DATE: Friday, Oct. 7 2011
HOME: Lake Manzanita, Lassen National Park, Cabins
DISTANCE: 42 miles
ALTITUDE: 3200
WEATHER: COLD, then warmer (60s), sunny - nice day
TRAFFIC: Horrible
NARRATIVE:
Today’s ride was all on 89, most with little or no shoulder – with lots and lots of traffic – 80% of the traffic was big trucks or RVs towing a car. We must have pulled over a dozen times or more. What should have been a fun ride was a difficult, stressful one. We got used to the traffic, could always hear the trucks, and Bob, who was behind me, would say whether to pull over or not, but it is definitely not pleasant.
We had a fairly normal day of riding in that we found a café that was open after a couple of hours of riding in Hat Creek, then found another one 12 miles from Lassen (Old Station) for a late lunch. At all of these places the people seemed to be what we have come to call “unencumbered by facts” and really didn’t even know what was 10 miles away. Still baffles us, even though we’ve been encountering it since the beginning in the rural areas.
Our luck was with us today – we thought we would have to camp at Manzanita, and were trying to figure out how to stay warm in our tent. We get to the tent site and find there are cabins!! Brand new, just like Burney Falls State Park. However, these were all full – except for the bunk cabin. We have 8 bunk beds on either side of the room with a walkway down the middle. Works for us – and we had a warm shower, a Laundromat, a fire ring, and a picnic table. AND a warm place to sleep! The definition of luxury has changed.
Tomorrow is supposed to be even warmer than today, but getting up will be difficult. As we are going to bed it is 36 degrees outside!
HOME: Lake Manzanita, Lassen National Park, Cabins
DISTANCE: 42 miles
ALTITUDE: 3200
WEATHER: COLD, then warmer (60s), sunny - nice day
TRAFFIC: Horrible
NARRATIVE:
Today’s ride was all on 89, most with little or no shoulder – with lots and lots of traffic – 80% of the traffic was big trucks or RVs towing a car. We must have pulled over a dozen times or more. What should have been a fun ride was a difficult, stressful one. We got used to the traffic, could always hear the trucks, and Bob, who was behind me, would say whether to pull over or not, but it is definitely not pleasant.
We had a fairly normal day of riding in that we found a café that was open after a couple of hours of riding in Hat Creek, then found another one 12 miles from Lassen (Old Station) for a late lunch. At all of these places the people seemed to be what we have come to call “unencumbered by facts” and really didn’t even know what was 10 miles away. Still baffles us, even though we’ve been encountering it since the beginning in the rural areas.
Our luck was with us today – we thought we would have to camp at Manzanita, and were trying to figure out how to stay warm in our tent. We get to the tent site and find there are cabins!! Brand new, just like Burney Falls State Park. However, these were all full – except for the bunk cabin. We have 8 bunk beds on either side of the room with a walkway down the middle. Works for us – and we had a warm shower, a Laundromat, a fire ring, and a picnic table. AND a warm place to sleep! The definition of luxury has changed.
Tomorrow is supposed to be even warmer than today, but getting up will be difficult. As we are going to bed it is 36 degrees outside!
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