RSS Going up the mountain
Filed in BlogThis was my first time up the mountain on a bike, following a brick, and it went rather well. Highway 299 is rather fun, and the scenery is stunning, but my bike’s sudden decision to not always yield up first gear made it more interesting. Usually it would shift down for the switchbacks (a great relief), but not so much when, as “slower traffic”, we had to pull into turnouts to let the faster vehicles pass.
Don pulled over at Shasta State Historic Park where I spent at least half an hour poking around the row of old brick buildings in what used to be Shasta county’s county seat. It’s a real ghost town, and unlike my last visit there in 2001 (when I weighed 30 pounds more) it wasn’t hotter than hades so I actually enjoyed the visit. Unfortunately, the main path past the buildings was fenced off to allow the structures to be shored up.
We also headed up to the Pioneer Baby’s Grave, another state historic landmark. Apparently, out of concern for the grave, highway 299 was rerouted.
That was it for stops; we went on up to Paradise (the town isn’t called Paradise, but it feels that way). We rolled up to a friendly greeting, picked out our spot, and had arrived.
Home.
Where there are more trees than people.
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2 Comments, Comment or Ping
katster (12 comments.)
Don’t forget at some point to make the stop at Camden House. It’s that big white house to the left just past Whiskeytown Lake when you’re heading up to Weaverville on 299. It’s also on the list of historic places. (It’s also worth hiking around back there — there’s a gold mine and the remnants of the first irrigation ditch in CA out behind the place.)
Also, you want to make the turn onto the road across from Camden House. If you go back a quarter mile, you end up in French Gulch, which is one of Shasta County’s old gold mining towns, and plenty historic in its own right.
Another place to go in is to make the turn at the visitor’s center and follow that road a mile to the dam. There’s a pullout at the dam, and on the pedestal is a button you can hit to hear John F. Kennedy’s speech to dedicate the dam. If I understand correctly, this was his last major speech before he was assassinated, and it’s something else to stand out there (particularly on a grey damp day in February when there’s nobody else there) and listen to the speech echo off the rock walls. It’s one of my favorite things.
You might find my friend Dottie’s column interesting. She specializes in Shasta County history, and you’re actually in Trinity, but you’re not that far from Redding. It’s here.
Have fun up there in my old stomping grounds. :)
Jun 10th, 2008
Linda R. Moore
Ooh, cool! Once these fires die down I want to make a day trip out of French Gulch. I missed the white house, but I’ve already been and heard the speech…not in the fog, though. Hm, that column looks way cool.
Thanks! :)
Jun 23rd, 2008
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