6th graders study the volcanoes

and Mike works on a time lapse of Mt. Lassen. Last year it was a group from Arcata, this year, Ukiah and Grass Valley. Eleven year olds seem to still posses a certain amount of innocence though, and can be amusing. Especially if you are camped far enough away from them. And I managed to dash into the showers just in the nick of time before an onslaught of dirty children, parents and teachers. Why Lassen is one of favorite camping spots is the coin showers. 5 quarters for 3 minutes, and you can add more one at a time if needed. The most either one of used was 7. But a hot shower is a luxury (and necessity) when camping. We were pushed up into loop D this trip, due to paving activities, but what we enjoyed, in the tent only loop, was no generators. I suppose someone with a tent could have a generator, but not likely. We did meet the German couple who had flown into San Francisco, done Yosemite, Lake Tahoe, now Lassen, and were on their way to the Redwoods, Crater Lake, Seattle, Alaska (they were flying) and then a drive to Boston. All in an all too short period of time. But they were young, and German. And camped next us were Talulah, and Annabelle, 6 year twins from Berkeley, with their parents, and grandmother. Six year old girls look pretty cute in the morning in their pajamas and Panda (that being "the panda" Sandoval), hats. The fishing was fantastic this trip (no we didn't eat any, it's catch and release), and my netting technique got to be quite good with much practice. It was one book, a hat and half, a complete scarf, and two more partial scarves. I like to keep those needles active. We have discovered pesto makes wonderful camping food. Bring those frozen leftovers from home and you have an almost instant meal. Wash down with red wine, and a good nights sleep is assured.

mama's in the factory she ain't got no shoes

After a long silence, I had a week that deserves some mention, if nothing else in it's extremes. One day I'm at the St. Frances Yacht Club eating a buffet spread unlike any I've ever seen before and the next day, the Hot Dog Truck parked beside Building 14. We had a "catered" building party and photo shoot. No dress code required. Although many of us tried to wipe the mustard off the front of our shirts before the photo session.
Building 14 crowd a little more to my social status, thankfully. But I watched the Red Bull Junior series final race from the yacht club. There was supposed to be a final, final race, but the winds exceeded the limit that the Coast Guard would allow them to race. So I just filled up my plate again.

the start, or shortly thereafter

these are only the AC 45's about to run into each other

To get a sense of Building 14, there is a new Alameda Point Studios website.  We are quite a group.
So if these events were not enough, I should mention, five hours of yoga on Monday, a barbeque at friends after that, and the Freight and Salvage for Highway 61 revisited Thursday night. The crowd at the Freight seemed to consist entirely of aging hippies like ourselves.
Oh, and we are getting used to our new, somewhat unconventional, house paint job.Please note our Alameda City flag.