Cliff-hiking at Castle Crags in Shasta and crossing the Sundial Bridge in Redding

02 June 2007, Saturday
Castle Crags, Shasta Region

This morning I wanted to be an over-achiever. I was looking forward to hiking to the Castle Crags cliffs with Kai strapped to my back. Again Greg gave me the look like I was wishful, and shook his head, but I rebutted that if Kai gets too heavy to carry, when will we hike again? Greg and I had completed this hike in 2004 and so we knew the route...and it is a steep one- all uphill for 2.7 miles...

This is one of Kai's happy moments, where he just soaks up his surroundings and excitedly points to the trees, flowers, and birds.

Greg said this hike was like being on a stairmaster- for hours!...that's me brambling up the rocks...

(Our family photo). Castle Crags on the left, Mt. Shasta in the background.
The Castle Crags consist of soaring spires made up of granitic material (granodiorite) that was formed some 170 million years ago far beneath the surface of the earth and later forced slowly upward through a blanket of serpentine. So when driving south on Hwy 5 past Mt. Shasta, keep an eye out for the menacing dark rock cliffs on your right. It's an odd sight to see these jagged cliffs suddenly jut out from behind heavily wooded hills.

We reached the farthest one could go before requiring rockclimbing gear. I am body-hugging that boulder as there is a drop-off behind me and about a thousand feet drop-off in front. I tell Kai to sit still otherwise his weight-shifting may cause me to lose balance. He listens...

At last! After 2.25 hours of going uphill and scrambling over boulders- we sit on top of this cliff to admire our view and eat our lunch. I certaintly don't allow Kai out of the backpack. He'd run off the cliff! (Mt. Shasta in background.)

3 images are stitched together to give us this panoramic view.

Castle Crags range from 2,000 feet at the river to 6,000 feet at the tallest peak. I think we may be at about 5,000 feet sitting on the cliff!

/

I am beginning to get vertigo. You can see why when you watch this video!

Kai gives daddy a kiss on the cheek. // Still asleep after a long journey.

I am a proud mom- I was able to carry Kai for the full duration of the hike. Kudos, please! And I reward myself with Ben & Jerry's again!

/

Redding's Sundial Bridge

After a quick cold shower in the campground, we get back on Hwy 5 and head toward Redding. I read in the AAA Via magazine there was a new bridge in town, the Sundial Bridge that was completed in time for the July 4 celebration in 2004. And it was it's architecture that picqued my curiosity.

Whatever you do, do not pass out on this bridge, it is too hot to even kneel on- I could imagine the grill marks you'd get on your back if you did!

An amazing bridge built of steel and glass floors, which the floors light up at night to give it an ethereal effect, spans 700-feet across and 23-feet wide over the Sacramento River. This bridge was built by world renowned bridge designer, Santiago Calatrava whose plan was to never let the bridge "touch" the water. The span is supported by 4,342-feet of steel cable suspended from a single 217-foot-high pylon (that makes the needle of the sundial) and casts its shadow across the grass to markers indicating the time at summer solstice- June 21st, the longest day of the year.

Hmmm...June 21st marks two important events for me- when I broke my ankle motorcrossing in the mountains of Mendocino, and then 2-years later on the same date, I was confirmed to be pregnant with Kai! So when June 21st comes around, I get a bit nervous... wouldn't you?

Side view of the sundial bridge. It's not just a bridge but a work of art you walk across.

Kai stands on the mosaic-designed base of the sundial just under the bridge.

Peering through metal artwork on display just under the bridge.

Arleen under the dial trying to "align" herself with the casted shadow.

Heading back home, it is apparant it was a very hot day and dry grass catch fire.

Kai needed a break from the long car ride, so we let him out to play and he runs to the dog area, and for some strange reason he liked hanging around there even though there were no dogs to play with!

/

We reach home by 9 p.m. and jump into our comfortable bed!

Big Machinery at the Logging Museum and Reminiscing our Mt. Shasta climb (old pictures)

01 June 2007, Friday
We really would have liked to have walked along the Williamson River at Colliers State Park but the mosquitos were in flight this morning. So we decided to pack it up and see the Logging Museum on the way out.

