Exploring in South Dakota- Photo Essay

Exploring in South Dakota

Thank you for reading this week’s post, Exploring in South Dakota. This week again has been phenomenal!
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Readers may know I’ve been writing a travelogue for Global Outdoors. You can see some of those posts here- https://blog.globaloutdoors.com.
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A last sunset from Missoula.

What we wanted to see after leaving Missoula was the Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument. I’ve always been way more sympathetic to the Indians than to Custer, and wanted to see where this last major battle in the inevitable defeat of the natives happened.

The National Cemetery at the Little Bighorn Battlefield site.

We didn’t realize it’s a national cemetery, too.

Memorial marker where a Sioux warrior fell.

 

Memorial marker where a US trooper fell. The Little Bighorn River is below in the distance.

 

Part of the Indian memorial at the battle site.

In the recent past the Indians have been able to add their side of the story to the monument- they were fighting for their homes and way of life. Although there’s a tragic undertone to the site, physically it’s magnificent and the realness of what happened here makes it a very worthwhile visit. We were both glad we went.

Sunset, Hardin Montana.

We stayed at a campground in Hardin that night, where the sunset, always a miracle, was close to spectacular.

They need no introduction.

Our next stop was the Black Hills, in southwestern South Dakota. Every year for the past 81, there’s a motorcycle rally in Sturgis in August. There had to be 20,000 motorcycles there. We walked right into the middle of it. I’m not a big crowd guy, and when the crowd is motorized loud, well, let’s just say I thought my timing awful. Plus, all the prices were jacked up.

Sunset, Belle Fourche, South Dakota.

In spite of that we took a scenic if loud drive through the gorgeous Black Hills, terminating our first day in South Dakota at Mt. Rushmore. The scale of the sculpture makes it worth seeing. But again, sympathizing with the Indians, the Black Hills were sacred to the Sioux. Putting that sculpture there was a giant “up yours.”

 

 

 

We had been advised to visit Custer State Park. The wildlife drive is like an African safari, although ours had thousands of motorcycles. Even with that- incredible. Hundreds of bison, antelope, deer, and hordes of prairie dogs greeted us. At the end of it we entered Wind Cave National Park, and bought tickets for a Wind Cave tour.

According to their legends, the ancestors of the Sioux came from under ground through this small hole.

The Sioux creation story involves their ancestors coming out of a small hole in the ground, in the Black Hills. The site was, and is, their most sacred place. Now it’s where our tour was- into the very same cave, one of the world’s largest cave systems.

The cave is narrow inside.

 

Tourists look at the “box” formations on the ceiling of the cave.

 

Susan poses for an informal, in-cave portrait.

It’s not Carlsbad, but it was still awesome. I’ve only been in three caves, all on tours, but I can see each cave has its own unique personality. This one is highly recommended!

A bighorn sheep on a ridge at Badlands National Park.

 

Susan and the fantasticness.

That left Badlands National Park. An hour’s drive put us in this park. Bison greeted us immediately, followed shortly by prairie dogs and bighorn sheep. And almost unbelievable rock formations. The rock there is strange, like highly compacted mud. Water erodes it pretty easily, and carves it into grotesque and fantastic shapes. The layers of sediments from which these shapes are carved have different colors, adding to the fantasticness, to coin a word.

Susan points to “my” fossil, well above her. It’s still there!

Lots of fossils are discovered in the park. Susan and I went for a hike, and I found one.

Photographing the sunset.

 

Sunset, Badlands Park.

We were fortunate enough to get a campsite at the park’s campground. It was Perseid meteor shower time, so we got to see some meteors while I photographed the Milky Way. Then we wake up to the Badlands in the morning. I am so blessed!!!

Milky Way, Badlands Park.

A drive across the state followed. The speed limit on I-90 in South Dakota is a cool 80 MPH. You can cover some ground! From the state park where I type this, Iowa is one mile distant, and Minnesota maybe 35. We’ll be in another state tomorrow night.

And that’s the report for this week. Thank you again for reading the post, Exploring in South Dakota. Life is great and I love exploring the USA!

Every day is a blessing. Don’t waste it- Go fishing! Go hiking! Take a walk! Do SOMETHING!

John Kumiski, author of Fishing Florida by Paddle- An Angler’s Guide

Purchase a signed copy of Fishing Florida by Paddle- An Angler’s Guide at http://www.spottedtail.com/fishing-florida-by-paddle/

All content in this blog, including writing and photos, copyright John Kumiski 2021. All rights are reserved.

