Lassen Volcanic Park

Thursday, June 17.  We left the campsite after John made a nice breakfast of scrambled eggs.  We are heading up Rt. 89 towards Lassen Volcanic Park, through mountains and mountain passes, including Donner Pass.  Had lunch at an ice cream stand.  Ate outside by a creek and watched families with young children romp in the gently flowing water.  We arrived at Lassen Volcanic Park about 3:30 and went to the visitor center.  The road was not open all the way through the park yet, so we had to double back and go around to the campground.  Had our first campfire of the summer!

The next morning, Friday, we took the route up to the northern part of the park (road through the park was closed due to 25 feet of snow).  We stopped at a diner in cowboy country for breakfast, and it was the only place I had really felt uncomfortable.  They had rather explicit political stuff on the wall, which was designed to make those who did not agree feel unwelcome (or feel they were going around with a bulls-eye on their forehead).  I was trying to get away from all that this summer, and did not appreciate being reminded of the enmity which divides our country right now.  Oh, well, life goes on.

On the way to the northern part of the park, we discovered a lava tube park.  This is a place where, as lava from an ancient volcano poured down the valley, the outside hardened faster than the inside of the tube, and the inside continued to flow, leaving an almost perfectly round 'tube' of lava.  Had no idea there was such a thing.  

Arriving at the northern end of the park in the 'devastated area', we spent some time walking around learning from the signs about the different kinds of rock, different types of volcanoes, etc. We were headed for Mt. Shasta, but realized that we would not be able to find a campsite that night (most were not open yet for the summer), so drove into Redding and stayed at a Ramada and had a prime rib dinner (my favorite).