then getting away

After the excitement of Orien's graduation we decided to get away. Michael processed veggie oil and we camped the first night on the Yuba River where it takes off up the hill toward Nevada City on Hwy 20. The Northern California Greenlife Eco Fest was going on at the Fairgrounds so we went by with some of the Veggie Voyagers books. This photo is of M with a new kind of electric bike that has a lithium battery and is a better hybrid than the one I have. Find out more at www.theelectricbikeshop.org in Sacramento.

We headed up Hwy 49 and had a walk along the Yuba but ended up at the end of the road above Bassets in the Gold Lakes Basin for the second night. In the morning we took a ski off to the East and in the afternoon we skied to Salmon Lake in the basin with dramatic clouds bringing light and shadow to the crevices of the granite outcroppings in a dramatic way.

Last night we camped at Yuba Pass and got some rain but over all the snow was about 4-6 ft. throughout the high country, covered in a light duff but still very skiable. The air was sweet and enlivening and we skied to the south in the morning along the crest, looking out to the vast green Sierra valley.

It's hard to come home to our voles in the garden and land and community obligations but it was a good reminder of the beauty and freshness that's available. Spring is still unfolding in the mid high country and hasn't even started above 6,000 feet.