A Dash Across Idaho

A Dash Across Idaho

Thank you for reading this week’s post, A Dash Across Idaho. This week again has been just awesome!
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Readers may know I’ve been writing a travelogue for Global Outdoors. You can see some of those posts here- https://blog.globaloutdoors.com.
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A last photo of the stunning Oregon coast.

After leaving the Oregon coast (one last photo!), we spent a couple days around Portland. Went into the city one day. It doesn’t take long to understand, “Keep Portland Weird,” is taken to heart by the people living there. We didn’t know where to go (poor research on my part) and parking was a nightmare, so after walking a bit, visiting the world’s largest independent bookstore, and getting something to eat we returned to our hotel.

Lots of these coming off the Columbia!

We drove through the Columbia River Gorge. You can see where salmon might have trouble returning to their natal streams, what with all the dams. The gorge still has great beauty, though. I can hardly imagine what the Lewis and Clark party must have thought as they descended, and later ascended, the river!

As we drove inland, the berries were past their prime.

We had intended to spend a few days in western Washington and several days in Idaho. Triple digit temperatures and thick smoke from wildfires changed that plan, right now! We got on the interstate and drove four hundred miles in one day, from the Columbia River Gorge to St. Regis, Montana, where I just ran out of gas. What a dash across Idaho it was! We found an RV park, booked two nights.

Two sports and their guide, drifting the Clark Fork.

The next day I broke out my tackle, went to the local fly shop for some advice and a fishing license, and went wading in the St. Regis River, starting at its confluence with the Clark Fork of the Columbia. This was to be my very first fishing in Montana. It did not disappoint.

Rainbow on dry fly, awesome catch!

On my third cast I hit a beautiful cutthroat trout (15-16 inches, best guess) that took a drifted nymph. No, I did not use a bobber. I could hardly believe my luck! Until, not having a net, I leadered the fish. It surged and popped the 5x easily. I was out the fly, fortunately barbless, and did not get a photo.

Same fish, different angle.

I’d love to say it got better, but that would not be true. However, it did not really get worse, either. In four hours, I unhooked eight or nine fish, all cutts but one feisty rainbow. That fish nailed a Purple Haze (basically an Adams with a purple body), and jumped a half-dozen times! I got several other fish on dries too, not to mention all the hooked and lost and missed strikes. It was pretty awesome!

We drove to Missoula and booked two nights in an RV park. While checking out town and an art gallery, we were advised to visit the National Bison Refuge. An hour later we were literally on a bison safari there- un-bee-lee-va-bull! Can’t recommend it highly enough.

 

Don’t know what these are called, but suspect they are invasive.

 

All the smoke made for a blood red sunset.

The next day we visited Garnet, a gold mining ghost town. Different than I expected (I was thinking of the OK Corral), it was a worthwhile delve into history made real. The town had a school, but it also had thirteen saloons. I guess mining is thirsty work.

It’s a ghost town, but she is quite real!

 

Suspect this beautifully colored thistle is invasive, too.

We switched campgrounds and ended up on the bank of the Jocko River. I wanted to fish immediately but another camper told me I needed a reservation permit.

One of the few photos I shot at Glacier National Park. Note the smoke.

Dean Altenhofen texted me, telling me he and his wife had a Glacier National Park Pass for the next day, and did we want to go? We met them in Polson, and went with them to the park. It was a lot of car time, but the park is amazing. The only problem was that there was so much smoke in the air, photography was a wash. Thank you, Dean and Sunday, for an amazing day!

Didn’t fish this, but sure would like to!

 

Dean works the Jocko.

Dean and I planned a fishing trip for the next day, fishing the Jocko. It’s a small stream but one of the prettiest I have ever seen. The gravel was awesome, lots of red and pink and orange. The fish ran small, but they were plentiful and eager. We caught many. The best was about 12 inches long, a cutt that took a wooly booger. Most fish were caught on dries, though. Another great day, and thank you once again, Dean!

Typical Jocko cutthroat.

 

A lovely pool gets a line.

 

And that’s the report for this week. Thank you again for reading the post, A Dash Across Idaho. Life is great and I love exploring the USA!

Every day is a blessing. Don’t waste it- Go fishing! Go hiking! Take a walk! Do SOMETHING!

John Kumiski, author of Fishing Florida by Paddle- An Angler’s Guide

Purchase a signed copy of Fishing Florida by Paddle- An Angler’s Guide at http://www.spottedtail.com/fishing-florida-by-paddle/

All content in this blog, including writing and photos, copyright John Kumiski 2021. All rights are reserved.

