Ooh, la la

I was just at Sacred Mountain Retreat Spa in Mt. Shasta on Friday, where a bunch of women were strolling about getting pedicures and massages. I went in for a massage, with my favorite massage therapist, Matthew. Sacred Mountain sits in the middle of downtown right next door to the Stage Door Cabaret – a favorite local haunt for morning coffee, treats, music and movies in the evening. Despite being downtown, Sacred Mountain is very peaceful, making it a great spot to relax. So, if the husband is out fishing, the kids are playing at the lake or you’re looking for a place to spoil yourselves – ladies, this is the place.

There are plenty of options to choose from, so I suggest that you visit the website www.mtshastamassageandspa.com to get an idea of just what kind of special treat that will hit the spot.

While you’re engaged in townie activities, I also suggest a stroll through the Sisson Meadow, which is just a few blocks from the Stage Door and Sacred Mountain. Head south on the main street until you reach the viewing scope for Mount Shasta (right by Ace Hardware), turn up Castle Street, walking toward the mountain. You’ll walk two blocks until the street turns into a one-lane ally that cuts left. Here you’ll head to the meadows down the gravel path. The meadows are transected by boardwalks, where you’ll find benches that offer great views of Mount Shasta and the Eddies. Sit and chat with a friend, or just quietly take it all in – either way it’s quite peaceful. It’s so wonderful to be able to access the meadows this way, and that’s all thanks to the folks at the Siskiyou Land Trust.

McCloud Heritage Days

In case you missed McCloud’s Lumberjack Fiesta (see the July post) head on over to McCloud this weekend for Heritage Days. The axe throw competition is back at 2pm on Saturday, along with excursion train rides, a vintage car show, antique tractor show, folk dancers and the arts, crafts and antique faire. Things kick off this Friday, August 15th with the one-hour McCloud Railway Excursion ride at 4pm and the St. Joseph’s New York Steak Dinner from 5-8pm. Yum.

Then Saturday the antique tractor show will be in place on the Main Street lawn, also the site of the axe throw at 2pm, and the vintage car show will be setup on the north end of Main Street. At 11:30 the Edelweiss German Singers and Redding Folk Dancers perform on Main Street followed by the Northern California Native Cultural Dancers at 1pm. Dave Rainwater – “the huckleberry of the west” will wrap up the afternoon at the Heritage Junction Museum from 2-4 and the excursion train ride takes off again at 4pm.

Sunday starts off with the American Legion Breakfast from 8-11am at 232 Broadway. You can spend the day wandering the Heritage Museum, the car show, tractor show and arts faire. Rainwater will be strolling with his fiddle and Bruno Grossi will be on hand at the Museum from 11-1pm. The afternoon wraps up with the award ceremony for the Vintage Car Show at 2pm.

For more info, call 530.964.3113 or visit  www.mccloudchamber.com.

Siskiyou Century & Tinman Triathlon

I just sent my registration forms in for the Mt. Shasta Tinman Triathlon and Siskiyou Century - a sort of end-of-summer recreation splurge for me. The Tinman is a sprint distance tri held at Lake Siskiyou on August 31st – first you swim 740 yards, then do a 10-mile road ride back towards town over rolling terrain and finish it up with a 4.5 mile run that starts will a long grade. Sounds like good times!  Then the next weekend, on Sept 6th, it’s up to Yreka for the 100-mile option of the Siskiyou Century. There is still time to sign up for those of you who find this kind of thing appealing.

The Tinman Triathlon comes on the last day of the annual Cool Mountain Nights Labor Day weekend celebration in Mt. Shasta. Celebrate the end of summer with a Classic Car Show ‘n Shine and a downtown street fair. Sunday the annual Blackberry Music Festival in the afternoon at City Park features blackberry pies, children’s games and races, a BBQ lunch and live music from noon to 6pm. For additional information call 1-800-926-4865.

The Siskiyou Century, based out of the Siskiyou Golden Fairgrounds in Yreka, offers three distances that really take advantage of the wonderful scenery and pleasant rural roads of the Shasta and Scott Valleys. The 37 -mile 1/2 metric century cruises out to Montague and through the delightful Little Shasta Valley where riders will have a supported rest stop before turning around to head back to Yreka. This ride, with just 600′ of elevation gain, is great for families and beginning riders. Those looking for a bit more challenge, should do the 64-mile metric century, which follows the same route out to the rest stop at Little Shasta Valley. Then it’s out to Lake Shastina and Gazelle, each with rest stops, and the home stretch back to Yreka for a ride with only 1,000′ of climbing.  To really spend some time in the saddle and to get some climbing in, it’ the 103-mile century, with 4,600′ of climbing, that tours both the Shasta and Scott Valleys. You’ll start with a climb out of Yreka up Forest Mountain to drop into the Scott Valley. A loop through Quartz Valley and across the Scott Valley brings you to the tiny town of Callahan for the lunch stop. Then you’ll climb Gazelle/Callahan Mountain for a thrilling descent back into the Shasta Valley. Pray for a tail wind for the afternoon ride north along the Valley’s back roads on your way back to Yreka and the end of ride feast.

