Yesterday morning I drove about an hour north of Redding to the town of Mt. Shasta. It was a beautiful drive as I crossed over the Western edge of the Cascade Mountain Range and Lake Shasta. Due to a very dry season, there wasn't any snow to speak of, but the lush coating of evergreens definitely made up for it. The only disappointment was Lake Shasta itself, which was down over 100 feet. It was sad, looking like an open-pit mine that had recently been puddled with a little rain.Upon arriving in town, I met up with my friend, Debbie, who gave me a fantastic tour of the area, including the numerous small lakes scattered around the mountains. It was, indeed, picture postcard perfect. The air was crisp and cool, but the sun kept the temperature warm enough to put off wearing a jacket until the evening.
We had a fantastic lunch at a great little pub called Billy Goat's Tavern and later had an incredible dinner at an organic Japanese sushi restaurant called Vivify, owned by Sachio and Ayako Kojima.
There are a lot of great things to photograph in Mt. Shasta and the surrounding areas, and, fortunately, the community is keeping a watchful eye on development to make sure the areas are protected. The only real danger is the climate itself, which is producing less rain and snow, resulting in a lower water table and causing the lakes, rivers and streams to slowly dry up. Now, I'll admit, I don't know if this is merely a temporary naturally-occuring condition or not, but the residents are definitely concerned. I'll be sure to keep an eye on it and let you know what I'm able to find out.
On a different note, later today I have an interview scheduled with Redding's ABC affiliate KRCR, channel 7. It's my first TV interview. Wish me luck!
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