May 29, 2023
When planning a travel itinerary, sometimes it takes effort to guess how much time to spend in each place. At times I make adjustments, but I rarely wish I had spent less time in an area. That’s how I feel about Northern California.
It’s hard to know how many days to allot if you’ve never been to a place. I’ve visited California several times, but all but one visit was to the coast. I had always heard about the beauty of Lake Tahoe, and I knew I’d easily be able to fill a week there. That part of the itinerary was spot-on.
It was the travel from Tahoe to Oregon where I short-changed myself. I had a mere afternoon to see Lassen Volcanic National Park. I could only get a little way into the southern entrance since the main road through the park was still snow-covered. I didn’t even make it to the northern entrance.
I was also in a rush at Lake Shasta and Mount Shasta. Although I did well with my limited time (one day), I would love to return and see more of the area. In fact, that day at Mount Shasta, I yearned to get a camper van. I could picture myself chilling out for a few days at one of the campgrounds there.
The main reason for my pressed itinerary was a dog-sitting gig in Bend, Oregon. I knew setting myself up with no-cost accommodations for Memorial Day weekend would be wise. And, indeed, it was a good idea. My canine companion was a sweetheart. I visited local sights like the Newberry National Monument, the Deschutes River, and the High Desert Museum.
Tomorrow, I will start making my way back to Washington, my home state. More dog sitting on the agenda, and a Celebration of Life to honor my sister next Sunday.
It will be good to be “home.”
Wandering Shannon 