We got to the Monument early so decided to go caving. Here we are 2,000 feet down in "Golden Dome" - that's yellow lichen in the background. We were all alone in every cave we explored, including this one. No bears were available to take any pictures so we used the camera timer this time. 

We stopped on the way to take a picture of this front yard. 

Here's a building in Cedarville that in 1885 was described as "the most magnificant building north of Sacramento". After some lunch and iced coffe and another hijacked wifi network (yes, even in Cedarville!), we were off to Lava National Monument. 

We decided to take a detour through Cedarville. Susan has a nice store here. 

Uh oh. Change of plans. The 4x4 trail to take us to the obsidian got washed out - completely! 

Leaving our makeshift Bidwell Camp for some obsidian "rockhounding". 

July 25 in Pictures

From Juniper Lake to the Modoc National Forest...

Mike & Susan by our campfire. We befriended a bear and he offered to take a candid photo of us. 

Here's Mike after he took a solo GPS-guided trip without a trail to a little place called Coyote Flat - about 1,000 feet up from Camp. No longer in the midst of a gazzillion Juniper Lake mosquitoes, we still had our fair share here. Mike is dressing like a European here to protect himself from the only living things that Susan would ever willingly kill. 

Near the end of the trail, in the middle of the Modoc wilderness, we decided to scrap our plans to stay at Plum Creek Campground and instead create our very own. Here's Susan setting up camp along Bidwell Creek. Despite all of the bear droppings here, we didn't have an encounter. 

The Jeep is ready to enter the trail hoping in earnest that Mike won't drive it over the cliff. 

Susan taking in the view at the entrance to the Highgrade Trail. 

We decided to take a detour and try a true 4x4 road, called the "Highgrade Trail" 

On the way from Susanville to Modoc forest, we ran into this patriotic assembly. 

Susan is more important than we knew. ;) 

July 24th in Pictures

If you want to view the pictures in chronological order, scroll from the bottom of the page to the top!

Susan will have much more detailed notes from our travel. Stay tuned for "Susan's Notes" blog entries.

Mike hiking back down to Juniper Lake from the top of Mt. Harkin.

That's Mike posing above Juniper Lake where we're camping and swimming. What you can's see from here are the 50 gazzilion mosquitos that feed on human prey. 

This is the sight of the Fire Finder to spec - two black horsehairs crossed for precision fire finding... 

We met a nice Park Ranger at the top of Mt. Harkin. He showed us the "Fire Finder" which lets him know preceisely where a fire is.