Friday's doings. 5/31/19

This week's chilly, wet weather finally dissipated, FINALLY, and we put away the sweats to don our shorts.  Oh sure, you've heard that one before, but hopefully this is the end of it.  Heck fire, we're up to 70 inches of rain for the season (July to July), so I think we're due for a let-up!  People in our neck of the woods are soooo happy to see warm sunshine that they're are out in droves when clouds clear.

Keeping with our resolve to explore different hiking areas, we decided to head north on Hwy 49 for Oregon Creek ... though we didn't know much about it.  The creek dumps into the Middle Yuba River and has trails alongside it, but we weren't sure how long the trails were.  We'd give it a try; it's around 30 miles north of home.  We didn't get an early start because something else at home wanted my attention; consequently we didn't get there till Noonish.  The day was fine, not hot, so it didn't matter.

How nice to see a covered bridge!  Historic 1860 Oregon Creek Covered Bridge sez the sign. The bridge was rehabilitated in early 2018 and is now open to light motor vehicles, like Smartie, with a 5-ton weight limit. This involved replacing the entire cover, and reworking the abutments.  Below you see some of the old wood struts were used.  Prior to the rehab, pedestrian traffic only was allowed since the bridge was "structurally deficient."  Jimmy drove Smartie across without undue worry!  Blooming poppies lined the road to the parking area.

18-mile-long Oregon Creek was lively and full-flowing.  The day use area features picnic tables and plenty of parking.  Apparently the main draw of this creek are the excellent swimming holes.  Maybe so, but as you see in the pics below, I tested the water, and it'll be a long time before this (snow-melt) water is warm enough to dunk yourself in.  I guess when the summer temps top 100 degrees, the cool stuff will feel good!

Above and below -- the short trail ended at these polished granite boulders.  We hop-scotched atop the boulders looking for a trail continuance, but Jimmy, below, perched at a precarious drop on the slick granite, said, nope, no go.  Neither of us wanted to jeopardize climbing ability now, not with our August trip so close.  Don't want any broken heads or hips!  Normally I don't use a backpack, but today I wanted to see how it felt on my back.  If I can stand it, perhaps I'll take it to Switzerland.

Anyhow, we turned around.  We found a parks worker to ask about other trails, and she recommended Bullards Bar Dam area, and to ask for trail guides at the Yuba River Ranger District several miles distant.  There, we found a delightful young lady who gave us lots of good info, several guides, and off we went to hike Bullards Bar Trail, just another couple of miles away.  OK!  Oregon Creek (below) looks kind of murky, but you have to remember persistent  rain has kept the creek churned up.

* * * * *

At Bullards Bar, we were surprised to see such a large reservoir!  Formed by the New Bullards Bar Dam on the North Yuba River, the reservoir holds 969,600 acre-feet.  We weren't familiar with this area, actually in Tahoe Nat'l Forest in northeastern Yuba County, at elevation 2,000 ft, though it's only roughly 35 miles north of our house in Nevada City.  The reservoir provides ample recreational opportunities, fishing and the like, and apparently is rated high on lists for water skiing.  Today we saw a few motor boats ripping across the water.

The water was beautiful.  I didn't alter the color on the picture above.  The water level was obviously up ... think of all that rain ... plus snow melt.  The North, South, and Middle Forks of the Yuba River all originate in the Sierras ... and they're all buried in snow.

The trail spans 13+ miles, but you can do however much you want.  It's out and back, and almost completely shaded by tall trees, with plenty of peek-a-boo glimpses of the reservoir.

Yup, tall trees!

The hillsides were covered in shades of green, compliments of a ton o' rain.  Feathery ferns and tiny mosses mixed with star flowers and dogwoods, and sheltered by the high canopy.  Be a bit o' heaven to hike in shade during summer's heat.

We followed the narrow path in and out of coves, following the shoreline, not hurrying, just out for a hike on a lovely afternoon.  There wasn't much in the way of elevation change, but the path was like an undulating wave, always moving up or down.

We were aiming for Schoolhouse Trail, three miles from our start, but after an hour's hiking and probably close to the above-mentioned trail, we turned to look at the water at the point above ... and saw the gray/black cloud instead.  OK, that was it, we immediately did an about-face and made tracks, back the way we came!  

The aqua/teal water had become a silver or slate color.  We didn't tarry or stop to take photos -- we MOVED.  Afternoon thunderstorms had struck yesterday and were forecast again today, though it was kind of early for that type of weather (only 2:30).  Nevertheless, if there's one thing I dread while hiking, it's a thunderstorm, specifically the lightning.  Really dread.  The sky grew darker and we were caught in a light shower, but the tree canopy kept much of the rain off.  I did not want to hear thunder.

I didn't stop to take this pic.  We were still zipping along! 

35 minutes later, I heard that which I feared -- thunder!  Oh no no no, not thunder.  My feet moved faster!  Just then the parking lot AND Smartie hove into view.  Saved.  We climbed inside, a little damp, but safe.  Whew.

