Saturday, August 14th.
Up and going early again. Rode through more amazing, quiet secondary highways to Lassen Volcanic National Park. This is my third time here, in 1975 with Kathy, in 1995? with Danny and my mom and now. It is a beautiful drive through park with more switchbacks up close to the peak of what is left of a gigantic volcano that exploded in 1915. I took a great hike into what is called Bumpass Hell where there is geothermic activity, with boiling water pools and mud pits. The place smells of sulphur fumes.
After spending most of the afternoon exploring Lassen, I mounted up and rode out of the park. I took a couple of lovely secondaries again through Douglas Fir groves as I descended five thousand feet down to the valley. I stopped at an overlook to admire a river canyon and started to talk to a guy who was scanning the the opposite canyon wall with binoculars. He told me all about his eighteen days camping by himself in the woods, how he had to save all year to affort the trip, including the $200 camping fee and how he enjoyed camping alone. Other than asking me how I was he never asked me what I was up to. The the whole time he was scanning that cliff. Then all of a sudden, he started to tell me how last year when camping he had taken a series of pictures of a cloud formation and actually captured on film a UFO! He went on in great detail. As delicately as possible I changed the topic, bid him adieu, mounted up and rode off!
Look at the picture of the bike and notice that there are no guardrails. It gets a little unnerving riding around the outside lane as you climb up to eight thousand feet. I hug the yellow line and actually prefer climbing rather than descending, where you feel like you have less control and have to use the gears more to slow down.
After spending most of the afternoon exploring Lassen, I mounted up and rode out of the park. I took a couple of lovely secondaries again through Douglas Fir groves as I descended five thousand feet down to the valley. I stopped at an overlook to admire a river canyon and started to talk to a guy who was scanning the the opposite canyon wall with binoculars. He told me all about his eighteen days camping by himself in the woods, how he had to save all year to affort the trip, including the $200 camping fee and how he enjoyed camping alone. Other than asking me how I was he never asked me what I was up to. The the whole time he was scanning that cliff. Then all of a sudden, he started to tell me how last year when camping he had taken a series of pictures of a cloud formation and actually captured on film a UFO! He went on in great detail. As delicately as possible I changed the topic, bid him adieu, mounted up and rode off!
Shortly after I had to take an Interstate south towards San Fran. It was really hot, close to a hundred degrees. As I rode and got closer to more traffic, more towns and people, I started to have a feeling of dread. After riding for so long along most deserted roads and staying in small towns, I was not looking forward to riding into a city without really knowing where I was going. I have come to the conclusion, not for the first time, that man has done little to improve the natural beauty of this planet. The closer you get to the cities, the more ugly the area becomes. I get the same feeling coming down from the cottage.
But, enough for now. I'll tell you what happened next later.... it certainly got interesting.
Bumpass Hell...that's actually a name? Must've smelled quite wonderful, huh? I certainly understand about the no-guardrail riding/cycling: it certainly puts you out of your comfort zone! The pics of the area continue to be outstanding...you must be in seventh heaven being right in the thick of the nature you love. I'll bet you have some interesting stories of the people you meet!! Great reading!!!
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