There's always something

Before we explain why we're posting so late, we ought to run down the day's activities and start on a positive note. We left Alturas in two groups this morning early, around 6:30 AM...that translates to a 4AM wake up call, by the way. Winding along Hwy 299, the scenery gradually changed from high desrt chaparall to Scrub Oak, Jeffrey Pine, and Manzanita as we climbed in the crisp morning air toward the Lassen National Forest. Some stopped at the first antique store spotted in Fall River Mills, run by a skinny old biker guy who parked his Harley right inside the front door of his store. Bob and John bought big old cow bells, and some Model A tools. Then, not yet weary of the hunt, we stopped at another rust yard outside of Burney.
We all took a nice side trip to Burney Falls and spent an hour enjoying the peace and beauty of the place. But then it was on to Lassen Park, and a climb to over 8500 feet...some like it hot. Temps we're definitely on the rise as we rode through the park,learning about the catastrophic eruption of Lassen in 1915. We stopped at some sulphur springs and admired the crystal clear Lake Helen at the botttom of a steep winding ribbon of road.
Driving on to Chester in the 90 degree heat, there were casualties. Bill & Linda's Vicky is blowing water out of the manifold and bubbling up a storm in the radiator...all indications of either a cracked block, or hopefully, just a bad headgasket. The consensus is to wait until morning, and either leave, hoping the engine will get them home, or pull the head and change the gasket. More than a few of us are running a little rough, and we're like a band of road warriors straggling home after the barbarians massacred us in battle. One way or the other, we come home today....
John & Judy