May 13-16
Before we left for our nearly year planned vacation to Collin’s lake/Hat Creek.. We thought we should have the front end of the truck checked out.. We have had some wondering issues when we have the truck hooked to it. We took the truck to our regular mechanic in Sacramento to have an oil change as well as to check out the truck over all. They told us the trany will need service brakes changed and belts replaced on the next visit.. However they suggested we have the front end aligned to see if that would help the wondering on the front of the truck..
We stopped in at Auto Diesel Tech in Woodland to have the front end aligned.. OMG!! The whole front end was shot!!! And the brake line was rubbing on the tire!!! So we told them to go ahead and fix it.. Wasn’t cheap! $4300.00!!!!!!!! Truck is 13 years old and the motor is GREAT! Diesel engine has 150k, just broke in.. Truck has another good 10 years I think..J
After a really busy weekend we finally got packed up and were ready to go Monday morning at 8:00am! Amazing we were ready to go this early.. We have our 200 pound generator on the back of the trailer in our new basket so now we don’t have to move it around!!
Phil and Toni left their house about 7:30 in Petaluma. As it turned out we would meet them at Collin’s lake entrance before choosing our place to camp for the next few days.
Of course we found the perfect place. Close to the water.. Dry camping/no hook ups. By the time we got set up it was so HOT! I felt I got a little heat stroke.. Ev fired up the generator we turned the AC on in the trailer.. I went in for awhile to cool down.. Still had a headache but felt better.
Next day was still very warm, cooled down a few degrees, but not much. Ev and I took the kayaks out for quite sometime on the lake.. Toni was in the trailer working on her quilts. Yes plural, she has 2 of them going. Both are for their grandson’s graduation presents. One was a “fishing” theme the other was a collection of old “t-shirts” backed with some sort of stiffener. The old “t-shirts” were from his early years of playing ball/events/etc.. A special request from Barbie for her son Lucas (Phil & Toni grandson).. Toni will be kept busy the whole camping trip with these projects.
Phil fishing down by the dam at Collin’s Lake. Phil limited all the days we were at the lake. The fish were huge! Phil caught a trout that weighed 5#’s along with several more on that Tuesday. We took them up to the office and he got his picture taken and put on the “wall of fame” along with several other fisherman. He was thrilled! We all were!
Wednesday Toni and I went into town, Yuba City/Marysville for a few hours. We did some thrift storing, went to the quilt shop and did some grocery shopping. In the meantime brother Rick is on his way here from WA state. This was a surprise that Rick was coming a day early. A welcome surprise.
By the time Toni & I reached the campground Rick had just checked in. And we lead the way to our camp. Weather was beautiful. Each day was cooling down. Thursday it rained a bit and was cloudy all day. We all fished that day except Toni and she was working on her quilts.. I caught a nice big one that day 3# pounder. Ev & I went and got our picture taken at the office so we too could be on the ‘wall of fame’..
We all did pretty good at fishing that day. Phil got his limit once again.. Offered them to a retired veteran and he was tickled to get them.
May 16-21
Friday morning we hit the road and headed to Hat Creek. About a 3 ½ hour drive.. We made good time and arrived at the Rancheria RV resort at Hat Creek. Got camp set up. Phil was terrible ill, flu or something.. He was down for a quite a few days. Toni stayed close to the camp to take care of Phil and do her quilting.
Stan & Glorianne came by that day (Friday). They thought we were going to be camped at the Hereford Ranch campground and that was where they were staying.. L DANG! We visited a little and I told them I would come to visit them the next morning and have coffee..
Rick & Ev took off and went fishing over to the Power house at Cassel the next morning. I went over and had coffee with Stan & Glorianne.. Invited them over for dinner that evening.. They were going to pull out on Sunday morning to go home. Glorianne was being sworn in as president of the Ft. Crook museum that day.
Toni & I went to Burney on Saturday hit a few garage sales a thrift store, picked up a few things at the store and back to camp we went. I was going dinner that night so needed to get things going.
We had a very nice evening with all our guests. I was thrilled Stan & Glorianne could make it over to our camp. I was sad that there was miscommunication about where we were all staying.. It worked out ok.. Glorianne needed to get back home she had so much going on.
Phil was still not feeling well, so he stayed in the trailer.. Poor guy, just couldn’t shake this thing, whatever it is!!
Sunday, Rick, Ev and I went up to Fall River Mills to meet up with Stan & Glorianne at the museum. We spent a couple hours there going through all the artifacts that were so greatly displayed. Ev an I offered to help out with what we could for the upcoming black powder shoot that was coming up on Memorial Day weekend, at least Friday & Saturday.. We will be heading home on Sunday.. Stopped and ate something at the local Mexican restaurant and headed back to camp.
Phil still wasn’t feeling that great and still in the trailer.. We didn’t cook that night because we had such a late lunch at Fall River Mills..