US 101 in Oregon- A Photo Essay

US 101 in Oregon- A Photo Essay

Thank you for reading this week’s post, US 101 in Oregon. This week has been just awesome!
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Readers may know I’ve been writing a travelogue for Global Outdoors. You can see some of those posts here- https://blog.globaloutdoors.com.
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Bumper Sticker of the Week (been too long since I did this!)-


Flowers are ubiquitous along the coastal road. So many are invasive exotics, though.

Everlasting pea, an invasive exotic.

 

Crocosmia, an invasive exotic.

 

Fennel, another invasive exotic, growing under the US 101 bridge over the Rogue River.

I love all the blackberries, but they’re another invasive. A very delicious invasive.

Susan picks blackberries from the van!

 

Handful of delicious.

Famous fishing rivers split the coast into sections- the Rogue, the Umpqua, the Columbia. You see lots of fishing activity, and lots of seafood restaurants. I haven’t fished, but I’ve certainly eaten seafood!

Trolling for salmon on the Rogue River.

 

This commercial fishing boat reminded me of my son.

 

These guys are tougher than me. That water is REAL cold.

 

Sea lions get some fish!

 

A wall mural in Reedsport.

 

One of the places we “caught” some fish.

We went to an elk viewing area outside of Reedsport.

 

The Oregon coast has lots of lighthouses, lots of fog, and lots of sand dunes. The diversity continually astonishes.

A paddle boarder at Sunset Bay.

 

Lighthouse at Yaquina Head.

 

In Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area.

 

Fog over the Umpqua River, Gardiner, Oregon.

 

Susan explores a caboose at the railway museum.

 

Sometimes, you just need to relax!

 

Low tide meets dusk at Nehalem Beach.

Thank you again for reading this week’s post, US 101 in Oregon. Life is great and I love exploring the USA!

Every day is a blessing. Don’t waste it- Go fishing! Go hiking! Take a walk! Do SOMETHING!

John Kumiski, author of Fishing Florida by Paddle- An Angler’s Guide

Purchase a signed copy of Fishing Florida by Paddle- An Angler’s Guide at http://www.spottedtail.com/fishing-florida-by-paddle/

All content in this blog, including writing and photos, copyright John Kumiski 2021. All rights are reserved.

On The Road (again)- A Photo Essay

On The Road (again)- A Photo Essay

Thank you for reading this week’s post, On The Road (again). In our indirect way, Susan and I are headed back to Florida. We have some concerns about the hot weather, but we have not run into it yet.
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Readers may know I’ve been writing a travelogue for Global Outdoors. You can see some of those posts here- https://blog.globaloutdoors.com.
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Just one of an infinite number of views from Highway 1.

 

This is another.

We left the California Kumiskis Sunday morning, headed for CA Hwy 1 and Salt Point State Park. Like Hwy 1 south of San Francisco, Hwy 1 north of the city has the same stunning, jaw-dropping, and terrifying views. Part of the time we were in fog, so the most terrifying areas were blanketed from view, both a good and a bad thing.

Susan records an image at Salt Point State Park.

 

This is one I got. The rocks are fantastic!

 

There were fishermen trying their luck.

We reached Salt Point SP and went down to the water. OMG! The most amazing rock formations, all very mysterious too, because of the fog. We hiked along the coastal trail a couple miles. I ran into two fly fishermen who had been fishing the surf for rockfish, not without success. They were using 8-wt outfits with 300 grain sink lines, #20 leaders, and white Clouser minnows, #1 and 1/0.

Brown pelicans over the Pacific.

At sunset we went back. Sue stayed in the car while I burned film (so to speak- I shoot digital now). She was ready to call a search party, since I stayed until it was too dark to shoot any more.

The waves come in…

 

Another view, same area.

Our next adventure of note was the Humboldt Redwoods State Park, Avenue of the Giants. A thirty mile drive through groves of some of the biggest trees on the planet. We took a few short hikes and I tried to photograph the trees, failing fairly miserably. Redwood trees in actuality make a mockery of images of redwood trees. I had plenty of chances and got nothing I liked. But the walks! Incredible!

Redwoods in the Stout grove. Susan adds some perspective.

 

Darlingtonia pitcher plants.

 

This may be some kind of lily, but I could not identify it.

Next stop was the Smith River National Recreation Area. Somehow the Smith River was spared dams- it’s the longest free-flowing stream on this part of the coast. It hosts a legendary run of steelhead, of course not while I was there. But we visited a couple bogs full of Darlingtonia pitcher plants, and hiked through the Stout redwood grove, again amazing. I got a couple photos here which almost begin to do justice to the trees.

