8/1/07
From our campground at Summit Lake i did a morning run
(about 3.5miles) to Echo Lake, it was so gorgeous!
Mt. Lassen at my back with snowy spots for color, i ran
through the forest, chipmunks and lizards crossing my
path. I only saw one other person on the path and i
smiled and continued to dance/run to the tunes on my
ipod (how did i ever live with out my ipod -such a source
of fun for music and inspiration for the spiritual satsangs
i listen to daily).
At last through the trees i saw blue water, tree lined lake,
sun glistening on the water, peaceful and calm. I took a few
deep breaths, stretched for a bit, was flooded with feelings
of appreciation for this incredible beauty and took it all in,
then i ran back. I love trail running, i remember running
down the trail several years ago at Upper Yosemite Falls.
Steve and I ran 3.5 miles down, 3500 foot elevation descend,
what a rush!
At the other end of the Park is the Loomis Museum,
Loomis is the guy who was standing with a camera
in 1914 when Mt Lassen erupted, he took 6 photographs
of the event and eventually had this museum erected to
provide education about the volcanic activity there.
Reese and I did the Junior Ranger program there, it was
great, we attended a one hour Ranger talk all about
Bears. Wow, they sleep for 6 months (without eating
or going potty), if pregnant they wake
up after 2.5 mos and give birth to a .5lb baby bear
that is blind and can't walk and go back to sleep for
2.5 mos (that sounds slightly different than the first 2 mos
after my boys were born). The babies go from .5lb at
birth to 200 lbs at 2 yrs old, and before hybernation,
the bears eat 20,000 calories a day, mostly of insects.
Did i mention how much i am learning as we are
homeschooling, and i am so much more interested
than i was at 10yrs old. To complete the Junior Ranger
Program Reese drew a sign to illustrate the Preserve
and Protect logo for the park, it was very cool with a
volcano, arrowheads, and boulders rolling down the
mountain. He got his badge and promptly gave it to
Luc who wore it beaming with pride!
As we left Lassen Park, we passed Subway Cave
a lava tube with a self guided tour you can walk
through in 15 minutes or so. We grabbed our
flashlights and longsleeve shirts and
ventured down the 2 flights of stairs to the cave.
About 100 feet into the cave it gets completely dark
and very exciting, the folks leaving as we walked in
said the saw a bear so we had fun with that but Luc
was a little scared. The tour (via signs) tells all about
how the lava moved through the tube and we had
a great time stumbling around in the dark and looking
for cracks in the floor and marks on the walls.
It's a little how i feel today, like this life knows
where it's going, but i sure don't. I can only see
a little way ahead and i am quite sure that i am
not driving the boat (or the life). things happen
constantly that i can't predict or direct and however
i react to it, there is the calm awareness always
present. This knowing that it is exactly right ( no
matter how it looks) and unfolding perfectly.
The feeling has never been stronger, all is
exceedingly well! Even if you don't know
where you are going, or what is happening
exactly.
So... I thought we were headed to Big Bend
Hot springs, actually i was really looking forward
to it. I love camping (yes it's still camping in an RV)
and nature but i also really love bathing, soaking,
water therapy i call it, I average 2 baths a day at home.
Well campgrounds don't have baths so we go to
hot springs.. well not this time, it was closed for
refurbishing, so.. we look in the california camping
book and find McArthur-Burney Falls State Park,
and what a find. Rated a 9 on the scenic scale,
Burney Falls has it all. Awesome waterfall, trails,
great lake with swimbeach and boat rentals, ranger
led talks and walks, street bike and off road bike
trails ( yes, we did both, Reese is now a real pro
shifting gears with his 12 speed bike) and best of all
tons of kids. Reese made so many friends he had
3 different families feeding him smores every night.
Always working the angles that Reese man!
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