Monday we (Rick, Ev and Me) decided to drive up to McCloud and the reservoir to check out the lake for camping and go fishing at the Lower Falls of the McCloud river.. It’s an hours drive from camp.. I drove and it took about an hour and we were at the falls fishing. Rick was the first to catch a fish, using worms.. Then Ev & I followed suit.. We were having a ball.. Rick at one point took off his shirt laid down on the rocks (OUCH) and took a nap.. After fishing we took a drive over to the dam and check out possible camping places on McCloud Res.. We found that there really isn’t any place to camp on the lake.. Pretty steep mountains with no where actually to access the lake.. Happy we checked out the camping there.. Now we know, there isn’t anyplace really around the lake.. We were soon on our way back to camp after first stopping at the local grocery store to pick up a few things and then on our way back to Hat Creek..
When we got back to camp I got dinner started.. Having a “rack of pork”.. never cooked on before.. Turned out OK..?? Next time it will be better..
Rick took off about 3:30am this morning (Tuesday) to head home. He arrived home about 1:30pm that afternoon.
We went to breakfast with Phil & Toni.. Phil still feeling like shit.. But “man’ed” up for the morning.. When we got back to camp we packed up to head up to McArthur and stay at the fairgrounds campground.. Thought we would try different scenery and some kayaking..
After getting set up.. Ev & I took a ride to find some place that could be a possible good fishing as well as good kayaking.. We drove out to Ahjumawi Park behind the fairgrounds and found “Tule river” and “big lake”.. Then drove over to Fall River Mills and checked out the “lazy” river and the PGE res.. Both looked inviting.. However the wind is horrible! At least there are possibilities for Wednesday.. fishing and kayaking..
I had talked with Toni earlier and let her know I was going to cook taco’s for dinner.. Sounded like a plan.. We ate dinner at their trailer.. Toni had it all set up for us.. We got to catch up on the news. The have a dish.. Phil still not feeling up to par.. Don’t know if he has the flu or altitude sickness or something else?
I started suffering with horrible allergies as we were sitting at dinner.. Didn’t get to hang out much.. So I came home (back to the trailer) and put ice on my face and went to bed.. After a little while of having the ice I started feeling better and now ready for some much needed rest..
Woke up this morning feeling much better, but still lingering effects of the allergies. Possible cold?
Toni came by this morning to let us know they were going to pull out this morning. Phil still not feeling better.. Toni seems to think it might be altitude sickness?? They will head down the hill this morning and stay at the Rolling Hills Casino off I-5 to stay over and then go home Thursday.. Hopefully Phil also feel better..?
It’s pretty cold here this morning.. A low of 31 degrees this morning here in McArthur.. burrr
We did go out fishing on Tule River for a few hours.. Didn’t catch anything.. but it was quite and relaxing.. The dogs were wading in the water, checking out what they could.. Kaylee always has her nose in the dirt someplace digging.. Ripley stands on shore awaiting that fish you might catch!!
We had a quite evening at the trailer.. movies, left over tacos..
We will be heading out in the morning to Stan & Glorianne’s.
Pulled into S & G’s about 12:30 just as they were pulling out to set up tables at the Powder Shoot destination.. We met up with them at the museum and followed them to help with what we could.. Lots of people there to help set up.. wasn’t long before everything was ready for Friday..
S & G and us went for Mexican Dinner..Nice little place in Fall River Mills.. Can’t remember the name, but we have eaten there a few times.
Got back to S & G’s.. we packed it in for the night.. I am still not feeling great.. I have come to the conclusion I have a cold with allergies.. S & G had to go and help some people move cattle. They were back within an hour or so..
Ev slept on the couch while I worked on this blog..
About 8:50pm the trailer started really rocking..?? Thought it might have been Stan playing with us.. So walked outside and nothing or no one was there!! Weird huh? I turned on FB and we had just had an earthquake of 5.7!!!! There was a chain of events now that I look back.. Dogs were uneasy.. Took Kaylee out and she was barking nothing going nuts.. Ripley was pacing and uneasy.. Earlier we pasted a small cattle ranch and there was a huge coyote standing amongst the cattle.. I was chatting with Kathy a girl from here (also from High School how now lives in this area) about the earthquake.. Some people thought it might be Mt Lassen erupting!!
article on the earthquake>> http://theorion.com/news/article_21eb558c-c431-11e2-b70c-001a4bcf6878.html
Earlier that evening (don’t think this was relative) but WA state a bridge collapsed on I-5 at 7pm.. no injuries.. Ev slept through it all. Felt a few of the aftershocks and then went to bed..
No word on Phil as yet.. He has a doctors appt on Friday morning.. Hoping for some good news.. :)
Linda, your posts are awesome!
ReplyDeleteYou haven't added the EARTHQUAKE to your adventures yet :)
Kathy Becker