Today the landscapers finished making parts of our yard require less water and work for maintenance. Watch the video below, then read on.....
What got taken out was the small area of lawn in the front yard and an irregular piece of lawn in the back yard. The only lawn area left to water and mow is one area in the back yard that is about 20 feet by 18 feet. That area had been larger by about 6 feet by 18 feet. The lawn area that was replaced now has weed block with shredded redwood bark on top of it. The plants are on a new drip system and get watered 5 minutes a day. Once the winter rains start that can be turned off. The other big change is that the very large liquidamber tree in the front yard has been removed. It had gotten way too big for where it was. A pine (front yard) and 2 volunteer mimosas (back yard) were also taken out.
Friday, October 30, 2009
Saturday, October 17, 2009
Christening Time
today at Saint Christopher's in Willow Glen. It was a very nice
ceremony. Big Bro Isaac and godparents and grandparents and uncles and
aunts and friends were in attendance. And their mom and dad were there
too, of course.
Friday, October 16, 2009
Video test for our next road trip....
Well, our next road trip is fully planned. We'll be going to the Painted Desert, Petrified Forest, Pipe Organ Cactus National Monument, Yuma, the San Diego Zoo, the San Diego Botanical Gardens and places in between, including a visit with Linda's sister and nephew in Phoenix.
We've ordered a "miniature" 1080p HD video camera and will be taking some video on this trip as well as shooting our our photographs. We'll be posting both. We've learned how to post the videos on our YouTube account and embed them into our blog.
The following video is part of one we did a couple of years ago and put on you tube. You might enjoy it!
We've ordered a "miniature" 1080p HD video camera and will be taking some video on this trip as well as shooting our our photographs. We'll be posting both. We've learned how to post the videos on our YouTube account and embed them into our blog.
The following video is part of one we did a couple of years ago and put on you tube. You might enjoy it!
Monday, October 12, 2009
Day 10 - Lakehead, CA to Morgan Hill, CA
[Monday, Lakehead, CA to Morgan Hill, CA] We can report today that one cannot get anything they want at Allyson's Restaurant in Lakehead, CA. In fact, one couldn't get anything at all since the restaurant was closed. However, a quick swivel of the head to the left and we found what could best be described as a sportsman's bar and grill, the Basshole. It was open!!
We entered and found one patron playing with himself. Pool, that is. He was winning. And losing. Our waitress invited us to set anywhere we wanted. Linda checked out the specials. She got fish tacos (talapia) and John ordered the spaghetti and meatballs. His mistake was to get the full order. Leftover spaghetti, anyone? The food was good and we had a nice chat with our waitress while waiting for it. Found out her daughter is attending Humboldt State University where Jay went to school.
Got a good night's rest and went to breakfast back at the Shasta Camp Coffee Company where John had grabbed a Mocha the day before. These are the folks from Watsonville. After Allyson let us down the night before, she didn't deserve us! John had eggs, bacon, orange juice, hash browns and biscuits. Linda had an English muffin and orange juice. Her Raw Bits were all packed up already for the trip home.
Back to Lakehead Lodge to pack and load. Left about 9:37a.m. and stopped back by the Shasta Camp Coffee Company to get John a Mocha for the road.
Wilma's navigation system reported that we had 288 miles to go to get home. We attempted to make a pit stop at a Rest Area.... closed! California government is certainly outdone by Oregon in the rest stop area! We finally stopped at Corning, CA and visited the Olive Pit for a pit stop! How appropriate. Got some gifts for our neighbors who have been gathering our mail.
Further down the road, at Williams, Linda took over the driving. She drove to Danville. We stopped at a Carl's Junior in Fremont for another "rest" and some lunch. Burger for John. Salad for Linda. Then on to Morgan Hill.
All in all, the traffic was very light. The weather was overcast, so no bright sun to deal with. We made a quick stop at Nob Hill for milk and bread then pulled in the driveway at somewhere near 3:09p.m. after a trip of 1,289.8 miles. We unloaded Wilma. It will take a day or so to recover and unpack. Please, no sympathy cards are necessary (or expected).
We did follow through on our commitment... no TV in the motel room and no radio on the highway. It's very peaceful and relaxing and, of all things, we get to talk.
It was a wonderful trip. Over 520 photographs and lots of memories.
