On to Tahoe in June and July
My sister Theresa (Terry) hosted with us at Eagle Point this summer!
After my wilderness adventure with Ruth in early June Rob and I headed to Napa on Friday, June 5, for dinner with the Conference Claimants Endowment Board of the United Methodist Church, a board he has served on for several years. This event included an overnight stay for board members and spouses, and while the board met on Saturday morning I participated in an activity planned for the spouses - yoga in the vineyard. The gentle yoga we did was just what I needed for my sore muscles!
On Monday, June 8, we packed up the motor home and headed to Tahoe with granddaughter Vi (pronounced Vee and short for Avienda) to begin our sixth summer as camp hosts at Eagle Point Campground, Emerald Bay State Park. My sister Theresa has previously served as a volunteer camp host two summers during our past five years, but at a different park. It was a delight to be sharing the same campground with her this year, though because of alternating work days with her it took us a while to figure out times to get together for fun since we don't share days off. We've gone out for dinner together a few times, and of course some ice cream, and often you would find Theresa and me together at sunset at the top of the Overlook Trail.
The vineyard where I did yoga near Napa.
Eagle Point Campground beach.
Vi insisted on swimming Monday evening, did get all wet, but didn't last long.
Too cold!
Ah, we have arrived at one of the most beautiful places on the planet!
Mt. Tallac with less snow than we have seen in early June.
The past winter saw a good amount of precipitation, but mostly in the form of rain.
Soon after sunrise, June 9.
The first bear of the season!
We saw this bear near the entrance station at Eagle Point Campground on Wednesday morning, June 10. Rob and I were near the entrance, but Vi was up at the RV, and seeing the bear they took some pretty good video of it.
Wednesday afternoon I headed down the hill with Vi, and then I went on to Potter Valley to spend the night with my sister Elizabeth before heading to Eureka on Thursday, June 11, to be part of the leadership team for a Cursillo weekend.
An interesting tree "window" at Founders' Grove where I stopped on the way to Eureka.
Son Scott and Daughter-in-law Kristy flew from Maine to San Francisco, rented an ugly camper van that I managed to not get a picture of, and joined us at Eagle Point from June 17-22. It was the first time they've been to northern California in many years, and the first time they got to see us in action as campground hosts. They even got to see Rob persuade a bear to leave a picnic table. Other family members also joined us during the time Scott and Kristy were here for hikes, paddling, games and meals. Son Shawn and his daughters Sophia and Naomi were here for the whole weekend, and Ruth and Jody came up for Father's Day.
Sunrise June 18, on the way to the Overlook.
Scott on the paddle board.
Sophia, Kristy and Naomi getting ready to paddle.
Friday morning, June 19, Scott, Shawn and I headed early to the Eagle Falls Trail head to hike up to my beloved Eagle Lake. Sophia and Naomi declared they preferred to stay in camp and go to the beach with Aunt Kristy since as they told it, they have been to Eagle Lake a "million times." They've actually been exactly two times. Some how I managed to take no pictures at Eagle Lake, but I was happy to share this special place with Scott and Shawn.
Saturday, June 20, Scott, Kristy, Shawn, Sophia, Naomi and I headed to Echo Lake where we would take the boat taxi to meet the Pacific Crest Trail for a 7 mile round trip hike to Lake Aloha.
On the boat taxi - It's a beautiful ride across Upper and Lower Echo Lakes.
Kristy and Scott with the Echo Lakes behind them.
Naomi was determined to get a lizard on the way - she did not succeed.
But we found a patch of snow!
The boys in the snow.
Watch out!
Mountain Pride, my favorite high Sierra flower.
And there's Lake Aloha!
Nothing quite like it, with many rock islands.
Crisp, cool, swimming.
Swimming hole 35.
I've been to Lake Aloha several times, but never swam in it before.
On the way back down the trail.
Naomi letting the little fish tickle her feet while waiting for the boat taxi to return.
Sunday, June 21, Scott, Kristy and I headed down the Rubicon Trail to meet Shawn, Sophia and Naomi who paddled from the Eagle Point Beach to join us for a tour of Vikingsholm.
An Osprey nest along the trail.
An Osprey in a tree.
Close up.
Shawn and the girls on the way to Vikingsholm.
Waiting to tour the house.
Shawn and the girls paddling back.
Playing a game directed by Jody.
Ice cream at Camp Richardson.
Scott with a double scoop - wondering if he can finish it.
Rob with a single.
Going for my first paddle of the season on June 23.
I love the wavy reflections of the trees.
Heading to the island.
I paddled around the island.
See the tea house up there?
The beach on Emerald Point where I landed for my morning journaling.
A squirrel posing for me on June 23 in the afternoon.
Lower Eagle Falls, June 24, after walking down the Rubicon Trail between camp check rounds.
Due to the lack of snowpack, this waterfall was much diminished from previous Junes.
Most mornings while in camp I headed down and up to the Overlook where I set up my folding chair and wrote in my journal before heading back to our campsite to begin morning camp check on our on duty days. I face west toward "my" mountain and if I get there early enough I enjoy watching the rising sun reflect on the mountains in front of me before it actually appears over the mountains behind me to the east.
June 25
Reflections on the mountains to the west from the rising sun in the east.
Looking north, 5:39 AM, June 25.
Afternoon, June 25.
