We spent a week at Lake of the Springs RV Resort, on the western side of the Sierras in northern California, or in other words, Our Own Private Idaho.   After seeing very few people from Idaho along this journey, there were 4 of us from Idaho right in succession along our loop. There is another former Idaho couple (now from California) up the hill.   Gooding, Priest River, Nampa and Boise (twice) are represented.   All are full timers or “most” timers.   Many spend extended time here.  I agree, this is a great place and my favorite stop.

We have a beautiful campsite with great views 270 degrees.

We have been able to see deer on almost every walk, and sometimes while we just sit in the trailer.   The deer come around and explore our campsite and we can observe them daily from our windows.

One evening it was really windy so our perch up on the hill seemed a little shakey but overall we loved it.

I discovered that I really like line-dancing.  They have line dancing class in the activity center most mornings and it is a little bit physical exercise and a lot (for me) mental exercise.  It was great fun.

One rainy day we went into Grass Valley to the old Del Oro Theater and saw Interstellar.  The theater was built in the 40s and had been refurbished in a very authentic way.

Another day we went to West Coast Falconry, one of the only schools in the country where you can actually learn how to work with falcons and hawks.   Because of our schedule and theirs, we went to an Owl Experience.  We got up close with three beautiful owls and learned a lot about owls in general.  Randy and I were even able to have one of the owls fly back and forth from person to person and land on our gloved hands.  The trainers were feeding the mouse pieces so it was okay.  Unfortunately, I had a HUGE operator error and deleted the pictures before I saved them to the computer.   I wish you could have seen them!  And I wish I still had them to see as well!  When we come back to this great park, we will return to West Coast Falconry and do the Falcon Experience and get more pictures!  They were kind enough to send me pictures of two of the owls!

Today we left Lake of the Springs and traveled (without drama) to Ashland, Oregon.  We saw a lot of trailers headed south, but not too many going north like we are!

Along a very nice section of I-5, (unlike the Seattle, Portland and LA sections), we saw Shasta Lake.  It was very beautiful and also very sad in how low the water level is.  Research indicated that they are experiencing their third lowest level all time due to the drought – and rapidly approaching the second worst.  Many interesting things are showing up as the water is receding.

We also saw Mt. Shasta.  When we saw the height designation it didn’t seem that much lower than Mt. Whitney a few weeks ago.  It prompted a search to see where Mt. Shasta ranked in US mountains.  (I am the co-pilot, I have time to do these things.)   Here is the info that I thought was interesting.

Of the 50 highest mountains in the US, the first 11 in height are in Alaska, led by Mt. McKinley (Denali).  Fourteen of the highest 50 mountains are in Alaska.

Mt. Whitney (tallest in the lower 48) ranks #12 in the US.   It is the first of the seven mountains in California that made it into the top 50.  Mt. Shasta ranks #34.

Colorado has 28 of the tallest 50 mountains in the US (yes 28!) led by Mt. Ebert at #14.

Only one of the highest 50 mountains in the US is outside of Alaska, California and Colorado.  That is Mt. Raineer in Washington coming in at #17.

Hope you found that little bit of info interesting!