We're planning our next road trip for mid-November. Part of that trip will be to visit Linda's sister, Gloria, and her nephew, Gordon, in Phoenix. Weather permitting, we'll visit the Petrified Forest, Organ Pipe Cactus National Park, San Diego Zoo and other things along the way. John has to phone in the weekend before November 2nd for jury duty. Hopefully, it won't conflict with mid-November.
See you then!
We hope you enjoyed going along with us.
Here's the Raw Bits Twang Twang recipe for those who are interested: 2 T ground flax seed, 3/4 cup wheat bran, 1/3 cup powdered milk, 1/4 cup chopped dried fruits. Add 1 cup water 10 to 20 minutes before eating. You can add sliced banana too if available. Enjoy! Wheat bran is available in the food bins at Nob Hill and at some fruit stands. John says, "If you eat this for breakfast every day, you will no longer be unique. You'll just be a regular guy or gal!"
No photo gallery for day 10.
We entered and found one patron playing with himself. Pool, that is. He was winning. And losing. Our waitress invited us to set anywhere we wanted. Linda checked out the specials. She got fish tacos (talapia) and John ordered the spaghetti and meatballs. His mistake was to get the full order. Leftover spaghetti, anyone? The food was good and we had a nice chat with our waitress while waiting for it. Found out her daughter is attending Humboldt State University where Jay went to school.
Got a good night's rest and went to breakfast back at the Shasta Camp Coffee Company where John had grabbed a Mocha the day before. These are the folks from Watsonville. After Allyson let us down the night before, she didn't deserve us! John had eggs, bacon, orange juice, hash browns and biscuits. Linda had an English muffin and orange juice. Her Raw Bits were all packed up already for the trip home.
Back to Lakehead Lodge to pack and load. Left about 9:37a.m. and stopped back by the Shasta Camp Coffee Company to get John a Mocha for the road.
Wilma's navigation system reported that we had 288 miles to go to get home. We attempted to make a pit stop at a Rest Area.... closed! California government is certainly outdone by Oregon in the rest stop area! We finally stopped at Corning, CA and visited the Olive Pit for a pit stop! How appropriate. Got some gifts for our neighbors who have been gathering our mail.
Further down the road, at Williams, Linda took over the driving. She drove to Danville. We stopped at a Carl's Junior in Fremont for another "rest" and some lunch. Burger for John. Salad for Linda. Then on to Morgan Hill.
All in all, the traffic was very light. The weather was overcast, so no bright sun to deal with. We made a quick stop at Nob Hill for milk and bread then pulled in the driveway at somewhere near 3:09p.m. after a trip of 1,289.8 miles. We unloaded Wilma. It will take a day or so to recover and unpack. Please, no sympathy cards are necessary (or expected).
We did follow through on our commitment... no TV in the motel room and no radio on the highway. It's very peaceful and relaxing and, of all things, we get to talk.
It was a wonderful trip. Over 520 photographs and lots of memories.
We're planning our next road trip for mid-November. Part of that trip will be to visit Linda's sister, Gloria, and her nephew, Gordon, in Phoenix. Weather permitting, we'll visit the Petrified Forest, Organ Pipe Cactus National Park, San Diego Zoo and other things along the way. John has to phone in the weekend before November 2nd for jury duty. Hopefully, it won't conflict with mid-November.
See you then!
We hope you enjoyed going along with us.
Here's the Raw Bits Twang Twang recipe for those who are interested: 2 T ground flax seed, 3/4 cup wheat bran, 1/3 cup powdered milk, 1/4 cup chopped dried fruits. Add 1 cup water 10 to 20 minutes before eating. You can add sliced banana too if available. Enjoy! Wheat bran is available in the food bins at Nob Hill and at some fruit stands. John says, "If you eat this for breakfast every day, you will no longer be unique. You'll just be a regular guy or gal!"
No photo gallery for day 10.
Sunday, October 11, 2009
Day 9 - Lakehead, CA
[Sunday, Lakehead, CA] Slept in until about 7:33a.m. this morning. Well, Linda slept in a bit longer, but she deserves it! John had PB on toast and a banana this morning. Linda had her Raw Bits Twang Twang. Due to the overwhelming curiosity as to what RBTTs consist of, if you stay tuned for our last posting from this road trip, Linda just might be persuaded to give out her special secret recipe.
A note about the first two pictures in today's photo gallery. Our cabin has a cute kitchenette. We think it's a Buddhist kitchenette. The sink and the stove are at one with each other. Does save room. Second picture is of what used to be a gas station next door that also did brake inspections. Gone with the wind.
