Tag Archives: Sierra Nevada

The Hana Chronicles: Month 9, Day 8

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Posted by on in children, Community, Family, Hiking and Nature, Historical, Personal Values, Social, Striving, Travel

September 29, 2026- Hana has made it a practice to scoop up every bit of food that falls into the catchment on her bib, and woe to anyone who tries to dump those scraps onto the high chair table! Her meals, her rules. Our outspoken little girl is going to make her mark early, I think.

I made a birthday call to my sister, with Hana listening in. She was very happy to hear her grand-aunt’s voice and smiled the whole time. For good measure, I sent a birthday greeting, “from Hana”. In time, these sorts of remembrances will be an integral part of her life.

Aram is “Daddy”, Yunhee is “Mama”. I am, alternately, “Papa” and “Dada”. Our girl is very definite about the main people in her life. She loves us and gets loved right back. As long as someone is there to help her practice walking, all is well with the world.

HANA’S NOTE: I like standing at the window and seeing the funny animals running and jumping. Papa said they are squirrels.

EXPANDING CIRCLES: Northern California- The “upper” half of the Golden State has also figured in my life, since 1972, when I landed at Oakland, on my return from Viet Nam. San Francisco welcomed me for several conferences, over the years and I had the pleasure of seeing the Lunar New Year parade, in Chinatown, in 1995. I toured both cities more extensively in 2012. Santa Cruz, and the nearby Bosch Baha’i School, were the destination of a few family vacations, as well.

The Turf: The Coast Ranges hug the shore more consistently, as one goes north, from San Luis Obispo and Santa Maria. Then the low lying Central Valley occupies a huge swath, and is one of the great “breadbaskets” of North America. Mountains rise again, to the east: Sierra Nevada, followed further north by the southern Cascades. In northeast California, the westernmost segment of the Great Basin is called the Modoc Desert. Northern California is drained by the Smith, Klamath, Trinity, Salmon, Mad, Eel, Russian, Petaluma, Napa, Sacramento, San Joaquin, Feather, American, Yuba, Pit, Tuolumne, Stanislaus, Meced, Mokulumne, Calaveras, Kings, Kern, Kaweah,Salinas, Santa Maria and Truckee Rivers. The San Joaquin forms a delta, which drains into San Francisco Bay.

First Nations- Northern California is the ancestral home of the Hupa, Pomo, Yurok, Washoe, Mono, Yokuts, Karuk and Northern Paiute people. Rancherias and reservations are found across the region, for each of the extant nations and those related to them, linguistically. Native Americans suffered greatly in the Gold Rush and its aftermath, facing discrimination and pressure to “assimilate” that was equal to any similar efforts in other states and territories. The Pomo people were subjected to enslavement and harsh living conditions, by two white settlers with connections to the United States Army. These settlers, Andrew Kelsey and Charles Stone, were killed by rebellious Pomo, who were in turn slaughtered by troops under the command of the settlers’ associate, Captain Nathaniel Lyon (1850). He also orchestrated a forced relocation of Pomo people to Round Valley (1856). (Lyon was subsequently killed in the Battle of Wilson’s Creek, in southwest Missouri, during the Civil War.)

Where I feel most at home: Santa Cruz, Aptos, Truckee, Susanville, Mount Shasta, Weed, Eureka, Orland, Mendocino

Where I feel most at peace: Lassen Volcanic National Park, Standish-Hickey State Recreation Area, Mount Shasta

NEXT: Hawai’i

The Road to 65, Mile 212: The Sierra’s Back Door

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Posted by on in Hiking and Nature, Social, Travel

June 28, 2015, Big Pine, CA- I got my Nissan back in shape again, with a morning visit to Jiffy Lube. Friends Wendy & Steve hosted a brunch, which was a group effort, and thoroughly enjoyed by all. Then, I bid farewell to my Reno family.

