Lassen Volcanic National Park

The following Friday was the 4^th of July, and I began my first two week vacation since college. Phil and Bing flew into the area, Bing’s brother Willis drove up from San Jose, and off we went to Lassen Volcanic National Park. I’ll be darned if the buffet we stopped to eat lunch at wasn’t in a building with slot machines and blackjack tables. After only a minor delay, we dropped in at a Foodmax grocery store in Red Bluff to grab some supplies. This store seemed to be frequented by the same people I saw with water guns on the rafting trip the previous weekend. We were particularly amused/frightened by a couple of thuggish--looking teenage brothers wearing shoulder pads while shopping with their mom. Our next stop was Mineral, CA, population 30. Our motel was located there near the park entrance. The accommodations were somewhat spartan, but not bad—other than having to kill two big spiders every trip to the bathroom. We never did figure out where those things were coming from. The nearby restaurant, the only one anywhere close, had incredibly slow service, but it did have an arcade game loaded with dozens of 80’s vintage games. We also learned pretty quickly that we could get quite a few rounds of cards in while waiting for food to show up.

Given the park’s name, I was expecting a somewhat desolate place similar to the geyser areas in Yellowstone. However, I was pleasantly surprised to find that the park was very colorful and contained several lakes and rivers. Lassen Peak hasn’t erupted since the early 1900’s, and the area has recovered well since then. The one area we went to with obvious geothermal activity was called Bumpass Hell. It was named after some dude named Bumpass who lost a leg to the boiling water when the ground gave way under him. He was an early guide to the area, who didn’t seem to have much luck with names or professions. We spent several days enjoying the park’s hiking trails, and then headed back toward the Bay Area. Of course, we managed to find fine dining at another gaming establishment on the way home.