Linda did something unusual (for her). She took a shower. Linda hates showers but had no choice unless she filled up a wading pool down by the grassy knoll. She decided to use the complimentary shampoo/conditioner which was in an economical reusable packet (let's call it ERP for short). It was impossible for her to open aforementioned ERP at the "tear here" area or anywhere else (thus the ERP aspect). She even tried using her teeth as tools (like she always preached NOT to do to the kids). Then she remembered her Grandmother Angie's method while on a road trip in New Mexico. She said "Here Honey, use this bar of soap. It will work just as good as shampoo". Weird feeling to rub a bar of soap on your head but it did work OK. And my hair is standing on end without even having to use any moose or reindeer or elk (can you tell I'm not sure how to spell mousse?). PS If anyone out there in blogland hates baths you can donate Linda all your foofy bath salts, etc.
We left about 9:00a.m. to go to a restaurant we saw on our "lake tour" yesterday They serve espresso drinks so John was able to get some "real" coffee (4 shots in a large Mocha). He's still vibrating! The couple that owns the restaurant just moved here about six months ago from Watsonville. As we were arriving 2 ladies were peering out the front window in fascination - not at us but at a cluster of birds around 2 feeders (one for hummers, the other for several kinds tiny colorful birds that like millet). The restaurant is very cute. They bought the whole building about 3 years ago and have been revamping it. There is a beauty shop down at the end and some other forgettable (at least we forgot it) business in the middle. The restaurant is decorated with a woodsy decor. That's where we were photographed with the buffalo. There's also a totem pole and a wooden Indian. Linda asked the lady (owner) if she was loving it here and she said that she is but that it was taking her a while to get used to being in such a small town (population about 312).
After leaving there, we decided to go back to Pollard Flat and visit the river. There were two other cars in the parking lot. The path down to the river is really nice. The US Forest Service used railroad ties (and hopefully convict labor) to make stairs down the steepest part, then they poured concrete over the rocks and left it rough to make a solid path the rest of the way down. The other cars in the parking lot were those of three fly fishermen who were all out in the middle of the river (not that deep, we suppose, or perhaps they can walk on water!) flycasting away. There are so many flies (the kind that like to hang around your head and eyes and stay with you even if you are running and waving your arms at them) down by the river that the "fly" fisherman should have caught their limit! Though we never did see them catch any fish. But the one we talked to was optimistic, at least. When Linda asked if he had caught anything he said, "Not yet" (in a cheerful/hopeful way). Maggie enjoyed the walk down and seemed to really like the river. Didn't stay too long, but took some nice photos. We think.
Having decided to "explore" on the way back to Lakehead, we took the Le Moine exit. Le Moine, you know, is French for "Lemon". The exit sign clearly stated "No Services". Perhaps it should have stated "No Services. Not Much of a Road." We wound around and crossed a creek a couple of times. We met a young man in overalls on an ATV with his dog riding on the back. He (the man) was grinning from ear-to-ear. Couldn't tell if the dog was grinning. At any moment we thought we might hear strains of "Dueling Banjos" coming from this place that appears to belong in North Georgia (sorry Jerry) or Tennessee. No, John can't squeal like a pig! Yet, but Linda's working on it. Took some "interesting" photos. One of them was of an old dilapidated couch on the front porch of an even more dilapidated (and unoccupied) house. Why would we take a picture of that, one might ask? Because we had a couch with that exact same fabric (until just a few years ago). And, for some reason, we keep seeing it (strangely neither of our children wanted it when we were ready to release it). It is the exact same fabric as Frazier's father's beloved recliner. Ah, memories!
On the way back out of Le Moine, we found a gravel side road that crossed an old bridge that crossed a creek. Had to cross the bridge and take pictures of it and the creek. Le Moine was photographically worth exploring. Wouldn't particularly want to move there. Like the highway exit sign says: "No Services".