Little did we know that, a scant thirty miles away, above Gardnerville, three vehicles, including an RV, had collided.   One of those involved was killed. I was in the southbound five-mile line of cars. Two hours later, I was in Topaz Lake. While in the intermittently-moving line, I took these shots of the area.

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The scene at Topaz Lake was rather quiet, away from the border town casino anyway.

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Off to the west, the Sierra Nevada showed just a smidgen of snow, where there are normally several feet, even in late June.

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The first town I entered in California was Bridgeport, already set for Independence Day.

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I had a pleasant break and supper, at the lively Rhino’s Grill. “Rhino” is the owner, not an item on the bill of fare. Seeing so many families and couples enjoying the nation’s back roads does my heart good, as does being served by congenial folks, of all ages.

The last time I visited Mono Lake was in 1980.  It is about 1/3 smaller now.

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This saline lake is still a gem, but an endangered one.

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As I drove towards Big Pine, and my stop for the night, I caught a glimpse of a superb California sunset.

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Then, as is its wont, the sky went to bed.

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After all that waiting, and switchback-negotiating, the Nissan was just fine. So was I, settled in at Bristlecone Motel, run by one of the town’s two mechanics.

The Road to 65, Mile 183: Northwestward, Resumed, Day 4- Reno to Mount Shasta

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Posted by on in Hiking and Nature, Travel

May 30, 2015, Mount Shasta- I am at the base of northern California’s most sacred peak,

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in a town where Black Bear Diner came into existence, some twenty years ago. The little eatery is still here, and in several other locations, across eight states. So, I had dinner there this evening.

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More about that, in a bit. The day started with my little “grand-niece’s” blanket tent being carefully honoured by everyone, including she. After my usual breakfast of cereal and coffee, I bid my Reno family farewell and headed west. The first stop was the Sierra Nevada town of Truckee, both for a bite of lunch, (leftover from last night’s dinner at Pho, in south Reno). and to check out the neat little spot.

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Sierra Inn is one of Truckee’s signature hotels.
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Truckee Hotel is the other.
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The main street was just starting to stir, on this bright Saturday morning.

On the north back street, there is a cute Arts Center: Kindred Art and Folk Institute

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Having been to the performing arts center in Carson City, a few days ago, I am more inclined to notice these places, further along the road.

On the south side of town, across the tracks, runs the Truckee River.

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It is about as low here, as it was in Reno, on Thursday.

The grass and meadow flowers are doing okay, though.

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I drove on, across the Sierra Nevada, skirting Donner Pass- the site of infamy, in the mid-1860’s, and over to I-5, stopping briefly at Panera Bread, in Sacramento, for a power smoothie. The Sacramento River, seen from the highway, appeared to be running a tad higher than the Truckee.

I made it to Mount Shasta, the city of a few thousand artists, ranchers and dreamers, around 5:30.  Finlandia Motel, on the west end of town, was my choice of rest stop for the night. It has a small spa, which gave me a much-appreciated soak, after checking out the town by car and on foot.

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The office and lodgings have a fairy tale ambiance about them.
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I got to play with my zoom lens a bit, over the past few days. The peaks to the west of Shasta (southern Cascades) loom larger.
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The town has a fine natural foods market, Berrydale.

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A barefoot young man, seemingly in a state of befuddlement, asked where he could get espresso. Berrydale has a small deli counter, but it was 7:30, and even natural foods grocers have to go home at night.

Seven Suns, though, is the main spot in town for fine coffee and tea.

Back to my dinner: I sat at the counter, and was served by an attentive, mature lady. Nearby, a local man was working a crossword puzzle. I was able to give him one of the words, and a man in the booth behind us, gave another. Our conversation ranged from the arcane (He: “Different species of people can interbreed very easily”. I: “That’s because we are all the same species”) to the edifying (He: “I save all my paperwork. When the government came after me, I won.” I: “That’s good to know.”) I learn something new from everyone I meet, it seems.