Joe and Nancy

Joe and Nancy
Our Home on Wheels (Click on image above for our web albums.)

Sunday, May 8, 2011

Reno to Yreka, California, via Mt Shasta

Yreka is an interesting little town of about 8000 folks.  It's legacy follows the footsteps of early gold-rush pioneers from all over the world, much in the same way most of the other gold-rush towns of California and Nevada.  Here is a close-up of the brass-copper statue as you enter town from I-5 on the east side.
The drive up from Reno via US395 had us driving through Susanville, CA where we switched over to CA44 for about 50 miles before getting US89 just below Hat Creek, CA then driving through a lot of high mountain forests (Lassen NF) to I-5 near Mount Shasta.  We found nowhere to stay around the I-5/Mt Shasta area so deddled on up I-5 to Yreka about 35 miles and settled in there for a couple of days.
Coming down US89 from the east to Mt Shasta, you don't get many opportunities to get a good phot of Mt Shast.  Trees are thick and there just isn't many places to pull over with a rig like ours and snap off a few photos.  Nancy was able to get a few through the front window and over the tree tops, but they weren't that good.  So after a little side trip up to Iron Gate Lake Recreation area, we were able to pull over and get this photo.  It is an awesome mountain, sacred in fact to a lot of local Native Americans.
We stayed at Waiiaka RV Park, a Good Sam Park and it was quite comfy, and they let us wash our Jeep AND the Monaco.  Wow! First RV park that ever allowed us to do that.  As I mentioned earlier, Yreka has a history of being part of the California Gold Rush days, and along Miners Street (go figure, Miners Street) the city has gone to lengths to preserve and reconstruct many of the historic old buildings.  There are many plaques along the street that tell the history of each.
These horse-headed poles once had parking meters on them, but before that, these were wooden and were connected to each other with fence logs where folks would tie up their wagons and horses.  Nice touch!
Typical interpretive plaque along the street.  The city has done a wonderful service in preserving some beautiful period Victorian architecture in the old homes that once were the homes of the mine owners and business owners.  Here a few pics we took early one morning.
Most all of these houses were built between 1870 and 1890.  Some were businesses and some were residences, and a couple were being renovated.  One had just been in a fire and was being renovated.  Here are a couple more pics of these lovely houses.
Each one of these homes had a date plaque on them and were part of the Yreka downtown walking tour.  It was fun taking an hour of our morning doing this little walk before hopping the motor home and heading off to Coburg.
The old railroad depot on the east side of town.  Don't think it's been used in quite some time though.
Just happened to be several cars stopped a local eatery and I couldn't resist a couple of photos of them.  They were just gorgeous.  Especially the Cadillac and the Mercury.  Here are a couple of pics of them.
Not sure what model year each were but I would guess around 1948-1952 era.  Well, guess I better go for now and get on up to Coburg, OR, for a date with the maker of the motor home we live in.  Hopefully they will honor our warranty on a couple of items that need attention.  We have an appointment Monday morning, if they can "squeeze" us in.  In the afternoon we will be going on a Monaco factory tour for about an hour or so.  We're looking forward to that, and should get some pics for a blog.  Till, then, Happy Mothers Day for all the Mothers out there, and specially my Mother, Shirley Mae who lives in Lebanon, OH.  Till the next time, RVing Beach Bums.




3 comments:

  1. This is the second blog I have looked at today where the photos are really popping. Either you two guys are finally tweaking your cameras for better results or my eyes are getting better. Looks like maybe some nice Picasa work going on to. Anyway, nice photos Joe & you guys are sure getting to see a lot of stuff.

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  2. nice tour of Yreka!..love all the old houses with the front porches!

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  3. We have taken the same route you did from Reno to Yreka, but made different stops along the way. Mount Shasta is one of our favorite mountains, but then, all of the major mountains along the ring of fire are our favorites. Just depends on which one we are seeing at the time!

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