Two cubs in a tree, while their momma is being chased away from an ice chest.
And now one of them coming down to follow momma.
Once again on June 25, I left Rob and Theresa to take care of the campground while I left for the weekend, this time for the UMC Annual Conference in Sacramento where I enjoyed connecting with colleagues and friends.
Early morning walk with Tower Bridge in the back.
Some Sacramento bears!
Loved these sayings overhead in Old Town Sacramento:
Build it Adaptive, Regenerative and Omni Considerate.
We are All Citizens of Planet Earth.
Rise by Lifting Others.
Don't Wait for Someone Else to Make the Change.
Awareness Exists Beyond the Ego.
Integrity is a Culture Shift.
And more:
Lose Everything, but not the Lesson.
What is Simple is Often Most Extraordinary.
Creativity is Change Fuel.
The Tiniest Change can Make the Biggest Impact.
What if Humans Could Be a Net Positive to Planet Earth?
The Kind Path is the Right Path Every Time.
Yellow-billed Magpie in Old Town Sacramento.
Two woodpeckers on a tree, July 1, back at Emerald Bay.
July 1, afternoon - the "whale" rock on the trail to Boat Camp.
July 3, another early morning paddle.
I love dead tree "sculptures."
And here's another.
Baldwin beach where I arrived to sit for a bit after about 2 miles of paddling.
A very large family of ducks swimming by.
A puzzle complete - with a missing piece.
Some days later after taking this puzzle apart I found the missing piece on the picnic table.
Where had it been?
Notice the July 4 art work I created at a workshop at Taylor Creek.
Sunday, July 5, Rob and I headed to Truckee where I preached and lead two worship services for Truckee Lutheran Presbyterian Church and Church of the Mountains UMC. Their pastor, Rebecca Irelan, was the pastor who followed me at Eureka and was in Colorado with family. Following worship we had lunch with friends Lisa and Eric at their home in Truckee and I went for a walk with Lisa to Proser Lake. On our way back to camp we stopped at DL Bliss so I could go for a swim at Lester Beach.
Proser Lake.
Swimming Hole 36, Lester Beach, DL Bliss State Park.
Can you believe this!?!
I saw this on my early morning walk on July 6.
I don't usually wake campers in their tents, but on this morning I did.
They got up and put the fire out, and were very apologetic.
They thought they had put it out the night before, before taking it out of the fire pit.
No wood is allowed to be gathered in California State Parks, and that is one thing we often remind campers about, but this year the problem has been especially bad because we have had many weeks with no wood to sell. Rather than go to town, 15 to 30 minutes away depending on construction and traffic, many campers will gather anything to burn, often times with very unsafe consequences.
Diminishing water fall, July 6.
I walked up here after escorting an ADA car down to the bottom.
Oh, the beautiful bay, July 7.
We headed down the hill to attend my dear friend Judith's celebration of her 80th birthday in Alameda on July 10.
Rob at Judith's party at Alameda Yacht Club.
Judith, me and some of her friends and family.
July 11
Daughter Ruth at the completion of her 50K run in Santa Cruz.
Interesting clouds below the mountain tops - July 13.
Viewed from the Rubicon Trail on one of my frequent between rounds hikes down the Rubicon Trail.
The mouth of Emerald Bay, July 13, viewed from the Rubicon Trail.
And on July 14 we got our first "flood" from a rain storm.
And for the first time in six years State Park Maintenance Aids cleaned up the mud instead of us doing it!
The rising sun moving down the mountains on July 14.
Beautiful clouds over the beautiful lake early morning, July 14.
More beauty on July 14.
An early morning rainbow on July 18.
Looking to my mountain on July 18, early morning.
Balloon launch, early on July 18.
Sunrise sky, July 19, Rob's 78th birthday.
More of the sunrise sky on July 19, that I assure you Rob did not see!
And still more!
And now colorful clouds over Desolation Wilderness with my mountain to the right.
A stepped back view of the same.
And interesting patterns in the base of a fallen tree.
Look at the golden glow from Vikingsholm, early on July 19.
Theresa with her daughter Emily and great nephew Jacob behind.
Preparing to kayak while Rob did morning rounds on his own on his birthday.
Jacob and his fiancé Emma on paddle boards.
Emma and Jacob framed in the window of the tea house on Fannette Island.
And me framed by the same window.
This was the first time in many years that I had climbed up to the tea house.
Jacob looking like he's going to climb down the hard way.
Rob enjoying his birthday lamb chops prepared by son-in-law Jody.
Family and friend gathered around a board game.
Early morning, July 20.
I know, I know, too many pictures of beautiful skies,
but there were so many beautiful sunrises and sunsets this summer.
Fannette Island reflected in the bay, early July 21.
With Vikingsholm reflecting the early morning sun behind.
See this toad?
It lived in and around one of the bathroom buildings.
Lower Eagle Falls, July 21.
Diminishing quickly!
Erin out paddling in my kayak.
The clock in Vikingsholm.
A half moon in sunset clouds, July 21.
Granddaughter Vi enjoying warmer swimming than in June.
I could never get enough of the beautiful views of the lake!
This was mid day, July 22.
My next post will be about the pre 50th adventure Ruth and I took together.
And finally, some pictures of pets:
Daphne and Roxy
Ellie and Elsie
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