The blackberry bushes here were heavy with fruit. My fingers and lips got stained purple, and my legs and arms got well-scratched by the briers. I may have eaten five pound of berries- it was awesome!!!

Near sunset at Myers Creek Beach, Oregon.

I write this from Gold Beach, Oregon, at the mouth of the Rogue River. I’ve looked into fishing the Rogue, don’t know that I will. We’ve been to the beach, and some shops. I hope to get some beach pictures this evening. Cross the fingers!

After sunset, same beach.

Thank you again for reading this week’s post, On The Road (again). Life is great and I love exploring the USA!

Every day is a blessing. Don’t waste it- Go fishing! Take a trip! Do SOMETHING!

John Kumiski, author of Fishing Florida by Paddle- An Angler’s Guide

Purchase a signed copy of Fishing Florida by Paddle- An Angler’s Guide at http://www.spottedtail.com/fishing-florida-by-paddle/

All content in this blog, including writing and photos, copyright John Kumiski 2021. All rights are reserved.

A Visit to Alaska’s Goodnews River- A Photo Essay

A Visit to Alaska’s Goodnews River- A Photo Essay

View from the airplane, on the way to Goodnews.

Thank you for reading this week’s post on A Visit to Alaska’s Goodnews River. Couldn’t post last week because there’s no internet service at Goodnews!

The wildflowers are fantastic. These are irises…

 

…and these are lupines. There are lots of other kinds!

We (Maxx and I) left here (San Francisco) Tuesday, got to Goodnews Wednesday at 5 PM the next day. Alex and the rest of the Goodnews crew met us and transported us to the Goodnews River Lodge, too late to fish. We put it off until Thursday, then fished every day through Tuesday. We fished for king salmon, sockeye salmon, rainbow trout, Dolly varden, and Arctic grayling.

The first fish we caught were king salmon.

 

The source of the power!

 

Maxx being silly.

 

Revival, in cold water.

 

We got some slobs on fly.

Expressing how wonderful it was to fish in Alaska with my two sons is next to impossible. It was fantastic! And we caught fish every day!

We spent time gurgling and got Dollies, grayling, and rainbow trout.

 

We had some incredible scenery.

 

Maxx battles a grayling.

 

 

Alex’s girlfriend Allison joined us for some fun!

 

Even I caught some.

 

The Goodnews valley, truly God’s country.

 

We got some Dollies!

 

Everyone loves a nice rainbow trout.

 

 

We had some fun!

 

 

Thank you again for reading this week’s post on A Visit to Alaska’s Goodnews River. Life is great and I love life!

Every day is a blessing. Don’t waste it- Go fishing! Take a trip! Do SOMETHING!

John Kumiski, author of Fishing Florida by Paddle- An Angler’s Guide

Purchase a signed copy of Fishing Florida by Paddle- An Angler’s Guide at http://www.spottedtail.com/fishing-florida-by-paddle/

All content in this blog, including writing and photos, copyright John Kumiski 2021. All rights are reserved.

A Week Around Castro Valley- A Photo Essay

A Week Around Castro Valley- A Photo Essay

Happy Independence Day! Please stay safe!

Thank you for reading this week’s post on a week around Castro Valley. My apologies for not posting last week. I basically hung around and regained my strength after being sick. Not much to write about there.

At the Japanese Tea Garden.

 

Guess where?

 

The best scene in the garden.

Monday, Susan and I drove into San Francisco, always an adventure, and visited the Japanese Tea Garden and the San Francisco Botanical Gardens, both in Golden Gate Park. The Tea Garden was pretty meh, but the botanical gardens were fantastic! Plants and flowers from all over the world, and lots of plants in bloom. I’d recommend it to anyone. Bring warm clothes!

At the botanical garden. I don’t know what these are called. I call them jellyfish flowers,

 

Spectacular agave!

 

California poppies.

 

An Oakland storefront. I hope they’re doing well!

 

Oakland has some industry.

 

An un-political mural, so nicely done!

Tuesday, we went on a murals tour of Oakland. Oakland is such a complex town- multicultural, artsy, great restaurants, awesome Chinatown, lots of homeless people, the birthplace of the Black Panther movement, some rough neighborhoods. Many of the murals were political in nature, and there were lots of great ones. We had lunch in Chinatown, too, always a good time!

 

From the Palestinian Solidarity wall.