Next exit south was Dog Creek Road. It was a narrow, all gravel road and not too well maintained. You knew you were headed for the creek because it was all downhill. Crossed a couple of old picturesque bridges. The road seemed to be getting more narrow and bumpy and we were getting a little concerned about finding a place to turn around. Met an oncoming pickup truck and negotiated safe passage so we decided there must be a turnaround somewhere ahead. Then we came to a Railroad Crossing Ahead sign so we relaxed a bit. At the bottom of the road just after you crossed the railroad tracks, was an old steel and wood bridge with a sign, "Warning Bridge Under Repair. Load Limit 3 Tons". Linda didn't want to drive across the bridge (even if John got out!). The phrase "under repair" completely spooked her for some reason. So, we found a nice place to park and walked onto the bridge to photograph the bridge, Dog Creek, the railroad crossing and tracks. John walked all the way across the bridge to photograph it. It held up! On the other side he found a sign "2 Miles to Shasta Wilderness". From the location at the bottom of Dog Creek Road you can also take a picture of the old Hwy 99 bridge that crossed the creek. Of course, it's no longer in use. As we were leaving, John stopped at one of the old bridges and was able to photograph the I-5 bridge from underneath as well. Linda's treasure was an old rusty railroad spike. It will find a place in her garden, no doubt. On our way back to a real road we saw a real estate sign offering 3,000 acres of land. John commented that they probably don't mention in their media advertisements that it is mostly vertical. The Two Old Buzzards agreed that they would much rather photograph it than own it.
Next exit south was Lakehead. So we returned to the lodge and had a light lunch in our cozy cabin. John had grapes, cheese, crackers, peanut butter, milk and a Milky Way Midnight he bought last night. Linda had a sandwich with Larrupin' Mustard Dill Sauce on grainy bread with sliced apple, lettuce, jack cheese, smoked provelone and smoked ham. Maggie had a biscuit from Black Bear Diner. Plans are to go to Allyson's Restaurant for dinner this evening. Rumor is that "You can get anything you want at Allyson's Restaurant". It's across I-5 on Lakeshore Drive, just down from where John got his coffee this morning. We will take pictures this evening and include them tomorrow when we let you know how it is. And, if you can really get anything you want...
Link to Day 9 Photo Gallery The gallery will open in its own window. When finished viewing, close that window to return here.
A note about the first two pictures in today's photo gallery. Our cabin has a cute kitchenette. We think it's a Buddhist kitchenette. The sink and the stove are at one with each other. Does save room. Second picture is of what used to be a gas station next door that also did brake inspections. Gone with the wind.
Linda did something unusual (for her). She took a shower. Linda hates showers but had no choice unless she filled up a wading pool down by the grassy knoll. She decided to use the complimentary shampoo/conditioner which was in an economical reusable packet (let's call it ERP for short). It was impossible for her to open aforementioned ERP at the "tear here" area or anywhere else (thus the ERP aspect). She even tried using her teeth as tools (like she always preached NOT to do to the kids). Then she remembered her Grandmother Angie's method while on a road trip in New Mexico. She said "Here Honey, use this bar of soap. It will work just as good as shampoo". Weird feeling to rub a bar of soap on your head but it did work OK. And my hair is standing on end without even having to use any moose or reindeer or elk (can you tell I'm not sure how to spell mousse?). PS If anyone out there in blogland hates baths you can donate Linda all your foofy bath salts, etc.
We left about 9:00a.m. to go to a restaurant we saw on our "lake tour" yesterday They serve espresso drinks so John was able to get some "real" coffee (4 shots in a large Mocha). He's still vibrating! The couple that owns the restaurant just moved here about six months ago from Watsonville. As we were arriving 2 ladies were peering out the front window in fascination - not at us but at a cluster of birds around 2 feeders (one for hummers, the other for several kinds tiny colorful birds that like millet). The restaurant is very cute. They bought the whole building about 3 years ago and have been revamping it. There is a beauty shop down at the end and some other forgettable (at least we forgot it) business in the middle. The restaurant is decorated with a woodsy decor. That's where we were photographed with the buffalo. There's also a totem pole and a wooden Indian. Linda asked the lady (owner) if she was loving it here and she said that she is but that it was taking her a while to get used to being in such a small town (population about 312).
After leaving there, we decided to go back to Pollard Flat and visit the river. There were two other cars in the parking lot. The path down to the river is really nice. The US Forest Service used railroad ties (and hopefully convict labor) to make stairs down the steepest part, then they poured concrete over the rocks and left it rough to make a solid path the rest of the way down. The other cars in the parking lot were those of three fly fishermen who were all out in the middle of the river (not that deep, we suppose, or perhaps they can walk on water!) flycasting away. There are so many flies (the kind that like to hang around your head and eyes and stay with you even if you are running and waving your arms at them) down by the river that the "fly" fisherman should have caught their limit! Though we never did see them catch any fish. But the one we talked to was optimistic, at least. When Linda asked if he had caught anything he said, "Not yet" (in a cheerful/hopeful way). Maggie enjoyed the walk down and seemed to really like the river. Didn't stay too long, but took some nice photos. We think.
