Go Far // Whiskeytown Lake

When I was a kid, the whole family-- all my aunties, uncles, cousins, and family friends, would drive to Shasta and descend on my Grandma Alice's family house.  Little more than a shack at the time, with barely working plumbing, slanted floors, screened in rooms, and relics from the gold-rush era haunting all the corners of the house.  We would all go for a weekend, the adults weed-whacking away in the summer heat while us kids went bananas waiting for a ride to the Lake. The Shasta House ranks among my most favorite memories; pancake breakfasts, spaghetti dinners, playing Speed or Spoons with all my cousins on our beds, taking walks to Jay's Market for penny candy, and of course ski-tubing at the Lake in my Grandpa's 1950's ski boat.  For years the tradition was to take a group photo on the last day of the trip out on the porch steps, some trips boasted over 30 people, in the later years sometimes it was just a handful.Eventually my Grandpa and his now passed wife, my Grandma Alice, decided to move up to Shasta permanently.  They remodeled the house, keeping in tack the screened in wrap-around porch that housed our sleeping bodies all those summer nights, and created a really humble and lovely home.  Rarely does a large group make the trek now, but I still love going even on my own.  This time I spent my time reading and sleeping out on the porch, swimming at Whiskeytown Lake, taking short walks, and eating with my Grandpa (always full of interesting stories and conversation).  Here are some outtakes from this latest trip.

Redding built a stunning length over the Sacramento Rive, The Sundial Bridge.  The floor is somewhat see-through, and the tower is stunning.  This morning birds were flying in a busy swarm overhead.  

A little serpent inspiration...

East Beach at Whiskeytown Lake.  The water is cool and very clean.  I bought myself a floaty raft and took catnaps out on the water.  There are overnight camping sites near here, a beautiful get-away.

Very near The Shasta House are ruins from the gold rush.  Shasta used to be the northern capitol, the park service has done a great job preserving a lot of incredible California history at the Court House Museum across the street.

My Grandpa's ring.  I am going to make one for myself.

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