Saturday, June 18, 2022

Summer Wildflowers ↔ Hat Creek Rim Scenic Overlook ↔ Old Station, California ↔ Pacific Crest Trail

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Summer wildflowers are bringing a splash of color to the already beautiful Hat Creek Rim Overlook near Old Station, California...



Located near Old Station, California (on the way to Lassen Volcanic National Park), the Hat Creek Rim Overlook is a breathtaking viewing area showcasing Lassen Peak (10,457 ft), Mt. Shasta  (14, 162 ft), Crater Peak (8,677 ft), Burney Mountain (8,550 ft), and Magee Peak (8,550 ft). There are vault toilets, several picnic tables, and lots of RV parking. This site is wheelchair accessible and the overlook is easy to get to with a paved path.

The Hat Creek Rim Overlook also provides an access point onto the Pacific Crest Trail.

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Let's go on an adventure!


Sunday, June 12, 2022

Cinder Cone Hiking Trail ↔ The Painted Dunes & Fantastic Lava Beds ↔ Lassen Volcanic National Park

Long time no see!

I'm so excited to be back in nature after my two-year hiatus due to the pandemic!

cinder cone hiking trail lassen volcanic national park

In true Vaughn all-or-nothing fashion, we chose to hike the Cinder Cone as our first venture back out into the great wide wilderness. This isn't the easiest hike because of the steep incline and sandy/rocky path, but the 360-degree views at the top offer a fabulous payoff.

cinder cone hiking trail lassen volcanic national park

We arrived at the trailhead just as the sun was coming up and didn't see anyone else until we came back down the volcano.

cinder cone hiking trail lassen volcanic national park

How wonderful to have the entire place to ourselves!

cinder cone hiking trail lassen volcanic national park

This hike took us about four hours, but that's only because we were enjoying the view so much that we walked around the entire Cinder Cone a second time and weren't in a hurry to get back home.

cinder cone hiking trail lassen volcanic national park

It was so incredibly quiet at the top--the perfect atmosphere to take in the sights of the beautiful Painted Dunes, almost otherworldly Fantastic Lava Beds, and Lassen Peak standing tall in the distance.

Here's to many more enjoyable hikes in Lassen VNP this year!


 


Let's go on an adventure!






Sunday, March 20, 2022

2 Years Later ↔ Where I Haven't Been ↔ Goodbye for Now

It's been two years since we went on our last adventure (to the Cosumnes River Preserve). Before the pandemic, we made so many plans to go so many places. I wanted to share much more of Northern California with you. I wanted to do so many things. Then the pandemic hit.

In the last two years, I've only left my house three times--for my 2 vaccine shots and booster--and come straight home. Not only have I not felt safe to go out, the astronomical gas prices would have forced me to stay home anyway. Now I'm afraid my cautiousness has turned into full-blown agoraphobia and I just can't get myself to leave home.

What have I been up to during all this time? Well, I've been on a different kind of journey. Several actually. I've been on a weight loss journey, where I've lost 70 pounds so far. You might not recognize me from my last video! I'm on a yoga journey as well, which started this year with a 30-day challenge and turned into daily yoga, to help tone up after the weight loss and help with my anxiety. And I've also been on a decluttering journey, where I've been busy tidying, organizing, and clearing my house of everything I don't need. Besides writing romance novels, I'd say I've been keeping pretty busy.

I'm still going to keep this website so I (and you!) can look back at all of those amazing adventures we had and remember a time when I wasn't in crazy germaphobe mode. Maybe I'll get to travel again someday and take you along with me to explore some beautiful locations in my home state.

In the meantime, my romance novels can be found here.

For now, here's wishing you safe travels...

Rachelle

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