Having decided to "explore" on the way back to Lakehead, we took the Le Moine exit. Le Moine, you know, is French for "Lemon". The exit sign clearly stated "No Services". Perhaps it should have stated "No Services. Not Much of a Road." We wound around and crossed a creek a couple of times. We met a young man in overalls on an ATV with his dog riding on the back. He (the man) was grinning from ear-to-ear. Couldn't tell if the dog was grinning. At any moment we thought we might hear strains of "Dueling Banjos" coming from this place that appears to belong in North Georgia (sorry Jerry) or Tennessee. No, John can't squeal like a pig! Yet, but Linda's working on it. Took some "interesting" photos. One of them was of an old dilapidated couch on the front porch of an even more dilapidated (and unoccupied) house. Why would we take a picture of that, one might ask? Because we had a couch with that exact same fabric (until just a few years ago). And, for some reason, we keep seeing it (strangely neither of our children wanted it when we were ready to release it). It is the exact same fabric as Frazier's father's beloved recliner. Ah, memories!
On the way back out of Le Moine, we found a gravel side road that crossed an old bridge that crossed a creek. Had to cross the bridge and take pictures of it and the creek. Le Moine was photographically worth exploring. Wouldn't particularly want to move there. Like the highway exit sign says: "No Services".
Next exit south was Dog Creek Road. It was a narrow, all gravel road and not too well maintained. You knew you were headed for the creek because it was all downhill. Crossed a couple of old picturesque bridges. The road seemed to be getting more narrow and bumpy and we were getting a little concerned about finding a place to turn around. Met an oncoming pickup truck and negotiated safe passage so we decided there must be a turnaround somewhere ahead. Then we came to a Railroad Crossing Ahead sign so we relaxed a bit. At the bottom of the road just after you crossed the railroad tracks, was an old steel and wood bridge with a sign, "Warning Bridge Under Repair. Load Limit 3 Tons". Linda didn't want to drive across the bridge (even if John got out!). The phrase "under repair" completely spooked her for some reason. So, we found a nice place to park and walked onto the bridge to photograph the bridge, Dog Creek, the railroad crossing and tracks. John walked all the way across the bridge to photograph it. It held up! On the other side he found a sign "2 Miles to Shasta Wilderness". From the location at the bottom of Dog Creek Road you can also take a picture of the old Hwy 99 bridge that crossed the creek. Of course, it's no longer in use. As we were leaving, John stopped at one of the old bridges and was able to photograph the I-5 bridge from underneath as well. Linda's treasure was an old rusty railroad spike. It will find a place in her garden, no doubt. On our way back to a real road we saw a real estate sign offering 3,000 acres of land. John commented that they probably don't mention in their media advertisements that it is mostly vertical. The Two Old Buzzards agreed that they would much rather photograph it than own it.
Next exit south was Lakehead. So we returned to the lodge and had a light lunch in our cozy cabin. John had grapes, cheese, crackers, peanut butter, milk and a Milky Way Midnight he bought last night. Linda had a sandwich with Larrupin' Mustard Dill Sauce on grainy bread with sliced apple, lettuce, jack cheese, smoked provelone and smoked ham. Maggie had a biscuit from Black Bear Diner. Plans are to go to Allyson's Restaurant for dinner this evening. Rumor is that "You can get anything you want at Allyson's Restaurant". It's across I-5 on Lakeshore Drive, just down from where John got his coffee this morning. We will take pictures this evening and include them tomorrow when we let you know how it is. And, if you can really get anything you want...
Link to Day 9 Photo Gallery The gallery will open in its own window. When finished viewing, close that window to return here.
Saturday, October 10, 2009
Day 8 - Medford, OR to Lakehead, CA
[Saturday, Medford, OR to Lakehead, CA] Left our comfortable Quality Inn room near 9:22a.m. after John had his waffle, cereal, coffee, orange juice, milk and a banana. Now prepare yourself for some earthshattering news. Linda did NOT have Raw Bits Twang Twang for breakfast and the world did not come to a crashing halt (yet). She forgot to bring her RB packet to the breakfast room so she made do with a boiled egg, toasted Os and raisin bran with banana and some good news/bad news yogurt. It was peach Yami yogurt (click here to visit Yami Yogurt) with probiotic and live cultures made in the Pacific Northwest from fresh, wholesome Grade A milk that contains no antibiotics or synthetic growth hormones. I swear to you that it was the MOST yummy yogert I have ever tasted. That's the good news. Bad news is that the tiny 4 oz container contained 130 calories. Oh, well, it was yummy Yami!