We drove another couple of miles to see the dam, completed in 1970.

Variable Checkerspot  (Euphydryas chalcedona)

Very impressive drop -- 635 ft!  Hard to believe (for some of us) that hundreds of concrete blocks fused together can hold back so much water.  There's a roadbed atop the dam that cars can drive on to get to the other side.  We did it.  Our hiking trail is on the opposite side from where I'm standing, to the left out of the picture.

Darned gray cloud hanging around.  Lots o' moisture in it.

Releasing water, at right.

After showers and dinner at (the new) Lefty's Fry House in Grass Valley, and comfortable at home, thunder grumbled in the distance.  Long story shortened -- I monitored the sky every so often, wondering if we'd get any rain from this thunderstorm.  Thinking we might, I put a few plants in pots out where they could catch drops.  Big mistake.  Rain began 8:30/ish, followed by hail.  Lightning flashed, thunder boomed and hail as big as nickels (possibly even a few quarters) bounced all over the place.  I ran for an umbrella so's to rescue the poor plants!  It stormed.  It hailed and it poured -- a true gully-washer.  And it went on and on.  Never saw the like of it before, not here.  It was still at it when we went to bed.  The next morning, pea-sized hail was piled up where it fell off the roof.  Whew.

Maybe the sun'll shine tomorrow.

Quarry Trail, Wednesday, 5/8/19

The gray days in NorCal are over for the year, and blue skies rule now.  It isn't hot yet, nor cold -- it's simply Just Right.  You know, when the days are this fine, we simply crave being outside!  On go the hikers, and off we go.  Our mission this year, it seems, is to find different trails to trod, and -- so far -- we're doing A-OK.  We're changing it up and change is good!  This morning we drove roughly 25 miles down the hill to Auburn CA, and the American River confluence, where the Middle and North forks meet.  In this area, we've hiked to Lake Clementine a couple of times, but today our aim was the Quarry Trail which follows the middle fork.  I think it parallels the river forever!

The lofty Foresthill Bridge reigns supreme near the confluence.  Hiking the Lake Clementine trail takes you beneath the bridge, but we're on the other side today.  A daily parking pass costs ten bucks, but it was nice to know the Quarry trail has a dedicated parking lot.  I imagine finding an available parking spot on the weekend and/or in summer might be a problem, but not on a spring Wednesday!

Rated as moderate, this trail follows the path of an old railway that was used to carry out limestone; it's mostly wide and smooth, and really quite nice.  Blocks of sun were interspersed with  blocks of shade, and we hopped across four or five dinky creeks that crossed the trail en route to the river.  We began on a downhill slope (which means uphill on the way back!), but the beginning parts of this trail would be accessible.  Further on, it gets up/down-hilly.

The best part was that the trail hugged the scenic river, and we could hear its spirited downstream dash with every step we took, though we were high above it most of the time.  This river may look fairly innocuous, but it has some serious whitewater!  I suspect the water level was really high back in March.  The level now seems up only a tad, but the cfs's have to be huge -- the water is racing!

Shallow in some spots, but the river has deep pools.

Trust me, the water is COLD!

All that winter rain made for lots of refreshing green.  The hillside gash shows you how flat our trail is here.

Clumps of flowers (with butterflies) dot the rocky zones near the water.

We stopped to read about the various mining exploits on the signboards.  Fascinating history, beginning with gold mining in the 1800's.  

About a mile-and-a-half along, we spotted these massive cement structures.  I can't tell you exactly what they are (were), but this area saw a lot of mining and quarry activities.  We didn't hike up to the quarry.  Twin railroad trestles existed and dams and bridges and water tanks and so on -- somehow this pile of concrete (and others nearby) figured in, but it wasn't possible for us to put it together.  An enormous cave discovered in 1906 (by Auburn dentist and paleontologist J.C. Hawver) yielded fossils going back 5.3 million years, including skulls and bones of dire wolf, saber-tooth cat, ground sloth, mammoth and bison.  Wouldn't it be thrilling to get a peek inside ...?

Tunnel entrance to Hawver Cave.  Top:  Jimmy is walking toward the cave, which is now completely sealed off by large cement slabs (in front of him).  Below is a picture from the other direction, with a monster fig tree encompassing the tunnel's right side. 

California Goldfields put on a nice display!

We continued on the trail.  Tiny waterfalls drained the hills; heavily shaded areas fostered seepage which enveloped the hillsides in delicate ferns and flowers.  Poison oak was rife along the cliff side, so we (for sure) stayed on the wide trail!

Bounded as we were by a cliff (or ridge) on one side and the river on the other, little room was left for great patches of wildflowers, but -- by golly -- it's still spring and wildflowers are blooming!  Above, top, L to R, is Fairy Lantern, Twining brodiaea, and Iris hartwegii.  Bottom, L to R:  Pretty Face, California Indian Pink, and Periwinkle.

Above, we hop-scotched across another teeny creek.

I was surprised to see several large Mock Orange shrubs,

covered, of course, in bees.

