Trinity Lake and Whiskeytown

 I've neglected this blog, but I'm trying to catch up and share pictures of places I've been lucky enough to see and experience on my road trip/s.  

I caught up with a couple I knew many years ago, saw their enterprises, and explored the countryside as well.  

They live in Lewiston, California and over the years, I've admired their pictures of their home and wanted to visit them sometime.

This past month, I made a side trip and was blown away by the area's sheer beauty. Quite frankly, I envied them their little slice of paradise.     

Here's what Wikipedia has to say about Trinity Lake.     Let me just say WOW, the beauty, the majesty, ok, I could put in a whole buncha superlatives here, but you don't need to read them.   Instead, I'll just share some pictures.  

My friends suggested, strongly, that I needed to take a drive up the mountain, so I did.  I got up to the Dam, and even though I'd been told that people could drive out on it, found that the road there was closed to traffic.  But I got to see it from up above.    

The road is windy, very windy, and you have to go slow, but the beauty, OMG...  Totally worth it.  There are also lots of camping sites here as well. 

There's more, cause I try to take pictures of any signage, cause I read it and then forget it right away, sometimes.  If I'm sharing information, I like it to be accurate.  And the signs generally are, accurate that is. 

And if you know me, at all, you know I had to take pictures of the pretty flowers surrounding the area I was at.   No idea of the name of these beauties, but it doesn't really matter to me, cause I thought they were photo worthy. 

I believe the following pictures are mountain asters. 

As I said, I just thought they were pretty, and yes, I do know I can 'google ID' them but I may never do so. 

I had stopped in to see friends in Lewiston, and a lovely though brief visit with them, and kinda screwed up a bit, cause it was Memorial weekend and I'd not thought to secure a hotel room, but managed to get what was probably the last room available in town at the Lewiston Motel.  I stayed in the 'cottage', which was a little park model, right in the middle of blessed peace and quiet.   I was only going to stay one night, but extended it into two days, simply for the quiet.  

I got to taste Jarrett's amazing smoked meat, got a lovely visit in with Tania as she manned the little store that they are part owners of.  

As I was leaving I took a few photo's of the store and signs.   If you're in Lewiston, stop on by for one of Jarret's amazing take out meals, or if you're camping in the area, the market probably has whatever it was you forgot.  

If you stop in there, tell them Sid sent you. 😋  If you pick up a plate of Jarrett's delicious food.  You won't get a discount... But you will get some amazing food.  

On the way out, I stopped at Whiskeytown National Park, picked up a couple of souvenirs, and bought a book about all the national parks that you can put stickers in. I decided to start it for my future great-grandchild. I'll pass it on after I get one, and hopefully, I will have a few more stickers in it by then. 

Driving to it, my attention was caught by the giant pipes crawling up or down the mountain. 

There were lots of hikes you could go on around here, but I was on a road trip and wasn't feeling especially energetic that day. 

Totally worth the stop. 

 

 

 

Hoh Rainforest National Park

 I don't have words that will do justice to these pictures.   

These were taken on the Hall of Mosses Trail, at the Hoh Rainforest National Park.    

Come take a walk with me... 

The twisted roots, behind the yellow 'keep on the trail' marker.  

The beginning of the trail. Walk along with me as we take a hike, albeit a short one and not especially difficult.  Just keep an eye on where you put your feet, cause some of those tree roots like to reach out and trip you.   

A little bridge went over this stream, so reminded me of my childhood, running around the forest.

The other side of the tree

And there's more...

Sorry for the people in here, so many turists were around, it was hard sometimes to get a shot without anyone in there. 

I like taking pictures of the signs, cause I'd never be able to remember all the facts they impart. 

And here's a picture of the intrepid explorer herself in front of what she believes is a Douglas Fir. She could be wrong, but it sure was a big' un.

False Lily of the Valley. 

 

I love taking pictures of the trees, some fallen giants, some splintered apart, but all majestic in their own way.  

There were lots of these signs but some people either couldn't read or thought they were too special, and didn't need to follow the rules. 

So many of these trees just speak for themselves.   But I could imagine taking a book and sitting under this tree to read.  And being enveloped by the moss that drapes so lovingly, this tree. 

And the trail leading somewhere...

There were also those who chose not to follow the signs and went off the trail to take pictures.  

I blobbed his face, cause I was taking a picture of someone unaware I was taking his picture.   

 I'm giving this person the benefit of the doubt cause they weren't from this country, and I have no idea if they were even aware of the significance of the yellow ropes.  Or they just didn't care.  

I even saw some buttercups.   I have to say the Elk did a great job of keeping the salmon berry plants from growing too tall.  😉

The following picture was my favorite of all the pictures I took.  

And this looks almost like a dinosaur sticking his head in the middle of a primordial swamp.   If you notice the yellow cord, that means 'STAY ON THE PATH, STUPID'

This is a Nurse log, a fallen tree will often have other trees and plants growing on it.  

I even got a shot of my finger... Blurry but it's there.  

And without the finger.  

The path winds around here and look, there's another fallen log...

You can't quite count the rings, but when this tree was young, it had plenty of water, and little stress, and the rings are nice and big.  As it got older, the rings became thinner and thinner, as the growth slowed, until at the end, the rings are so little and narrow, it makes me wonder the stresses it was under. 

Here are some of the bits and pieces of this majestic fallen tree. 

Another nurse log...

The roots from these trees meet and mingle a little, but still retain their own identity. 

And here we come to the end of the story, and the walk.  
So glad you could join me here and if you're ever in the neighborhood this is a MUST SEE.  Really, it is.