It’s all great fun, so get out there and do it. Sign up for the Siskiyou Century online, or look for registration forms in Siskiyou County shops. The Tinman Triathlon forms are in Mt. Shasta and Dunsmuir shops, or you can call Will at 530.235.5735. To learn more about Cool Mountain Nights, visit the Mt. Shasta Chamber, or give them a call at 800-926-4865.

Cycling through the Little Shasta Valley

Stopping for a root beer float in Montague

Artist’s reception Aug 23rd at McCloud Book Gallery

Making use of bold colors and brush strokes, artist Susan Greaves of Redding, has created more than 20 new paintings of McCloud and the surrounding area that are now being shown at the McCloud Book Gallery. The exhibit McCloud Heritage and Other Landscapes features paintings of McCloud’s old buildings, Mt. Shasta, river scenes and rural living. The show opens August 23rd with the artist’s reception from 4 to 8pm and it will be on display through October. Refreshments will be served.More of Greaves’ paintings from the exhibit can be seen at the McCloud Book Gallery website. While you’re into town, be sure to cross the street to the Brown Dog Gallery, where you’ll find work by owner Claudia Ellis, fun gifts, and the wonderful handwoven rugs of weaver Lana Magnuson of Burney.

Located at 230 Main Street in the historic McCloud River Mercantile Building’s inner court, McCloud Book Gallery is open this summer Thursday through Monday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. (and sometimes on Tuesdays and Wednesdays). For more information, call the Book Gallery at 530.964.3273. The Brown Dog Gallery is located just across from the Mercantile at 307 Pine Street (530.964.2662).

Mt. Shasta Guide to Fun is available!

Mt. Shasta Guide to Fun, by local guide Robin Kohn, is now available at local book stores. Tonight, Tuesday, August 12th, Robin will be at Village Books in Mt. Shasta for a book signing at 7pm. The Guide is a great resource for folks coming to the Mt. Shasta area who are looking to get to know the unique spots this region has to offer. As a guide for Shasta Vortex Adventures, Robin has taken people skiing, hiking, snowshoeing, back packing, rock climbing, and on bus tours all over the Mt. Shasta area.

In the Guide to Fun you’ll find descriptions of hiking, cross country skiing, climbing,  and ski mountaineering on Mount Shasta, as well as bits of historical information. Robin has included notes about the Old Ski Bowl, how Panther Meadows got its name, and recognition of John Everett, the Shasta National Forest Supervisor that Everett Memorial Highway was named for.

The Guide extends beyond Mount Shasta to include the McCloud River waterfalls, Burstarse Falls, Stewart Mineral Springs Resort, and a significant section about the Lava Beds, Medicine Lake and the Tulelake area. Robin also gives ink to recreational opportunities in and around Yreka and the Scott Valley. To top it all off, the book includes a list of resources that includes area guides, outdoor retailers, Chambers of Commerce and Parks to assist visitors.

You can purchase the Mt. Shasta Guide to Fun at Village Books and other area stores (more are being added every week). Village Books is also selling the book from its website, and Robin will be selling from her website soon. Robin is also available to guide various adventures in the North State; contact her via her website.

Fair time is fun time!

“Fair time is fun time” was my favorite slogan as a kid growing up in Siskiyou County who went to the fair every year with the family. The Siskiyou Golden Fair is THE event during the summer in Yreka. Everybody comes out for the fair – it’s like a class reunion in that sense. We went on Thursday night to find the place pretty busy. Kids were enjoying the carnival rides, the little ones where checking out the tigers (one drank a bottle of milk – the tiger, not the kid). We took a stroll through nearly everything: the poultry and rabbit building, the sheep and goat barns, the Cyldesdale tent. The fair continues through the week to wrap up Sunday evening (Aug 10th). So get up to Yreka and take it all in.

We watched goats being milked and I sank my fingers into the wool of a black sheep that had so much hair on it that I was three knuckles deep before I reached its scalp. Going through the 4-H barns was a great reminder that the fair really is about rural culture and community – namely farming and ranching. 4-H kids are always on hand in the barns (they take it in shifts) so you can ask questions. We talked to one teenage girl who was carrying around a chicken in one hand like it was a football. The rusty red and orange bird just hung out, totally unperturbed by being carried around like that. She was an experienced 4-H kid, and had raised a lot of chickens. This bird was 7 years old, and had been to many a fair. Other birds were a bit more excited about the attention, and one rooster kept crowing at random times.

