A Rookie Rides to Mendocino (County)

In a direct effort to combat cabin fever, I took off on a four day bike tour of Central California. Left home in Sacramento on Monday and arrived in Ukiah on Thursday. 185 miles. 22,000 vertical feet up and down (lots of up and down).





Day 1 took me about 45 miles from the morning traffic of Sacramento through the orchards of Davis and Winters to a stealth campsite at the top of Putah Creek near Lake Berryessa.



Spring is now in the Central Valley.

Porcupine Peak - Klamath Mountains

The hike starts at the further lake--Toad Lake--then crosses the ridge to the closer lake--Porcupine Lake. Two of the more famous California mountains in the distance--Mt. Eddy (left) and Mt. Shasta (right).



Toad Lake.



Porcupine Lake.



The way up.



Summit.



Looking down.



The Trinity Alps Wilderness.







Back down at Porcupine Lake where I did some fishing. Looking up at the Porcupine Peaklet.



California Pitcher Plants. AKA Cobra Lilies. Endemic to these mountains. A carnivorous plant.





Not the best place to park probably.

Castle Dome

A Wednesday jaunt to the summit of Castle Dome at Castle Crags State Park near Mount Shasta.



View from the summit.







The destination.

Freel Peak and Job's Sister. Lake Tahoe.

Overnight along Disaster Creek.

Had a 'meeting' at Kennedy Meadows and since work was paying for my gas, I decided to make a weekend out of it. Sonora Pass.



I wasn't sure whether to fish or ski or hike (I had all my tools with me) but made the decision at about 5pm to hike up into Disaster Creek and eventually to Disaster Peak. Threw the hammock and a six pack into a backpack and hiked up the trail. This is the Iceberg from Iceberg Meadow.



There was water everywhere. The meadows were wet and lush. But the usual companion to all that water--mosquitoes--were not around. Very nice.



I didn't go far til I found a great spot in this meadow to hang the hammock.



Nobody was around. The sun was setting. The weather was nice. And I was as comfortable as I ever get. A great evening in the woods.



Night.



The total route. 10 miles. 7000' vertical up and down.