Drakesbad 7/10 & 7/11

My. Lassen

I forgot to let you all know that TC saw her first rattlesnake on the climb out of Belden. FC spotted a snake and watched it slither away. It was of brown and black design. It stuck its tongue out at FC but there was no sound. FC kept looking and saw a pale white rattle at the end of its tail. When TC caught up and saw the snake it raised its rattle and shook. Exciting! 

Moxie, Firecracker, Tortuga. 

     Yesterday was fast for FC. She and TC walked with Moxie (emergency nurse and midwife) and Tortuga (retired Forest Service guy). FC talked non- stop for about 4 hours so she didn't feel the miles or the time go by. 

Boiling geyser lake. 

     We made it to Drakesbad, a rustic resort with a hot springs pool. The dinner for the PCT hikers was offered too late and we were still way too hot from the days hike to be interested in the hot pool. TC,FC.and Moxie shared a 16oz bottle of stout and all three were fairly tipsy by the time they dipped into the river and ate dinner.

Which way should we go. 

      Today we were blessed with cloudy skies and scattered showers. It's the first day in a week that the weather has relented. We walked in the rain and were happy to be cool. 

      That's other day I talked about the dying forests but I blamed it on moss. I was told today that these are old growth forests and they are dying of beetle kill. They are definitely gray and I don't hear oe see a lot of life in them. Today we walked through a burned out Forest but new life was sprouting up everywhere. The blackness of the trees next to the brilliant purple flowers and fresh green plants was stunning. Yesterday we got to see a boiling sulphur lake. Mt Lassen area has geysers and hot springs all over the place. It was an alternate path that circled the lake with numerous instructions about not walking on any type of rock near the lake as it was hot and crumbly. 

Resupply & beer. 

Clean up dip. 

Fire. Purple. Firecracker.  

       We have an update on the guy who took all those drugs at the same time. It took him 5 days to get to a place everyone else took 2 days to get to. He was seen in Belden the morning after, soaking wet sitting in a lotus position on a platform near the river. We believe him to be recovered. 

     Princess (Germam oncologist) has recovered from her tendinitis and is now 

back on the trail. She did her research, followed the protocols and is now walking again. Farwalker. a long distance endurance horse rider got a bad case of plantar fasciitis and spent 3,000 dollars ( her deductible)and three weeks in South Lake Tahoe healing and receiving treatment. She is now back on the trail doing less miles and lots of stretching in between. Two young men have left their original hiking groups and are now in hot pursuit of two young girls. Everyone on the trail gets news of events extremely fast. We know what's going on whether it is in front of us or behind us. 

     

Signing hiking register  

Firecracker is still working. She brought the needles.