One of the things that drew us to the fair this year was going to see the food displays: canned foods, dried fruits and fresh selections from area gardens. We’ve been putting up fruit so far this summer, and have big plans for the vegetable harvest, so this was really interesting to us. There is a building full of these homecraft displays, and we saw names of friends who were winning ribbons for their efforts. The gleaming jars of canned relish, pickles, green beans, jams, salsas and sauces were quite inspiring.

Then of course there were the carnival rides. Kids were running around, jumping into line to go again. When I was a kid I loved the zipper, but I couldn’t convince my husband to get on it with me. With a corn dog in my belly it was probably a good idea to keep my feet firmly on the ground.

There is plenty to see and do at the fair, whatever your interests. I do suggest going through the sheep and goat barn, though. A lot of the animals are curious and will allow you to pet them. We went during the evening (it was smoky), but in daylight hours you can watch the 4-H kids showing their animals, or head over to the horse barns to see the local kids riding in pleasure and gymkana events. There area also the headline events – the rodeo, the motorcycle/rock concert and the demolition derby (see more on these in the earlier post). You’ll find a schedule book at the main fair entrance to help guide you to events and displays. Take your time, settle into the slow rural feeling of the fair and take time to pet the animals.

The poultry building, which holds chickens, roosters, ducks, and rabbits.

Milking the goats

The zipper – my fave!

Siskiyou Golden Fair Aug 6th-10th

The Siskiyou Golden Fair in Yreka in the place where Siskiyou County celebrates its rural roots and its connection to family. Children’s activities, 4-H and FFA junior livestock exhibits, fine arts and photography displays, home craft and baking competitions serve to highlight the talents of county residents. There are also great carnival rides, a pro rodeo, a petting zoo and top-notch entertainment to keep folks coming back day after day. This year’s fair kicks off the evening of Wednesday, August 6th at 5pm and continues through Sunday, Aug 10th.

Entertainers and variety acts, from Jeremy the Juggler to Yvette the Hypnotist, will play the small stage, where you can rest in the shade while enjoying the show. The Scott Valley Bank Grandstand stage will feature Clay Walker and Steve Holy on Thursday night, the Xtremly Amped! motorcycle rock show on Friday, the CCPRA/NPRA rodeo fires up the arena on Saturday and the all-time favorite Destruction Derby tears things up Sunday.

While main stage performers and the carnival rides can often take center stage for fair goers, be sure to check out the kids showing their 4-H livestock, the three big buildings of arts and crafts exhibits and the horseshow. These will give you a true sense for Siskiyou County’s agricultural and rural heritage.

Kids Day is Thursday, Aug. 7 when all children age 12 and under attend the fair free and on Friday, Aug. 8th all senior citizens age 62 and over get in free all day.

For more information, contact the fair office at 842-2767 or visit www.sisqfair.com. To plan your stay in Siskiyou County, go to www.visitsiskiyou.org.

Big weekend in Shasta: brews & bikes

It’s a big weekend here in Mt. Shasta with the Hill Climb, Shasta Summit Century and the 16th Annual State of Jefferson Brewfest.

The good times kick off Saturday morning with the Hill Climb as cyclists head up Everitt Memorial Highway to climb to the Old Ski Bowl on Mount Shasta for a ride over just over 14 miles and 4,100′ of elevation gain. Some folks have a good time pedaling up, while others put the hammer down to try to win the prize money for the first male rider to come in under 60 minutes and female rider who finishes in under 70 mintues. Nobody’s done it yet, but last year a rider just missed it by a little over a minute.

The big ride comes Sunday with the Summit Century, which offers four routes, ranging from pleasantly scenic to so brutal that you don’t notice the scenery. According to race organizers, this year the majority of the 700+ riders have signed up for the latter option, the Super Century of 135 miles with 16,500′ of climbing up four summits. These folks are going to be on their bikes all day, pedaling up the Park’s Creek summit, the Mumbo summit, Castle Lake and finishing it off by climbing the mountain to the Old Ski Bowl. They’ll finish up with a pasta feed at the City Park.

The State of Jefferson Brewfest also boasts great scenery, as it’s hosted by the Mt. Shasta Ski Park. Breweries from all over Northern California and Southern Oregon (an area also referred to as the State of Jefferson) will be pouring. On tap are Eel River, Sierra Nevada, Butte Creek, Rogue River, Deschutes, North Coast, Alaskan, Mt. Shasta, Etna, Lost Coast, Standing Stone, Humboldt and Santa Cruz – that’s a lot of beer tasting. The Coyote Cafe and an outdoor BBQ will be serving up food, and local band Rock-It will provide the tunes. Festivities are from noon to 5pm at the Ski Park. Beer Garden tickets are $20; there is an area outside the beer garden where families can enjoy the event as well. For more info call the Mt. Shasta Chamber at 926.4865.