and just barely caught Sue as she drove by as I had to honk and yelled and did get her attention.  I rode back to campground with Sue, got her camp gear unloaded and took her car back out to get my camping gear.  By now I had hiked this 5 times and my feet were hurting and I was tired.

Tricia had arrived on Wednesday and set up a camping place, and held one site for Jeanna.  So there was one back up in the trees, so when Sue and I arrived on Thursday and took that site and I placed my tent up in the trees nearby.  This would be to the left of picture below.

On Friday Mike, Sue and myself took a nice hike up the Manzanita Creek trail, which is 3 ½ miles up to near the base of Mt. Lassen.  It goes from 6900' elevation, and with Mike learning to work his G.P.S. we climbed up about 700' which is long and gradual about 1 3/4 mile, and then we had some beautiful meadows with flowers still blooming, as it is still spring up that high.  We made it to the crossing of the creek, and that was probably 2 1/4 miles in.  We took a nice break and Mike put his head under a small waterfall, and then we came back down the hill without stopping, and Mike’s G.P.S. said we had traveled about 4 ½ miles.

Friday I went and paid for the camp site next to Sue for Laurice, who was to arrive late Friday afternoon.  We all needed the big metal boxes to put the food due to Bears in the area, but the troublesome bear had been removed, as this bear had learned to break into cars to get food.  Now the campground has bear proof garbage cans and food containers.  The camp host said that a German man thought there was a bear near his came the night before, but no one checked for tracks to know for sure.  I did not see any tracks on the trail or bear scat.

Friday saw the arrival of Jeanna, GA and kids Calvin & Ginger.  Calvin had a birthday and a birthday party attended by all the kids and big kid Mitch, who loves to play with the kids.  Here are some birthday pictures.

Laurice and Christopher arrived Friday evening, and Alec and Christopher’s two children Chris and Makinna.  Friday night we had a camp fire at Tricia’s plot, and the boys gathered pine cones and sticks and had a fire at their site also.

Saturday morning Don & Linda drove up, they had driven all night and actually parked out at the lake entrance rather than wake us up in the middle of the night.  So all the kids took off as Lindsey couldn’t wait to play with Ginger, and these two four year olds sure enjoyed themselves.  Travis joined Alec and Chris, and they had quite a good time, and went hard all day long.  Linda told me that Lindsay called me “Grandma Auntie,” I thought that was real nice.  Although I heard her call Sue Grandma, but I don’t think Sue heard herself being called Grandma.  I asked Lindsey later who I was, and she said your Auntie Janice.

Don brought his blow up boat and Sue brought canoe, and so all those who wanted took a trip on lake to boat or swim.  By now my feet hurt, my hips hurt from all the hiking, so I took it easy this day to let things heal a bit.  Saturday night we were all around camp fires, and a good time was had by all.

Sunday we had to break camp by noon.  Tricia & Gayle headed out for home, as well as Sue & Mike, and also Mitch.  Laurice, Christopher, Don, Linda and myself, all drove up to Bumpass Hill and kids hiked out to see the hot mud pots.  I managed to hike out about 1 1/4 mile, to the top of hill over-looking the mud pots, but still not over being sore, I came back and watched the two girls Lindsey and Makinna play while Linda took a nap.

So a good time was had by all, and Jim came and got car started, it had a vapor lock so I was able to load my camp gear and drive home.  It has done that once again on Thursday when it was real hot, and I guess the gas lines are too close to engine.  It wouldn’t start Friday morning, but now I had the spray starter stuff, and was able to get it started after learning how and where to spray, and jump in fast enough to get it started.
 

Love, Janice

P.S.  These are pictures that Tricia sent.  When more arrive will do another page.