What quote am I vibing? "Sing me a song of a lass that is gone, say, could that lass be I? Merry of soul she sailed on a day - over the sea to Skye. Billow and breeze, islands and seas, mountains of rain and sun. All that was good, all that was fair - all that was me is gone." Outlander Theme song, Skye Boat Song, with apologies to Sir Harold Boulton
Road Day: 41
Trails Hiked: Panther Meadows Trail (Mount Shasta). 2.5 miles. Elevation change: about 300 feet. Surface: dirt or stepping stones.
I woke up at 3 am, having packed everything to possibly evacuate, but it wasn't necessary, and still isn't. The morning was terribly smoky, until about 11 am I guess? Then it was beautiful and clear. Like two different days. Or places. I worked until 2 pm and, at my host's suggestion, and because it was biggie on my list, I headed up to Mount Shasta to see Panther Meadows.
Panther Meadows is another official Sacred Site in Mount Shasta (I managed to hit two in two days!). There is an upper and lower meadow, and they are just that - beautiful green meadows with wildflowers, surrounded by a stream and craggy lava rocks. The energy here is gorgeous - very quiet but buzzing with electricity. And, according to claims, people have had a variety of ethereal experiences here - sightings of tall mountain people, faeries, elementals, and spaceships are all on the books. I didn't see any, but I wouldn't have been surprised if I did. 😉
When I arrived at the trailhead, which is 7500 feet up the mountain, the top of Mount Shasta was clear with blue sky, including where I was. About an hour into my hike, things changed rapidly. Smoke poured in. It affects my belly first, unfortunately. Just putting me a little ill at ease. And it has a dramatic effect on my mood. When the sky is clear, I'm practically euphoric. Smiling and happy. When it is dark and smoky, you just wouldn't want to be around me. Maybe a lack of oxygen when it's smoky, and the jolt of it flowing freely back within me when the air is clear?
Something. But it's gotten to be a damper on my trip, so it somehow made sense to head to the beach for a couple nights - I literally need a vacation from my vacation. I was already planning a day trip on Saturday, and as an acclimated Florida girl, the ocean has a way of clearing my mind. I'll head to Crescent City tomorrow. Hopefully by Sunday, there will be a clearer picture of what the Delta Fire has in store for my Mount Shasta life.
I also treated myself to quite the indulgent dinner at Bistro 107 here in town - a Cabernet Burger and creamy Mascarpone cake. I ate it all. All of it.
Now, since I've been up since 3 am...I'll shower and head to bed, luckily smoke-free closed up here in my happy cottage.
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