Actually it's up to 85 this afternoon, but the mornings are chilly until Noon, and it's only hot in the sun. After walking on the treadmill I drove to Barnes & Noble to pick up a book called "Serafina and the Black Cloak". I decided to read it myself before handing it over to Autie, and my heart has nearly stopped several times. It takes place at the Biltmore Mansion in Asheville, NC, and the Blue Ridge Mountains. I saw the Biltmore from a distance but never did go through it. The gardens must be beautiful in the spring and every prom couple in the area goes there for photos. I've hiked and camped in the Blue Ridge Mountains many times, which includes an overnight at Linville Gorge, which is notoriously haunted. The book is full of suspense and is downright scary at times, but it's also fantasy. I know Autumn will love it, and the 2nd book in the series comes out on July 12.
Driving home I wasn't paying close attention and started to move forward when I saw a flash of a green light. Well I caught myself in time - it was the left turn green light. While I was debating backing up a little the regular light turned green and then someone had to honk their horn to get me moving. I normally don't do things like that.
I came home and started my cleaning - I did what I had intended to do, and then quit for today. No sense knocking myself out over something that has to be done over and over again. I still have some deep cleaning to do in the kitchen.
I've mentioned how I really want to go camping for a few days this summer/fall. I was thinking about various campgrounds and possibilities, and my mind came to rest on my old favorite - Butte Lake in Lassen Volcanic National Park. I just looked at the website and checked the alerts - the first was outdated and referred to snow and ice, but the second was a mountain lion alert which have been sighted throughout the park. I'd consider myself fortunate to see one, but not necessarily up too close. The only drawback to this park is the distance. I can no doubt find something much closer, but Lassen is so quiet, clean, and beautiful. Also, there are dark skies so maybe I could do some skywatching. (There are also lots of trees!) I have binoculars but really need a tripod to hold them steady. I wonder if I could adapt the tripod that holds my telescope to hold the binoculars. I'd probably have to rig it up some way which I could easily have done in my younger years - now I'm not so sure. How I wish I had a doggie companion to go camping with!
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How I wish for some 80s degree weather and low humidity.
ReplyDeleteI want to go camping so bad but I guess I will have to wait until fall. Mountain lions! YIKES.
The book sounds interesting. So hard to find good books these days.
I finished the book yesterday! Just like the old days where I could read a book in a day. It was so good and hard to put down. I had a bright LED light next to me which helped, and the print was a good one - really black so it was very readable.
DeleteYou know I suffer from CRS but for some reason I recall (but not the details) an old post of yours where one of your camp mates saw a ghost. I think he did not have a tent but you did. However, you did not hear or see anything. Was this at Blue Ridge Mountains?
ReplyDeleteMy backpacking buddy and I were hiking in Linville Gorge (NC). It is designated wilderness, so not much of a trail. Guy just set his bedroll along a rock face, and I was a little ways away from him in my tent. Shortly after I got into my tent I saw someone carrying a flashlight (saw the light, not the person) and they stopped at my tent; waved the light around, tried to shine it into my tent, etc. I called out "Guy, is that you?". No answer. The light kept dancing around and finally stopped after a long few minutes. The next morning I asked Guy and he said he fell asleep as soon as he climbed into his sleeping bag and didn't wake up until morning. The area has long been known to be haunted, and I did some research on it later. It wasn't a person, as a person would never wander around in that rough area in the dark. There wasn't even a trail to speak of.
DeleteAnd yes, it's in the Blue Ridge.
DeleteIt is official my CRS is getting worst, I had it all wrong! Thank you for clarifying that. I still get goose bumps just thinking about it.
DeleteLassen sounds like a really nice place to go camping. I hope you get to go. Glad to hear you've gotten a break from the extreme heat. Cool mornings are the best. It's too hot here in upstate New York to hike past about 10:30 in my opinion. And I came here to get away from the Southern heat. Well it isn't quite that hot but it is hotter than I was expecting.
ReplyDeleteI can do some auto touring in the vicinity of Lassen, but since I no longer hike in out of the way places by myself, I don't know how much time I would devote to Lassen. It should be fairly cool there.
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