 

A mural in Oakland’s Chinatown.

 

Wednesday, we went on a historical walking tour of San Leandro. Caterpillar Equipment Company started here. The home of the founder, still a private, 140-year-old-home, is here, and it looks great. Casa Peralta, listed in the National Register of Historical Places, is also here. An interesting property to visit due to the tile work, it’s badly in need of repairs.

Susan at Casa Peralta.

 

Many of the tiles had a Don Quixote theme.

 

 

Some tiles were religious in nature.

Thursday, we went hiking in the Reinhardt Regional Redwood Park in Oakland. The trees are second and third generation redwoods, so not as impressive as the virgin trees. They are still awesome. The hike, about five miles, was beautiful.

Some young redwood trees.

Friday was errands day, and that brings us up-to-date!

I am taking a Bye Week next week- will not be in an internet service area!! It may have something to do with fishing…

Thank you again for reading this week’s post on a week around Castro Valley. Life is great and I love life!

Every day is a blessing. Don’t waste it- Go fishing! Take a trip! Do SOMETHING!

John Kumiski, author of Fishing Florida by Paddle- An Angler’s Guide

Purchase a signed copy of Fishing Florida by Paddle- An Angler’s Guide at http://www.spottedtail.com/fishing-florida-by-paddle/

All content in this blog, including writing and photos, copyright John Kumiski 2021. All rights are reserved.

Kings Canyon National Park Trip Cut Short

Kings Canyon National Park Trip Cut Short

Thank you for reading this week’s post on Kings Canyon National Park trip cut short. Again, the place was fantastic, and visiting highly recommended!

On our way back to Maxx’s from Lassen Park last week, he called to tell us he and Catalina were both sick with flu-like symptoms. My pulmonologist told me that people with fibrosis seldom die from fibrosis. They get a cold or flu, then develop pneumonia. That’s what does them in. So Maxx’s call did not deliver welcome news.

We decided to camp in Maxx’s yard for two nights. We’d then leave Sunday, two days earlier than planned, to go to King’s Canyon and Sequoia Parks. Great plan! I did not go into their house, nor was there any physical contact, and any discourse happened with masks on.

Sunday morning we drove south, as pleasant a drive as you’re likely to get on CA-99, then headed east on CA-180 from Fresno. Soon the van was climbing mountains again, doing switchbacks and hairpin turns. I think I’m finally getting used to them!

We found our site at Princess Campground and had lunch. I wanted to go Do Stuff, but Susan said, “I think we should just hang out and relax.” I didn’t like that idea (at all) but it wasn’t worth arguing about, especially when you know you can’t win anyway. So I wrote some travelogue pieces for Global Outdoors , which whiled away most of the afternoon.

…but Gollum and the evil wargs…

In the morning we got our usual civilized start, leaving for Kings Canyon about 10 AM. Missed the best light again! The descent into the canyon was almost otherworldly. You could imagine Orcs, Dwarves, and Elves having massive battles in terrain like this, at the very edge of Mordor. Super cool!

If you drive much out west, you’ll see lots of signs warning you about falling rocks. Well, yeah, the roads cling to cliffs! We came around one bend and there was a wheelbarrow-sized boulder on the centerline, apparently freshly fallen. Glad I wasn’t there ten minutes earlier!

Believe it or not, the road is at the bottom of this cliff, out of the frame.

 

This type of yucca grows all through the canyon.

 

Here’s CA-180, once it’s away from the cliffs.

At the bottom of Kings Canyon you find the Kings River. CA-180 follows the south fork for ten miles or so before turning back on itself and forcing you to drive the other direction. The river is sparkling and pure, full of rocks and rapids, and good enough trout habitat that I was able spot several fish holding in the current.

We went on a short hike, on fairly level ground. I found it exhausting, and couldn’t understand why.

Susan is probably 25 feet away from the base of the tree. This is not the Grant tree!

In the morning we went looking at sequoia trees at Grant’s Grove, highlighted by the General Grant tree, the third largest tree on earth. All sequoias are way more than majestic, but this was an incredible example of an extraordinary living thing in its prime! I have no idea how to adequately photograph those sequoias in any way that comes close to doing them justice.

Still no Grant!

I found this walk exhausting, too. Still couldn’t figure it out.

The General Grant tree, only 1700 years old, give or take a few. Young, for a sequoia.

We returned to camp and took a nap. When I woke up I started prepping for dinner and realized I felt awful. A thermometer stuck under my tongue registered 101.3 degrees Fahrenheit. I turned the food prep over to Susan and went and laid down again.

