We were delighted that 23 friends and family members visited us during our first year in Mount Shasta. A few of them were able to return.
The links following some paragraphs are to photos relating to that paragraph. Links within the paragraphs are to Web sites with information about that subject.
First Visitors
Our first house guests were Gaye Ekholm and Guy Gordon on October 13. Gaye worked with Jennie at Apple. Her friend Guy is a golf pro. Guy gave his stamp of approval to the beautiful Mount Shasta Golf Resort where we played a round. We also got them up to timber line on the mountain for a fine view on a brilliant, crisp fall day.
On October 26 the long planned, often delayed, reunion of the "Three Aces" took place. Charles Schimmel, Tom Corrigan and Wes were best friends at East High School (the Blue Aces) in Wichita, Kansas. Charles came up from his home in Santa Maria, CA. Tom and his wife Peggy traveled down from their log home on Orcas Island off the coast of Washington. The Corrigans could only stay one day so we gave them the classic one-day tour: A drive up Everitt Memorial Highway for sweeping views from timber-line on Mount Shasta; Lunch at the Black Bear Cafe and tour of the Black Bear Gallery; a short shoreline hike at Castle Lake, a classic glacial lake in the mountains of the east side of the valley. We dined that evening at our favorite restaurant, Lily's. The day concluded with a late-night retelling of tales from those golden high school days. Charles was able to stay a few days so we were able to give him a taste of much more of the charm and color of Siskiyou county including the other three towns nearby -- Dunsmuir, McCloud and Weed. We even got up to the county seat, Yreka, and from there over to historic Scott Valley and the town of Etna where we swaggered into Corrigan's bar (no relation) and ordered some famous Etna beer.
On our first Thanksgiving in Mount Shasta, we were joined by our daughter Denise; son-in-law Tom; grandchildren, Dan and Laura; and our son Bob and his long-time friend Matt. They quickly gave their enthusiastic approval to the house which they had never seen before. We took a short walk up Hill road to Wagon Creek to show them how close to nature we were. Our trip up the mountain the next day found deep snow to play in at Bunny Flat and the road closed beyond. It was also a winter scene at Castle Lake. Both sites had changed from summer to winter in a month. That night we were lucky that our friend Vic Martin and his group were playing at the Vet's club, so the gang got to experience the blues scene in Mount Shasta. Jennie prepared a delicious traditional Thanksgiving feast, then Thanksgiving night the first snow of the season fell at our elevation. It was a great first visit by our Bay Area kids.
The gang at Bunny Flat at Thanksgiving
Next our oldest son, Jim and his friend, Paula Heneberry, came for Christmas from Baltimore. Bob was back too. It was Jim's first time to check out the new house. We had everything ready for him including a "white Christmas." He said we were setting an awfully high standard for retirement. In addition to enjoying snow at our house; at Bunny Flat and at Castle Lake, Jim and Paula got in an afternoon of skiing at the nearby Mount Shasta Ski Park. We also were able to catch Vic Martin and friends performing at the Vet's club. Needless to say we had a wonderful first Christmas including our beautiful Christmas tree, a Shasta spruce that we cut on the slopes of Mount Shasta. These were our last visitors until May.
Bob, Jim and Paula in and at Cartref Mynydd
On May first, Joyce Acles who had worked many years with Wes and her friend Mable Lythgoe drove up from Redding for the day. We got them up to Bunny Flat where there was still a lot of snow if now a bit grubby. While we were there it started snowing. We did a brief tour of the "shopping district" along Mount Shasta Boulevard including Black Bear Gallery. There was time for lunch and then they had to return to Redding -- the "big city" an hour's drive to the south. For Joyce's own account Click here
Joyce and Mable at Cartref Mynydd
On May second, Denise, Tom, Dan, Laura and Dan's friend Johnny drove up for a day of skiing on for the last day of the season, May 3 and to celebrate Dan's May 1st birthday -- his 13th. The boys would be trying snow boarding for the first time. Denise and Laura wisely stayed with skis. May 3 was overcast, but at least not raining or snowing. The two teen-agers took to snow board quickly; For Tom, let us say, it was a bit more challenging. But it looked like everyone was having a good time skiing in May.
The Group at Wagon Creek and boys at Ski Park
The end of June Wes's oldest friend, Charles returned for a week's visit that included his birthday. In addition to checking out some of the sites he'd seen during his visit in October we added a trip, an hour north, to Ashland, Oregon to see a production of the world-famous Oregon Shakespeare Festival. We also drove up into a wonderful back woods area on a U.S. Forest Service road and took a nice hike along a cascading mountain stream. Charles was impressed with the two to three feet of snow remaining at Bunny Flat this time.
Charles with view from Castle Lake road
Son Bob returned July 3, with his friend Danelle, just in time for Mount Shasta's famous Fourth of July celebration which includes a sanctioned 8K run and a for-fun 2 mile walk. All participants wore a beautiful blue tee-shirt with the year's award winning art of Mount Shasta and wild flowers imprinted on it. About 5000 people are added to the population for this popular event. The weather could not have been more perfect -- cloudless and 70 degrees. Spotted along the route are entertainers from jazz bands to jugglers. Following the run and walk is the classic small town 4th of July parade. Then in the evening there are fireworks over lake Siskiyou. We also made it to the snow at Bunny Flat and Castle lake. Playing in the snow on the Fourth of July is a nice touch.
Danelle and Bob at vista point
On July 15, friends from our years in Illinois, Fay and Bill Fly arrived for a few days visit. We introduced them to all the scenic spots including McCloud Falls which I haven't mentioned before and the headwaters of the Sacramento River just below the Lake Siskiyou dam. The weather was warm -- record breaking as a matter of fact -- so nearly all the snow at Bunny Flat that we'd seen a couple weeks before was gone. They took in the Shakespeare Festival at Ashland and Crater Lake on their own before heading south to visit relatives.
Fay Fly meditates on Mount Shasta
Bill Fly and rafter on Sacramento River
Jennie's former boss at Apple, Gendy Albrook and her family paid us a one night, one day visit on August August 7. Since they had spent time around this area before they didn't need the usual tour so the morning was spent golfing at the McCloud Golf Course where Jennie and Wes have a membership and where Jennie played weekly with the Women's league and won a trophy in the August tournament. After lunch the Allbrooks departed for a visit with relatives in Redding.
The Allbrooks visit came during the time that Laura spent with us from August 3rd through the 13th. Denise and Tom brought Daniel up on the 10th and went on to Ashland. On their return they picked up Laura and Dan stayed until the 20th. We had a great time entertaining and getting to know our grandchildren better. We climbed the mountain to play in the August snow (see Journal entry by that name); swam and boated in both Castle and Siskiyou lakes; toured the Shasta Caverns above Shasta Lake; shopped downtown; ate out; played Crazy 8; Laura made two new friends; Dan learned to operate the rider mower; and other activities too numerous to mention. Dan was even along when we picked up our second Shelty, Marcy on the way to meet Tom in Davis. It was a richly eventful August.
Laura, Jennie, and Dan at Shasta Lake and Cavern