At this point, we think we are at or near Brown's Bar [not much signage to be seen], and here we sat on a rock at river's edge and ate our granola.  Altogether we saw maybe a dozen people on the trail, a couple of bikers, two runners, and other hikers like us.  But we saw no one at this particular spot.  It was very peaceful.  This is where I found out how cold the water is!

Looking back from whence we came.

The American River Canyon is one of NorCal's more picturesque, and being here was a treat.  AllTrails says the Quarry Trail is 10.8 miles out and back, but we were finished at around three +/- miles, and turned around.  Six miles is enough for us in one day.  Someday we'd like to get to the end, though.  We didn't see any kayakers or rafts on the water today, but a trip down the river would be fun, too.  With a guide to get us through the rapids!

Joy Joy Joy, Thurs-Sun, 5/2 thru 5/4, 2019

With her new toddler bed in place, an added chest of drawers just her size, and two bottom shelves in a large bookcase filled with kid's books and "little things," it was time for Everly Rose's very first two-night sleepover.  Jimmy and I labored on the den for more than a week, paring it down from an underused "library/computer room," to a workable three-fold space: Toddler bedroom, library, and computer room.  In the process, we gave away three good-sized boxes of books, culled out junk, and retired a ton o' family photos for the nonce.  You bet the room will get some use now!

We picked her up in Sacramento after preschool ended at Noon on Thursday, stopped at the grocery store on our way home, and then spent the afternoon following her through the house and all around the yard as she familiarized herself with the known and anything new.  Lots was new.  Heck, when you're two years old, every day and each experience is new!   And she talked or sang the entire time.  She's a parrot these days, repeating your words backatcha, but she also carries on a running conversation about stuff we can't decipher.  No matter, we're not supposed to.  She's still a happy child, but the word NO has filtered into her vocabulary and she exercises the word frequently!  Regardless, this little girl, our granddaughter, is a joy!

On Friday, we took her to Memorial Park in Grass Valley.

There's joy to be found in dandelion puffers!

 Look at that happy face!

I helped pick.

But she's closer to the ground!

Dandelions in one hand,

and a stick in the other are what every little girl needs.

So much fun!

At the playground, Everly made straight for the swings.  She wanted to get on a big-kid swing, but Gramma said, nope, not yet, wait till you're three.  I doubt that computed, but she agreed to get on the little girl swing.  Quite a few other children were playing on various kid-sized equipment.  The day was sunny and warm, with no trees to shade the playground.  Too bad.  The playground "mulch" was very kind on the feet, however, and safe for toddler tumbles.

When it comes to swinging, Everly has two words:  Fast is one, high is the other.  Her dad pushes her on their backyard swing -- there she discovered the thrill of reaching for the sky! 

And she squeals with glee!

The Saturday morning Farmer's Market at Grass Valley has fired up for the season, so Jimmy and I took Everly Rose.  We ended up spending twice as much time there, and enjoyed every minute.  We met our friend, Mary, at the vintage North Star House on the grounds.  She and Jimmy downed a cuppa coffee on the back porch, but I parked myself out front where a talented group (Buffalo Gals (West)) entertained.  Everly sat mesmerized.  She listened, tapped her feet, and swayed to the music.  When a number finished, she called out, "again."  (meaning, play more music) 

She and piggy were happy to sit and listen. 

Eventually the group stopped for a break, so we rejoined Jimmy and Mary to shop and pick up a few organic items.  When Mary left, Everly and I moved to the grassy area in front of the players, where Jimmy joined us.  Watching her joy-filled face and her innocent delight is nothing short of wonderful for us.

At home in the evening and in her room, I showed her where the colored pencils and paper were.  She drew for a while there on the floor, under supervision, of course.  Well, then she spied the desk chair and wanted to sit there.  Too big, I said, you could fall off.  You see in the photo below how well my rationalization worked.

Looks like she belongs there!

Dinners were easy.  While Jimmy cleaned the kitchen, Everly grabbed her dinky plastic shopping cart filled with small treasures that she pilots all over the house, and whenever she rounded the corner into the kitchen, Jimmy would make a mock shriek "Oh No!" which sent her into paroxysms of squealing, as she careened into the living room.  Round and round they went.  I nearly keeled over from laughing.

I found this small music box (above) at an estate sale recently. After her bath and dressed in her jammies, Everly wanted to hear it play Hi-Lili, Hi-Lo over and over. (again!) And so we did. She sat on her new bed with Gramma sitting next to her and we read from Mother Goose. She knows where the rhymes are that she likes and asked me to sing them (again!). And so I did.  Then she slept soundly for 11 hours each night.  She awakens with a smile, and so her day begins.

Saturday afternoon, we watered the garden and dug in the dirt.  I'm afraid that when Matt came to pick her up later, that she was kinda covered in what amounts to a wonderful play day; i.e., she was a cheerful mess!  We packed up her stuff and by 5pm, Dad and Everly were off to Sacramento.  Jimmy and I fixed leftovers and collapsed in front of the TV.  I have to say, I was exhausted.

But, aren't we blessed?