We mostly just drove the 120 miles or so to Lakehead, CA. Tried to call a friend of ours who lives in Dunsmuir (right on our way). An interesting lady named Angelique who was staying in Morgan Hill for a month or so in the early summer and was a volunteer at the Senior Cafe in the senior center. John had met her in the swimming pool at the Centennial Recreation Center. Linda and Angelique traded phone messages. By the time we got her message we were already in Lakehead. She wasn't going to be available today anyway, so it just didn't work out.
We made a brief stop at Pollard Flat. John had found a restaurant there in his online search for accomodations in the area. It is in conjunction with an Exxon station. Been voted best truck stop in America. The restaurant is called USA Restaurant. You'll see why later. If you ever make your way to the USA Restaurant in Pollard Flat be sure to visit the restroom. You won't forget it!
Our cabin at Lakehead is very comfy. Lakehead Lodge is owned by a young couple. Jim, our host, was very nice and very helpful. He's in the process of repainting and refurbishing the units. Great WiFi! It's very slow around Lakehead now because Lake Shasta is very, very low. More on that later. As you will see in the photo gallery, he is painting the units a very bright yellow. It's really eye catching and looks nice. You can visit their website by clicking here.
After sandwiches and other lunch goodies in our cabin, we went took a ride on Lakeshore Drive which mostly does follow the lake's shoreline. Very depressing. So many boat docks just left high and dry laying on the side of the hole in the ground that used to be the lake. We've been told that the main body of the lake at the Pitt River bridge down by Redding is low, but still commercially viable. If you're interested in investing in a depressed area in this bad economy, Burgies Restaurant on Lakeshore Drive here in Lakehead is for sale. Nice looking place. Been closed for about six months. Asking price is $349,000. Bet you can get a better deal!
Went back to our room. Worked on the travelogue (as opposed to Kellog's "travel log"). John took a nap from 4:00p.m. until just after 5:00p.m. Linda and Maggie went down to a nice grassy area at the lodge. Linda dozed off in a high-backed Adirondack chair while reading Daisy Fay and the Miracle Man by Fannie Flagg. All this relaxing has just worn us both out. Life is good! Retired life is better!!
Left for dinner about 5:15p.m. When we had stopped in Pollard Flat earlier to check out the restaurant, we noticed a River Access sign. We went back and explored that before going to the USA Restaurant for dinner. The road down to the river access parking area is steep and has lots of switchbacks. But, the parking area is nice and there are steps and a long trail leading down to the river. Light was poor for photographing, we we decided we'll go back when the sun is higher in the sky (the river's sort of in a canyon) so we can take some pictures.
Back to the USA Restaurant. It's chock full of antiques and memorabilia. Lots of cute signs. Our first clue came when our waitress, we'll call her "Grandma" noticed that the Glen Beck show had just started on Fox News. She said, "Oh, good, I really like him!" (Actually, so does John). Glen's talking about how the citizens need to take back the country and Grandma is feedin' the fire with her grandhildren, who happen to be in the restaurant with her. Then, she takes off doing a little denigration of President Obama for the benefit of, you guessed it, her grandchildren, who according to all appearances seem to be at least 1/2 African American. John did notice the NRA sticker on one of the cabinets and he purchased a copy of "The Citizen's Handbook" (on display at EVERY table) for $1.75 before we left. In addition to the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution and the Bill of Rights, it has, among much more, a complete section on Juror's Rights. Guess who has a jury summons for November 2nd.
The food was good. Linda had split pea soup (she said as good a Split Pea Anderson's) and grapefruit juice. John had a cup of split pea soup and, at long last, a hamburger steak with grilled onions, mashed potatoes and gravy! These folks were very nice and hospitable (if you weren't from the government), but there was some interesting indoctrination of the children going on there. Will Pollard Flat be the home of the next Timothy McVey?
John's chocolate bug raised it's head and we went by a market on the way back to Lakehead Lodge to get some kind of dark chocolate candy bar. Maybe it was a dark Snickers. And, maybe there was a Milky Way Midnight in the bag as well. Wait, what's this White Reese's doing here?
