I make coffee in the French Press...there's still no power, so I can't use my coffeemaker. I switch over my satellite radio player to "battery mode", so I can at least listen to the news this morning.
I've got another short drive today...less than a hundred miles...over to Lassen Volcanic National Park. So...I can linger this morning and make a nice breakfast of bacon and eggs...and some OJ and milk.
On the way out, I get some better views of the lake, and I'm able to hike around for an hour or so.
One "guide" that I always carry with me on these camping trips is "Road Food" by Jan and Michael Stern. It's a great little book that identifies little culinary "gems" across the country...little places that serve a great breakfast...or excellent barbecue...or tacos...etc. They list a great seafood place, Buz's Crab Shack" in Redding...it's on my route, so that's where I'm heading for lunch. Unfortunately, my edition of "Road Food" is, apparently, a few years out of date. Buz's is long-closed...all boarded up. There is, however, a great little Tacqueria right up the street. So I head there for a great lunch of authentic tacos...al pastor, carnitas and shredded beef.
Then I'm driving up through the foothills of Mt. Lassen. I watch the elevation signs...1000 feet...2000 feet...three thousand feet...four thousand feet...five thousand feet. By the time that I reach my campground at Manzanita Lake, I'm at almost 6000 feet.
I camped here two years ago and now, two years later, my campsite is right next to the one where I camped before. It's pretty crowded for a Wednesday...all of the regular sites fill up quickly after I arrive,,,and a lot of RV's are stuck in the "overflow lot".
Once I set up camp, I hike around the campground for an hour or so...stopping for ice at the campground store along the way. Then it's the "standard drill"...cocktails, satellite radio, dinner. I've got some sliced pork, and I stir-fry that with some vegetables and a package of Asian Home Gourmet's "Spicy Korean Stir-Fry" paste. It's very good with some rice and a white wine blend from L'Ecole 41...way back in Walla Walla.
I should note the change in temperature. Ever since I turned "inland" at Eureka, the temperatures have soared. It was in the low 60's during the day on the coast, inland it's in the mid-90's. Up here at Lassen, it got up to 95 in the afternoon. But it will settle into the 50's at night...nice sleeping weather.
After dinner, I build a nice fire...have a slice of Safeway's great chocolate cake...drink a few glasses of CatDaddy around the fire. Very cozy before bedtime.
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