Redding: We visit Shasta Lake, Lassen Volcanic park and Whiskeytown lake

Sunday - Drive to Shingletown. Stop at Winters CA for lunch

We had an uneventful start to our vacation. We packed up the odyssey with all our things and set off around 9.30 am. We had no specific plan for lunch, but Aarav had scouted out a “Black Bear Diner” around Vacaville. We came up on Vacaville a little too early for lunch, so we extended the drive a bit more and ended up in Winters CA, and the lovely Putah Creek Cafe for some late Brunch.

Getting our first feel of the summer heat, we finished up lunch outside, and embarked on the long leg to Redding. Purni took the wheel and gave me and Rango a chance for a nice nap in the car.

After a stop in Redding for some supplies, we headed to Shingletown to our first stay of the trip. The house was not quite what we had expected. It was in dire need of lots of repairs. But the beds were clean, and the bedrooms had Air Conditioning, which was a welcome respite from the 100 degree day that we had experienced.

After unpacking, we took a short stroll to the nearby pond, found frogs and tadpoles galore, and tried dipping our feet in the icy creek that ran alongside the campground that we were staying in. Deterred by how cold the water really was, we settled for some kerplunk and rock skipping.

Monday - Shasta Dam, Turtle bay and Sundial bridge

Monday was supposed to be a hot day, so we tried to start the day early and planned to end earlier too.

We set off before 9 and headed to Shasta Dam. The visitor center was not dog friendly, so the boys and I took the tour through and learned some facts about the dams construction. We saw a million dollar check that was payment to start construction of the dam, which I thought was cool.

After the visitor center, we took a short walk onto the dam. The water level at Lake Shasta is at historic lows, and it was surprising to see how low it was. The views of the lake and the surrounding mountains was quite beautiful still, the the building heat, and a puppy in constant search of shade, was a reminder to us all to move on. The grounds near the visitor center were shady and beautifully maintained, so we did stop for snacks and to cool down.

We drove back to Redding in time for lunch at Wildas Grill. The food was delicious.

Post lunch we set off to visit the sundial bridge and the arboretum. The temperature was above 100 by the time we went to the he bridge, and we didnt want to burn Rangos' feet by making him cross the glass surface. After some deliberation, we opted instead to let the kids explore Turtlebay, giving Rango and I some time in the shade. Purni and the Kids set off to explore Turtlebay, which they enjoyed thoroughly, while Rango and I watched people walk by and enjoyed all the attention that he got, while cooling off in the shade.

Given how hot it was, we decided to skip the arboretum, and headed home instead to play Forbidden Islands and Apples to Apples (Thanks Neeraja, Nehal and AVZ club for the gifts) in the relative air-conditioned comfort of our house.

Tuesday - Mount Lassen Volcanic park

Weather on Tuesday was supposed to be much cooler, and we had chosen to spend the day in Lassen. Sure enough, we ended up with a cloudy day, some surprise summer rain showers, and a very pleasant day.

First stop in Lassen was at the visitor center near Manzanita Lake, where the kids explored the small museum and listened to a ranger explain a bit about the park, its history and the eruption in the early 1900’s.

After that we made brief stops at chaos crags, and the devastated area trail, before coming to summit Lake. The stillness and the rain were really scenic, and Purni and I were enthralled with the beauty of the place. We decided to Picnic there, and extend our stay at the lake. The rain was starting to come down though, so we improvised the picnic in the back of the van, with the rear liftgate serving as a overhead covering for me. Picnicing to the sounds and smells of the rain was quite the experience.

After lunch, we drove on and after a few small stops to take pictures, found ourself deciding to make the hike to Bumpass Hell. Since dogs were not allowed, Purni gracefully volunteered to stay with Rango. Aarav wasn’t feeling like it, so Tejas and I made the 2+ mile hike to the boardwalks at bumpass hell. The hike was amazingly scenic, with lovely wildflowers, gradually clearing views of lassen peak, and the haze covered mountains and valleys of the park. I thoroughly enjoyed the hike. Tejas was great company and kept me entertained with his conversation and chatter on the whole way there and back. We explored the bumpass hell boardwalk, took photos and videos of the erupting steam and bubbling mud, before being satisfied and making the hike back to the car. The hike being amazing, I managed to convince Aarav to accompany Purni for atleast 15 minutes out, and then back, giving them a chance to appreciate the views as well.

Post hike, we continued our drive to sulphur works, to see a really large bubbling mud puddle, right by the side of the road, and then to the visitor center at the south entrance for Tejas to get his Junior Ranger badge. Satisfied with a lovely day, we turned around and drove home.

Wednesday - Whiskeytown lake

It was forecast to be another hot day on Wednesday. Wanting to find some relief from the heat, we decided to drive to Whiskeytown lake and cool off in the waters there.

Brandy creek beach, in the south side of the lake looked like a good spot, and since we were relatively early, we managed to snag a good picnic bench on the beach edge in the shade. The beach was unfortunastley not dog friendly, so we kept rango at our feet under the picnic bench. The boys built water projects as usual, on the beach edge, and Purni and I took turns enjoying the refreshing cool water and exploring the beach.

Tejas and I found the courage to get neck deep in the water, which was delightful with the 95 degree heat of the day. Picnic lunches were also consumed.

Around 3 pm, we decided to call it a day, and started driving back.

We stopped at a sporting goods store in Redding to get Tejas a pair of binoculars that he had asked for for his birthday, and to get the whole family hats, since we (almost) all forgot ours back home.

Back to Shingletown we went, for laundry, packing, and winding up our time there.