Sweet, sweet dreams!
Link to Day 8 Photo Gallery The gallery will open in its own window. When finished viewing, close that window to return here.
We mostly just drove the 120 miles or so to Lakehead, CA. Tried to call a friend of ours who lives in Dunsmuir (right on our way). An interesting lady named Angelique who was staying in Morgan Hill for a month or so in the early summer and was a volunteer at the Senior Cafe in the senior center. John had met her in the swimming pool at the Centennial Recreation Center. Linda and Angelique traded phone messages. By the time we got her message we were already in Lakehead. She wasn't going to be available today anyway, so it just didn't work out.
We made a brief stop at Pollard Flat. John had found a restaurant there in his online search for accomodations in the area. It is in conjunction with an Exxon station. Been voted best truck stop in America. The restaurant is called USA Restaurant. You'll see why later. If you ever make your way to the USA Restaurant in Pollard Flat be sure to visit the restroom. You won't forget it!
Our cabin at Lakehead is very comfy. Lakehead Lodge is owned by a young couple. Jim, our host, was very nice and very helpful. He's in the process of repainting and refurbishing the units. Great WiFi! It's very slow around Lakehead now because Lake Shasta is very, very low. More on that later. As you will see in the photo gallery, he is painting the units a very bright yellow. It's really eye catching and looks nice. You can visit their website by clicking here.
After sandwiches and other lunch goodies in our cabin, we went took a ride on Lakeshore Drive which mostly does follow the lake's shoreline. Very depressing. So many boat docks just left high and dry laying on the side of the hole in the ground that used to be the lake. We've been told that the main body of the lake at the Pitt River bridge down by Redding is low, but still commercially viable. If you're interested in investing in a depressed area in this bad economy, Burgies Restaurant on Lakeshore Drive here in Lakehead is for sale. Nice looking place. Been closed for about six months. Asking price is $349,000. Bet you can get a better deal!
Went back to our room. Worked on the travelogue (as opposed to Kellog's "travel log"). John took a nap from 4:00p.m. until just after 5:00p.m. Linda and Maggie went down to a nice grassy area at the lodge. Linda dozed off in a high-backed Adirondack chair while reading Daisy Fay and the Miracle Man by Fannie Flagg. All this relaxing has just worn us both out. Life is good! Retired life is better!!
Left for dinner about 5:15p.m. When we had stopped in Pollard Flat earlier to check out the restaurant, we noticed a River Access sign. We went back and explored that before going to the USA Restaurant for dinner. The road down to the river access parking area is steep and has lots of switchbacks. But, the parking area is nice and there are steps and a long trail leading down to the river. Light was poor for photographing, we we decided we'll go back when the sun is higher in the sky (the river's sort of in a canyon) so we can take some pictures.
Back to the USA Restaurant. It's chock full of antiques and memorabilia. Lots of cute signs. Our first clue came when our waitress, we'll call her "Grandma" noticed that the Glen Beck show had just started on Fox News. She said, "Oh, good, I really like him!" (Actually, so does John). Glen's talking about how the citizens need to take back the country and Grandma is feedin' the fire with her grandhildren, who happen to be in the restaurant with her. Then, she takes off doing a little denigration of President Obama for the benefit of, you guessed it, her grandchildren, who according to all appearances seem to be at least 1/2 African American. John did notice the NRA sticker on one of the cabinets and he purchased a copy of "The Citizen's Handbook" (on display at EVERY table) for $1.75 before we left. In addition to the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution and the Bill of Rights, it has, among much more, a complete section on Juror's Rights. Guess who has a jury summons for November 2nd.
The food was good. Linda had split pea soup (she said as good a Split Pea Anderson's) and grapefruit juice. John had a cup of split pea soup and, at long last, a hamburger steak with grilled onions, mashed potatoes and gravy! These folks were very nice and hospitable (if you weren't from the government), but there was some interesting indoctrination of the children going on there. Will Pollard Flat be the home of the next Timothy McVey?
John's chocolate bug raised it's head and we went by a market on the way back to Lakehead Lodge to get some kind of dark chocolate candy bar. Maybe it was a dark Snickers. And, maybe there was a Milky Way Midnight in the bag as well. Wait, what's this White Reese's doing here?
Sweet, sweet dreams!
Link to Day 8 Photo Gallery The gallery will open in its own window. When finished viewing, close that window to return here.
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