Camping

I am still thinking about the birds (raptors) that were soaring in the vicinity of my camp a few days ago.  An anonymous commenter mentioned condors, and I've tried to find some pictures and info since I don't know much about condors except for seeing videos of the huge CA condor in flight.  The bird I saw wasn't huge but it was a good size, and seemed to have a pinkish hue on its underside.  At first I wondered if it was the affect of the sun's rays, but that wouldn't affect the underside.  I wish I had my camera ready to shoot, but the bird was way out over the lake and I didn't realize it would go over my camp site.  If anyone knows about condors I'd like to hear from you.  As I said, my vision isn't good enough anymore to discriminate the pattern of the wing and tail feathers.

The campground at Black Butte Lake was spacious and laid out very nicely except it was a little too open for my tastes.  As I have said i the past, I love the shelter of big trees as well as mountains - I like to feel wrapped up in nature - not exposed to just sky and the expanse of land.

And then there is the lake.  I have also mentioned before that I went overboard in a canoe accident on a fast moving river about 35 years ago.  As time goes by I have developed a real aversion to being in water, so I don't swim any more and don't go on boats of any kind.  What I do love are creeks, especially water rushing over rocks, and don't mind being on the banks of a small river.  I love seeing the big rivers such as the Mississippi, Ohio, Snake, etc., but not too close, and I don't really care to be near the ocean.  Small lakes such as Butte Lake (Lassen) don't bother me too much but I'd never step in the water. 

The small campground I stayed at last year in the Tahoe National Forest had a creek (actually I think it was the North Fork of the American River) and I loved the sound of water rushing over rock day and night.  I may go back there soon for a couple of nights.

What I do know is that I'm not as happy camping alone an more.  I don't mind as long as there are friendly people walking by now and then - Lassen is a great place for that and of all the places I've ever camped at it is the easiest to find others to chat with.  I don't know if it's the environment, layout of the campground which encourages walking, or what, but I've always loved that about Lassen.

What I'd love to do is to find a small group of like minded women to meet up with occasionally for camping trips.  All the groups I know of are in the RV category, such as small trailers, teardrops, etc.  Surely there must be something for tent campers and I'm bound to find them.

The best thing about my recent experience was the fact that I tried to live in and enjoy the present, forget about the past, and not concentrate too much on the future.  I hope to continue doing just that.

By the way, my shoulders and upper arms are killing me from trying to set up that cot.  I didn't suffer for the first day or two but am making up for it now!