I did not get up for 38 hours. Ouch.

When I felt sort of human again, we did not want to risk complications in a remote area with no cell service. It was horribly disappointing to leave- we hadn’t even been in Sequoia National Park! -but it was the prudent thing to do. We left.

I seem to be recovering as well as could be expected. Thank you for your concern!

Thank you again for reading this week’s post on the Kings Canyon National Park trip cut short. Life is great and I love life! But I hate getting sick!

Every day is a blessing. Don’t waste it- Go fishing! Take a trip! Do SOMETHING!

John Kumiski, author of Fishing Florida by Paddle- An Angler’s Guide

Purchase a signed copy of Fishing Florida by Paddle- An Angler’s Guide at http://www.spottedtail.com/fishing-florida-by-paddle/

All content in this blog, including writing and photos, copyright John Kumiski 2021. All rights are reserved.

Lassen Volcanic National Park- a Photo Essay

Lassen Volcanic National Park- a Photo Essay

Thank you for reading this week’s post on Lassen Volcanic National Park. The place was fantastic, and visiting highly recommended!

Valley Oak, Red Bluff Recreation Area

Tuesday morning we hopped in the chariot and drove, on the interstate, to Red Bluff, where we set up camp for a night at the Red Bluff Recreation Area, on the bank of the Sacramento River. Although the river allegedly contains fish, there must not be many- no one was fishing. We went for a walk on the Shasta View Trail, where we spotted the famous peak in the distance. Of more immediate interest were the beautiful valley oaks (Quercus lobata) there.

Morning found us heading east on Highway 36, infamous in California for being the state’s most dangerous road. From what I saw I can’t agree, but we only travelled a relatively short piece of it.

About 9 AM we entered the park. Almost immediately we came to the Sulphur Works. Steam vents in the ground release large quantities of stinky steam. A natural mud pot boils, right next to the road. Truly, we live on an amazing planet!

A boiling mud pit at the Sulphur Works.

You find four kinds of volcanoes in nature- Lassen has samples of all four. The last eruption of Mt. Lassen was fairly recent, 1914. You can identify rocks there that are only 105 years old!

Susan plays with a boulder. I think that’s Diamond Peak rising behind her.

We camped there two nights, circumnavigating the park, investigating all the short walks and taking two longer ones, to King’s Falls and to the Devil’s Kitchen.

Balsamroot, at the Sulphur Works.

 

King’s Falls.

 

The trail to King’s Falls!

 

Mt. Lassen. It’s much more impressive from the other side.

 

If you’re looking for a 2000-plus foot elevation gain, Mt. Lassen Trail might be for you!

 

Looking east from the park road.

 

One of several lakes along the park road.

 

Another view along the park road.

 

Another view!

We wanted badly to hike the Bumpass Hell Trail but it was closed, covered with ice and snow. Our last morning there we woke up to 37 degrees and snow flurries. The park’s elevation averages around 6000 feet, with many higher points!

The edge of the Fantastic Lava Beds at Butte Lake.

 

Walking through a meadow, on the way to Devil’s Kitchen.

 

In the woods, same trail. Do you see Susan?

 

Snow plants, a strange species found along the trail.

 

At the Devil’s Kitchen.

 

Susan, such a tourist! At the Devil’s Kitchen.

I cannot recommend a visit to Lassen Volcanic Park  highly enough. FANTASTIC place!

Thank you again for reading this week’s post on Lassen Volcanic National Park. Life is great and I love life!

Every day is a blessing. Don’t waste it- Go fishing! or take a trip!

John Kumiski, author of Fishing Florida by Paddle- An Angler’s Guide

Purchase a signed copy of Fishing Florida by Paddle- An Angler’s Guide at http://www.spottedtail.com/fishing-florida-by-paddle/

All content in this blog, including writing and photos, copyright John Kumiski 2021. All rights are reserved.

“Home” for a Week- Post and Photo Essay

“Home” for a Week

Thank you for reading this week’s “home” for a week post and photo essay. On Sunday Maxx and Catalina went away for a week. We stayed on, house-sitting and pet-sitting, our “home” this week.

One of thousands of flowers in the conservatory.

But first, on Saturday, we all went to Golden Gate Park. It was cloudy, and windy, and chilly. That did not stop the weekend parties in the park, or the throngs of visitors. There were flowers growing everywhere, even though we didn’t get into either the botanical gardens or the Japanese Tea Garden.

A six-piece jazz band, busking in the park.

