HERE'S WHAT'S BEEN HAPPENING

Actually not much has been happening in the adventurous vein, but we have been travelling right along.  Our next stop after Reno was Lassen National Park.  We were there for an overnight stop many years ago, so we figured it was time to go back and get the lay of the land so to speak.  I had read on-line that the campground rarely fills up and upon arrival there were ample spots to choose from.

As is the norm for us we're here to hike and hike we did.  Several easy hikes and one not so easy. Mt. Lassen at 10,400 feet, is generally a somewhat easy hike if you consider that it is only 2.5 miles to the summit on a well maintained trail.  Not so easy if at the 9800 foot level you become dizzy to the point that you feel like you're going to fall off the mountain.  In addition the wind was howling making one's balance even more precarious. Cathie said she wanted to go on, but as I was the one who felt like I would be blown off the trail, I called a halt to the summit attempt.  All this means though is that we'll have to go back.

LOOKS EASY FROM HERE

LOOK, A NICE TRAIL

COLD AND WINDY

LOOKING UP

TURN AROUND POINT 9800 FEET

Here's some more photos of Lassen

Next we continued north into Southeastern Oregon.  Every couple of years my sisters, Jude and Kathy decide it's time for the family to get together on a camping trip.  They pick the spot that is sometimes central to everyone.  They also seem to always pick a spot that is in the most remote location central to everyone.  I believe that they also take into consideration that I have big RV and like to test my ability to get into the chosen remote central location.  This time it was the Hart Mountain Antelope Refuge, which by the way is located in the MIDDLE OF NOWHERE.  Located about 65 miles from the nearest help, on a road on which you see no one, the last 20 miles of which is a dusty washboard gravel track, you finally arrive at camp.  But hey, it's got a hot spring, so it can't be all bad.  With no place for me to turn around in the campground I backed the last half mile into my chosen spot.  Jude and Kathy were already there and brother Joel and cousin Lee arrived the following day.  We did enjoy ourselves catching up on old times and the latest happenings with family.

THE ROAD TO NOWHERE

YEP, THERE'S ANTELOPE

CAMP

THE SPA

LEE, ME, JUDE, KATHY AND JOEL

I noticed while on the refuge, that some of the Juniper trees were cut down.  Just left there laying on the ground.

Vandals, wood thieves or were they non-native trees or diseased?  So I asked a refuge volunteer who happened to drive into camp, what was up?  He told me that the trees are native, not sick and that they were being cut down to make it like it was 100 years ago in the refuge.  I said, "so you're helping nature".  He didn't like that comment.  I then suggested that if they wanted it to be like 100 years ago,  he should get out of the truck and walk.  I don't think he like that comment either.

It really pissed me off.  How do they know how many trees were there 100 years ago? If more trees have grown naturally, why are they messing with nature and cutting them down?  I'm going to get to the bottom of this and find out who the idiot is who made this decision.  When I find the answer, I'll post his name and address here so you can all tell him what you think. Stay tuned.........