Kai ducks as daddy (in bed overhead) is swinging away with a fly swatter.

Kai is the first to enter the Logging Museum.

Kai is soooo small next to this huge wagon wheel. The wheel towers above my head!
We start off with the wagons and equipment made of wood and leather...


We are so watchful of Kai. I think it's ok that he plays on train tracks?
...and work up to machines made of metal and wood.


Followed by the more heavy duty stuff such as this steam locomotive...

Kai likes to play on train tracks, so why ruin his moment?

...and to the more advanced machinery used to transport logs.

The sign tells the rules about the Homestead Law.

If the settler was able to build his cabin, till the land, and live there for 5-years with two witnesses to prove he met the requirements and paid all fees, the US Government would give the settler the title to 160 acres which he established his home.

/

There were several small and authentic cabins on display. We peered through the windows of a grocery store, a doctor's office/evaluation room, a smokehouse, a fur trappers home, and an outhouse. The doctor's quarters made me cringe, especially after seeing their evaluation table, which I am certain they have used it for surgeries...and we know how surgery was back then...give the patient a few shots of whiskey, strap him down, and put a stick in his mouth while being worked on. I am so glad I did not live in that era! Or did I? Maybe that's whey I use treatment tables all the time for my patients...whom they are convinced I like to inflict pain. Part of my job as a physiotherapist, you know?

/

We continue on south on 97 and pass through Klamath Falls. I had it in my mind this place will have beautiful falls to greet you. WRONG! All I got was this stinky lake with bird crap all over the place, which I stepped on. I would have panicked if Kai fell into the water with all that gucky algae and God-knows-what floating in there. We couldn't even get a decent cup of coffee in this town. The town really needs to change their name as it's quite deceptive.

Back on the road, we head towards Mt. Shasta which grows in size as we drive south. We cross the border to California and into the Shasta region and I am mesmerized by its beauty with its snow top and in the foreground are fields of yellow flowers, which really intensifies its beauty.

Greg and I reminisce our ascent up Mt. Shasta in 1997 when we reached the summit. When asked if he would do it again and maybe with Kai, Greg responded "Hell no! I won't do that again!"

/

It really was quite painful...carrying a loaded backpack of about 25-30 pounds and through deep snow, wearing ice crampons strapped to your boots, practicing falls off a steep snowhill and stopping yourself by slamming an ice axe into the snow, trying again when you slip...

Arleen practices falls with her ice axe.

...eating cold food, trying to pee without freezing your a-- off, spending a night in a tent with others huddling for warmth, all the while worrying that the wind may blow you and the tent downhill, running out of water and realizing that the snow you packed in your canister is not melting fast enough to quench your thirst, traversing steep inclines...

Greg still smiling?

...thinking you summited when you didn't (extreme disappointment- they called this part Misery Hill), and stopping every 10 steps...5 steps...3 steps...to a miserable 1-step pace- just to catch your breath as you reach the summit...

...but when you do summit...it's breath-taking!

Arleen and Greg (Pre-Kai)

...and you can't help but yell at the top of your lungs in sheer joy...only to have to stop and catch your breath again... so would I do it again?

You betcha! All 14,161-feet of it!

Having said all that, (whew!) we camp at Castle Crags State Park. It's really hot here and we stop at the local store and buy a pint of Ben & Jerry's ice cream which disappears in no time! I notice these huge black flies hovering about making intimidating noises. I originally thought it to be horseflies, but these things were huge- later to find out they were carpenter bees. UGH! Ugly things...they live in dead wood and it was the males hovering about irritated of our presence, but harmless (stinger-free). It is the female carpenter bee that has the painful stinger but hangs around her nest. Wish I had gotten a picture of them, but I was too busy eating ice cream.

Kai shovels leaves into a bucket. Picture of Kai with the numerous mosquito bites on his forehead. Geez, he looks like he has chicken pox!

To pass the time in this heat, we decided to hike to a nearby stream but only after going under the highway, over the train tracks, and across a suspended wood-planked bridge.

Kai just loved this part, running across this suspended bridge.

All worth the effort to cool us down in this soaring heat.

We are quite well-rested and Kai turns in early for the night.

Kai asleep on his diaper changing station.