 

Catalina and Susan at the water lily pond.

 

It could be the orchid conservatory!

 

We did get into the Conservatory of Flowers, though, a greenhouse full of beautiful, healthy, tropical plants. I may have gotten carried away with the camera, my little Olympus point-and-shoot. There was so much to photograph in there!

It could be the carnivorous plant conservatory!

 

Sunday, we went to the airport, dropping off our hosts in the process. See you next week!

Monday, Memorial Day, we laid low, and considered the sacrifices others have made so all of us can enjoy our lives today.

The Pinnacles.

Tuesday Susan and I went to Pinnacles National Park, a two-hour plus drive. It was hot when we took our first hike. It got hotter as we walked. There was little shade and the sun was blazing. We got to a point where we said, “This is dumb,” and turned around. The temperature was in the 90s!

She doesn’t look like she’s sweating to death!

We did see a California condor, never thought I would, and a coyote, too. But it was a long way to go to walk three miles. One hike was all we attempted.

More Pinnacles. With a moon.

We headed west and drove along the coastal highway for 30 or 40 miles, much less frightening than either further north or further south. Or maybe I’m just getting used to roads barely clinging onto mountainsides? The temperature dropped from the 90s to the 50s in less than 100 miles.

The dogs with Maxx on an earlier trip.

After leaving the dogs home alone all day Tuesday, I for one felt a little guilty. So Wednesday we took them to Rodeo Beach, a dog-friendly beach, so they could do some running. I brought cameras, thinking I’d get some pictures. HA! The dogs took 100 percent of my attention, leaving exactly none for any other activities. We ran them in the sand in the waves for a couple hours, though, exactly what we wanted to do. Get them some exercise and get them tired out, because that’s what they like. We all had fun!

Getting to the beach in the Marin Headlands. 18%!!!

 

In the BART station at Embarcadero.

Thursday, we braved the Bay Area Rapid Transit system to go to San Francisco. We got off at the wrong stop and then went the wrong way, seeing many people who were, shall we say, very street-savvy. We turned around before total immersion, and started asking directions to Chinatown. Those obtained, off we went.

If only we’d wanted to go somewhere else…

I love Chinatown! I like the buildings, the Chinese characters I wish I could read, the people shopping in the markets, they crazy things you see for sale. I like listening to the people speaking Chinese. I like the street art, and all the flags and lanterns. It’s all quite exotic, and if you get uncomfortable, English-speaking land is just a few blocks away. I like that we ended up in a place called the Spicy Shrimp for a bowl of noodle soup and a plate of chow fun. Yum yum!

The flags and the lanterns!

 

The street art!

We wandered down to the waterfront, over a mile from Fisherman’s Wharf. There were no sea lions. I guess they all work for tourist tips at the wharf. Then we wandered back to BART, and rode back to Castro Valley.

A view of the Transamerica building.

 

A different view of the Transamerica building.

BART is clean, and compared to what I’ve seen of rapid transit in Boston and New York, lightly used. The trains were on time, and fast. We couldn’t tell if this was the nature of the beast, or COVID related. When you consider the crowds of cars on the roads around here, I’m sure we’ll use it again next time we go to San Francisco.

The San Francisco–Oakland Bay Bridge.

 

Show off your pride!

Friday Susan painted and I wrote for my Global Outdoors travelogue. And we’re again lying low this weekend. So thank you for reading this week’s “home” for a week post!

Life is great and I love life!

Every day is a blessing. Don’t waste it- Go fishing! or take a trip!

John Kumiski, author of Fishing Florida by Paddle- An Angler’s Guide

Purchase a signed copy of Fishing Florida by Paddle- An Angler’s Guide at http://www.spottedtail.com/fishing-florida-by-paddle/

All content in this blog, including writing and photos, copyright John Kumiski 2021. All rights are reserved.

Yosemite Park and Muir Woods- A Photo Essay

Yosemite Park and Muir Woods

Thank you for reading this week’s post on Yosemite Park and Muir Woods! I’m glad you’re here!

Now, let me send you somewhere else. This reporter has been writing a travelogue for a website called Global Outdoors. The most recent one they have posted is at this URL- https://blog.globaloutdoors.com/news/2021/5/24/traveling-america-by-van-on-the-road . But the posts go back to planning the trip and building out the van, if you are that interested. The content is quite different than what you see here. If you’re bored at work, please check it out!

Arches on the California coast.

