Yesterday we got back from a 4-day camping trip to Lassen Volcanic National Park and once again it was quite an adventure.

We drove up on Thursday morning with a 3-car caravan.  Koa sat in a laundry basket and tolerated the 4-hour drive quite well.  We made a couple stops along the way including lunch at a Truck Stop along I-5.

Once we arrived, we set-up camp right away and started the fire shortly afterward.

Jes brought two Coors Light kegs and there were plenty of Coors Light shotguns sprinkled throughout the afternoon.

We enjoyed a warm afternoon at the campsite as Jack played in the dirt, Koa also played in the dirt, and we had delicious burgers that were grilled on the fire. The boys played with fire and late that evening around 9:30pm, the Bangs arrived and we were all asleep by 1 am.

The next morning, we had breakfast burritos and then drove up Route 89 for a trail that allowed dogs.

We found a place called Spatter Cone Trail and it was an easy 1.5-mile loop that took us around to different site where we learned about spatter cones and the local shrubs while Koa ran free off-leash.

Afterward, we found Subway Cave Lava Tube, which was a long tunnel that was pitch black and cold inside.  It was a good thing we brought flashlights because it was the only way we were able to explore it on our own.

Once we got back to camp, we had chicken sandwiches and then the boys took naps while some girls went for a walk while I hung out with Jack, Michelle, and all the gnats buzzing around us.  For dinner, we made beef stew and waited for Dayantha and Krissy to arrive.  They got to the site around 10:30 with some very important items: a sleeping bag for Jack (he froze the night before), Pillsbury biscuits for breakfast the next morning, and some firewood and beer.

The next morning around 4 am, I heard tapping on the top of our tent.  It was raining!!!!  Aw man!  It not only rained but poured.  It just kept coming down all morning while Vyl and Bang prepared breakfast on the fire and with coals.  They managed to bake biscuits in a dutch oven with coals underneath and on the lid.  It was amazing!  To go on top of them, we had some tasty tasty sausage gravy with hot sauce.  It was perfect for a cold, wet morning.

After breakfast, we got into our cars and drove up the mountain where it was SNOWING.  Yes, it was snowing at 8500 feet elevation.

We also stopped at Sulfur Springs where we saw a mud pot and a stream of sulfuric yellow stuff running down the mountain.

When we got back to the campsite, we decided to pack everything up a day early to head out for a new campground.  We drove down the highway and decided to have reCamp in Corning, CA where there was a state park called Woodson Bridge State Park.  It was literally a park with fire pits and felt like backyard camping.  But we didn’t care because we were happy with the warmer weather and lack of rain.  The tents dried out and we were burning the wood that Ryan threw in his trunk along with other wood that was poached from nearby campsites.  Dinner was steak cooked directly on the fire coals and it was yummy.

We also roasted marshmallows and made E. L. Fudge and Oreo s’mores.

Later that night it actually started to rain – AGAIN.  Luckily it didn’t last as long and we woke up the next morning to sunshine and warmth that dried the tents in time for our drive home.

Overall, this camping trip was just as fun as all the others in the past.  It just had another element – lots of water everywhere.  Unfortunately, I woke up on the last day with a raging headache and nausea so I wasn’t able to eat the corned beef hash and bullseyes that morning.  I puked all morning and was sick to my stomach for the rest of the day.  Despite that and the rain, it was still a fun trip and I can’t wait for next year’s.  Until then, I will enjoy my comfy bed and easy access to showers.

Here are the photos.