Sat in the middle of our parking lot at 11pm tonight to watch the predicted Meteor shower. Someone must have turned the faucet off…nothing but a few spatters of one second long thin white gossamers. John was not amused and there was not nearly enough action to keep him outside, neck uncomfortably arched towards the sky.
We heard laughter and happy chatter from the 70 member family group across the street in our Group Campground. With more than a dozen active boys finally down for the night, mom’s and dad’s sat relaxing by the fire enjoying the cool starlit evening. So far, they have been a perfect group with which to start our season. Oldest Son told us that the patriarch, his great grandfather, worked at this sawmill back in the day. Their family has been happy campers at Lone Pine since it opened sometime in the late 60’s.
Began spending a few minutes quiet time each day watching the hummingbird feeders out LilyPad’s window. Thinking that I might label the varieties, looking up “types of hummingbirds” produced a stunning assortment of the little dive-bombers. We have lots of young’uns so I’ll have to wait to know for sure what we have at our feeders. They drink all day long and far past dusk, are very territorial and extremely aggressive towards each other without even a slight fear of humans. They will stall a foot from your face and stare before flying off. My camera seems a source of fascination and it is possible one may alight on my long lens should I hold it very still.
Gold star to our first week-long stay Group of the season. Everything we asked, they obliged. The camp looks as good as before they arrived. Awesome sight for a host. We have two weeks before our next group. Waterfall hikes and wineries, here we come!
Susan Creek Waterfall trail sits a few feet off Rt. 138, just a hop-skip-and-jump from Lone Pine. We stopped to visit with our nearest neighbor hosts at Susan Creek Campsite, the only campsite bathrooms in our area that are enhanced with real showers, before beginning the mile hike up to the falls. It is wheelchair accessible, full of upward switchbacks with rest stop benches along the pathway.
A giant gooey ugly bug alert along the pebbled trail and we watched for a few minutes as it took its own sweet time sliding slowly across our path.
No movement in the overhang of leaves at the beginning of our hike but as the sound of the highway faded, water gurgling over the rocks in Susan Creek grew louder and a slight coolness floated about the mossy green forest.
Once over the wooden bridge that connected two sides of the footpath, misty old growth trees parted and deep pools appeared with just a hint of the waterfall peeking around the bend.
A short distanced rocky climb and the waterfall came full into view. We enjoyed the serene resting spot seated at a bench near the waterfall letting the mist from the falls cool us.
On our way back we paused for a chat with a Tennessee couple camping in the area. There being a large number of foreigners hiking the area, they asked if we were from the States. We answered in unison, “no, we’re from Texas”.