Over the weekend we drove up to Sebastipol to visit Brian and Laura Jaye, long-time friends of Maxx. Maxx took us all out to CA 1 to see the sea. I can hardly believe they put a road on the side of those cliffs. It is terrifying to anyone who fears falling. The scenery is fantastic, though!

Maxx, Catalina, Carlo, and Betty.

 

General store, Elk, CA.

 

The flowers along the coast are gorgeous. These are California poppies.

Monday, Susan and I drove from Castro Valley to Yosemite National Park. Once we got clear of the major highways, the drive was beautiful- rolling hills turning into mountains, sparsely travelled four lane highway turning into narrow, winding mountain road.

El Capitan and Half Dome.

We reached the park entrance around noon. At least fifty cars were in line ahead of us.

Susan and John in Tuolumne Grove.

Clearing the entrance gate, we entered the park and drove to the Tuolumne Grove parking lot. I wanted to drive up Tioga Road, but it was closed. We parked, and hiked down into one of only 25 groves of giant sequoias left on the planet. They are so amazing!

A tunnel was carved through this dead tree trunk.

We hadn’t gotten our bearings yet, but after the walk Susan wanted to see El Capitan. We headed towards Yosemite Valley, stopping at overlooks along the way. When we got down onto the valley floor, the road looked like a parking lot. A long line of vehicles were parked on the road, which was temporarily closed for construction We joined the line, and sat down to wait.

After 20 minutes or so, the line started to move. It was slow movement, but it was movement. Hooray!

Our first view of El Capitan was stunning. People climb that cliff?!?!? We managed to snatch a parking spot, and did what tourists do- we snapped photos. That chunk of rock, while amazingly huge and imposing, wasn’t doing much at that moment, so we got back in the car, got back into the traffic, and creeped along- right into a controlled burn.

Didn’t come to see this!

The smoke quickly affected my breathing. You couldn’t see the mountains any more. We turned around as quickly as we could and got out of there.

Smoke filled Yosemite Valley.

Entrance into the park Tuesday morning was easy- no wait! The valley was completely filled with smoke, so after a 45-minute wait due to road construction (I photographed Mercer River while waiting), we drove up onto the Glacier Point road (on another terrifying mountain road) and drove all the way to the Glacier Point overlook.

Mercer River. Methinks there might be many trout here.

 

Mercer River, view 2. Note the cars parked on the road, left side.

 

Susan at Glacier Point. The view? AMAZING.

In the meantime, the wind had come up and blown most of the smoke out of the valley. The views from Glacier Point were incredible. We stopped at a couple other overlooks, then hiked up Sentinel Dome.

Sentinel Dome.

This walk was very tough for me. We were at such high elevation, I just couldn’t get enough air. Slow, slow, slow going, but finally I got up there.

Susan and John, somewhere in Yosemite.

The view, of 360 degrees, was dizzying. I hardly took any pictures- no way could they begin to convey the experience. The struggle up there was so worth it!

A view of the Half Dome.

We sat on the dome for over an hour. Some mental arithmetic told me that if we left right now, we’d be back to Castro Valley around sunset. We hiked back (it’s so much easier going down!) and hit the road. My phone took us through the backest roads (is backest a word?) imaginable, but got us to the interstate. We got to Maxx’s about 1930 hours after an amazing couple of days.

A redwood tree. Yes, they are very big, too.

Thursday, we hit a much closer target, Muir Woods National Monument, home of coastal redwood trees. Redwoods lack the bulk of giant sequoias, but they go straight up, seemingly forever. And it’s not like they’re small!

Redwood sorrel carpets the ground in places.

 

Susan admires some trees…

We took a leisurely hike of two miles or so, then went to Fish., in Sausalito, for lunch. Squid Caesar salad and squid over linguini, it was so good!

Lunch!

Then, it was off to Marin Headlands for views of the Golden Gate Bridge, San Francisco, and the Pacific Ocean. Great stuff! Beautiful spot, and fantastic (if breezy) weather!

The Golden Gate Bridge, icon of San Francisco.

The plan for Saturday is to visit San Francisco. Should be an interesting day!

Thank you for reading this week’s post on Yosemite Park and Muir Woods!

Life is great and I love life!

Every day is a blessing. Don’t waste it- Go fishing! or take a trip!

John Kumiski, author of Fishing Florida by Paddle- An Angler’s Guide

Purchase a signed copy of Fishing Florida by Paddle- An Angler’s Guide at http://www.spottedtail.com/fishing-florida-by-paddle/

All content in this blog, including writing and photos, copyright John Kumiski 2021. All rights are reserved.