Jacksonville, Oregon Dressed for Halloween

We avoid urban areas most of the time but I do love small towns, especially the ones that seem caught in a past era.

Southern Oregon has a cluster of three towns.  Medford is the urban commercial hub, a place we avoided.  Ashland is the artistic town, host to the Ashland Shakespeare Festival and Jacksonville is a small town that tries to attract tourists by preserving its early mining town heritage.

I liked the display in this barber shop window.  Black Bart had been a local stagecoach robber in the nineteenth century and who couldn't enjoy the barbershop memorabilia.

Do you remember these?  I do.  There was one in front of the local drug store when I was a child.

See more of our wonderful world at Our World, Tuesday, hosted for us each week by
Arija, Gattina, Lady Fi, Sylvia and Sandy

Bumpass Hell

An easy and worthwhile hike in Lassen Volcanic National Park is the hike to Bumpass Hell

The trail is fairly level for the first mile with views of Mt Lassen along the way.

Looking back towards the parking area there are views of Mt. Diller as well.  An explanatory sign at an overlook explains that Mt Diller is a remnant of the volcano that once covered the area.  Some references call that ancient volcano Brokeoff Mountain and others call it Mt. Tehema.

After a mile you reach another overlook and a 300 foot decent down into the basin.  This is the largest concentration of hydrothermal features in the park.  There are no geysers as in Yellowstone but it is still interesting and I like the pastel colors.

Boardwalks lead through the area allowing safe viewing of the features.  A trail to the right continues on past Cold Boiling Lake to the Kings Creek Picnic area.  

It had been a cold and windy day but down by the hot pools and vents, the steam kept us nice and warm.

We made two trips to Lassen this year and hope to make many more.

See more views of our wonderful world at Our World, Tuesday, hosted by Arija, Gattina, Lady Fi, Sylvia and Sandy.

Sardine Lake

Several years ago we took a drive up California route 49.  We explored the northern end of this road through California's historic Gold Country. That trip had been before digital cameras and blogging and I was anxious to return so that I could share this place with you.

The innkeeper at the B & B we stayed at (no, we don't always camp) suggested dinner at Sardine Lake resort but warned us that they did not take credit cards.It doesn't look very impressive but as I recall, the food was good.  Since we didn't eat there this trip I can't vouch for the quality currently nor do I know if they now take credit cards.
















We were told to check in at the boat house where we could get a drink and wait for our table.

As pleasant as that evening had been, neither of these things are what I was anxious to experience again.

 It was this that drew me back. The incredible beauty of the Sierra Buttes reflected in Sardine Lake.

The area is very popular in the summer but was quiet when we visited early in the fall.  Even though many fisherman were out on the lake, there were still plenty of boats available to rent.

 Nearby is Sand Pond with a picnic area and swimming.

An interpretive trail begins at sand pond.  Signs along the way explain how both man and nature have changed the environment over time.

A sign here explained how beavers dammed up the creek here, drowning the trees.  After the beavers moved on the pond filled in and became a meadow.  Eventually the forest will retake this land.  

See more views of our wonderful world at Our World, Tuesday, hosted for us by  Arija, Gattina, Lady Fi, Sylvia and Sandy.

A Tribute to Fallen Firefighters

While traveling US 395 going to and from our cabin, we pass the site of the 2003 Cannon fire.  Over the years I have noticed that T-shirts have been accumulating on a wire fence near the fire area.  Today I stopped to check it out.

I found this plaque commemorating the crew of a fire tanker which crashed near the site while fighting the fire.  Most, though not all of the shirts are from various fire-fighting agencies and as you can see many other mementos have been left over the years.

I was sorry that I had never stopped before.  It had the feel of a place of pilgrimage for firefighters and others.

If you are ever driving through the area and want to stop, here is where you will find it.




For more views of our world, go to Our World, Tuesday, hosted for us by Arija, Gattina, Lady Fi, Sylvia and Sandy.