What quote am I vibing? "The joy of living is his who has the heart to demand it." Theodore Roosevelt
Road Day: 37
Trails Hiked: Lake Siskiyou Trail (Shasta-Trinity National Forest). 6.5 miles. Elevation change: 364 feet. Surface: mostly packed down dirt
Books Finished: 2 (Wright Brothers, by John McCullough)
Today was my first full day in Mount Shasta, and a day off from work. That meant it was officially my first full day to relax and not worry about much at all or feel pressure to drive, or see things, or anything at all. So, given a day to do whatever I want, I hiked in the morning, and then followed the advice of my host Sylvia to check out the Blackberry Festival in town.
The hike was classified as "easy" on my AllTrails app, so I went forward without much thought. Unfortunately, throughout my 6.5 miles, I often strayed off-trail to avoid a triathlon that was going on. I ended up picking over rocks and downed trees on the lakeshore, which was more of an effort than I anticipated. The lake is beautiful with excellent views of Mt. Shasta and Black Butte. I did make it the whole way, stumbled back into my car, drove the mile home, and read and took a nap in the hammock.
After my nap, I got ready and headed to the Blackberry Festival in Mt Shasta City Park. It was hopping! The Rotary Club puts on the event. I got a piece of homemade blackberry pie with ice cream for $6. Mount Shasta prices are my kind of prices. There was fun music, but I didn't stay terribly long. It was mostly about the pie for me. I wanted to get back home and have a super early night. I have some time now to recuperate and catch up on some sleep, and I intend to do so.
Yesterday when I arrived at Shasta, it was beautiful and clear. The mountain looked gorgeous. Today, I can't see it. It's so smoky from the fires. The smoke makes me sneeze a bit, but I feel okay. Apparently, it comes and goes. I'll take advantage of the times when it's not here. I am completely gaga for Shasta, still. I loved venturing into the community today. Another day off tomorrow! And certainly another hike.
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