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| biking : hiking : home | |
PROLOGUE Steve Gibson and Judy Tachibana, retired Sacramento Bee reporters and long-time friends of ours, are camp hosts at the Warner Valley Campground in Lassen Volcano National Park. At their invitation, the Campo-Velo contingent visited the Park during the week of August 15-22, 2007. On this trip, the group consisted of Geno, Herb, Dick and two out of town camp followers, Jay Okada and Ralph Battles from Los Osos and San Luis Obispo, respectively. The group spent six nights at Warner Valley and one night at Lake Manzanita campground. During the seven days, we went on four fabulous hikes and two very mellow bike rides. In addition to their camp-hosting duties, Steve and Judy work at the nearby Drakesbad Guest Ranch, a rustic 20-unit cluster of cabins, lodge, dining hall, and stables nestled in the upper Warner Valley. The nicest amenity at the resort is the hot springs pool where non-guests have access by purchasing a meal at the resort. |
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| Camp hosts Steve and Judy spend the entire summer in their Camp-Inn teardrop camper. Geno also brought Musubi and had a mini-teardrop gathering of tiny riceballs. | |
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| Wednesday night is the all-you-can-eat BBQ at Drakesbad. The long line forms in front of the main lodge. | |
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| The first of many helpings -- L-R Steve, Judy, Jay, Dick, Ralph, Herb and Geno's plate | One of Judy's jobs is working in the resort gift shop |
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| We cooked and shared dinners with Steve and Judy, who brought gourmet take-out meals from Drakesbad | |
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| Ralph brought his new Chalet pop-up camper | |
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| Dick prepares dinner in the Musubi kitchen | Barn swallow fledglings |
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| Ralph, an accomplished musician and singer, provided night-time entertainment | |
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| A lunch at Drakesbad entitled us non-guests the use of the hot springs pool | |
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| Lollygagging in the hot springs pool after 4 tough days of hiking and biking | |
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| Hot Springs Creek flowed next to our campground at Warner Valley | |
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| Our last night was spent at Manzanita Lake | |
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| Early evening view of Chaos Crags and Mt. Lassen | |
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| Up-close views -- Chaos Crags, which looks like the back of a Stegosaurus dinosaur . . . | . . . and upper lip of Mt. Lassen |
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| Encountering a female mule-deer on the trail | |
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| Life is good -- Evening paddle on Lake Manzanita | |
| biking : hiking : home | |