Camping Pictures

I'm finally getting a (small) chance to catch up on editing and sharing some older photos from this summer. There are some funny things to share... mostly embarrassing for me, but I'm willing to suffer for a laugh (or even a smile).



I'm looking forward to being pretty much up to date with my editing and posts because... it means I can go out and get shooting!

These shots were taken with a reusable underwater toy camera on the trip Devon and I took to Whiskeytown Lake outside of Redding (alas, not made of real whiskey!). We are trying to find time for camping and day trips, but it's tough. We were really proud of ourselves for getting a chance to spend a few days in "the wild" (okay, in a campground with a brand new tent, sleeping bags, air mattress, camping stove, and enough food for probably a family of five for a week).



We had a great time exploring the area, rafting around on the little inflatable "boat" my parents got me for my birthday (sweet!), being lazy, and swimming. The water was astoundingly gorgeous and blue and clear, and the lake has a cool story in that it was the last place JFK dedicated as part of his Central Valley Water Project campaign before his death. Plus, when they built the dam to create the lake, an old gold mining ghost town was covered in water... so it was fun to swim and imagine a whole town underneath us!



The water was just wonderful; it felt so clean and pure and refreshing. Sigh. It almost made me want to live in Redding.



Almost.

I love these photos... reminds me of a really relaxed trip with my love!








We were very close to the town of Shasta, and we got to see the old general store that one of my mom's great-great-great-somebody-or-other used to run. So cool! Most of the buildings on this block have disintegrated but the original "Baker and Bull" sign is still there!



I believe it was run by Alpheus Bull, one of my gold-rush-era ancestors... If you think his name is funny, you should know that my greatgrandmother's last name was Bull and she married one of her neighbors in SF, whose last name was Bullard!



We also meandered up to the Shasta Dam - I didn't realize how huge it is! Although we were after hours (so no tour or visit in the cool, 1960s-looking visitor center), the guards blocking off walk-on access to the dam let us walk on, with no one else around. It was hot and sunny and gorgeous. On one side was Lake Shasta looking so inviting and wonderful... and on the other, a VERY STEEP dropoff into the river. Yikes!







This is making me want to go back... and just float on the lake...