Tuesday, August 19, 2008

California volcanic trail






Continuing with the volcanic theme, we visited Lava Beds National Monument to do some lava tube caving.  There's about a dozen caves of various lengths and heights to explore.  The hard core can squeeze through tiny sections of sharp jagged lava best left for grating cheese.  We stuck to the easier stuff.  On to Lassen Volcanic NP.  Very smokey from the wild fires near Lake Shasta.  Fortunately the second day was more clear so we could climb up to the peak for great views.  This one is of Mt Shasta over the wildfire layer of smoke.  An added bonus was a huge swarm of butterflies migrating via Lassen Peak most of the day (click on picture for more clarity).  Then down the eastern side of the Sierra Nevada by Lake Tahoe, Mono Lake and up to the Ancient Bristlecone Pine forest at 10,000 feet.  Gnarly twisted beasts they are.  Then finally back home after 3-1/2 months and 19,300 miles.  No major issues other than a compromised credit card (from our China trip), a replaced IAC valve for the Ford and the legal sodomy of record high gas prices (the week we got back home is when oil's bubble finally burst).  People ask what the highlight of the trip was and it's difficult to choose one thing over another but the feeling of waking up and being able go anywhere that day is hard to beat.  Time for a vacation from vacation: next up is a family cruise to the western Caribbean!

No comments: