Finnegan, Z, and I all have our birthdays in the month of September! It is always quite the birthday month! I'm lucky enough to actually be born on the same day as Z, so we try to plan a trip for our birthday every year as a gift to ourselves. This year, we decided to check out a small town about 30 minutes east of Chico called Paradise. We had heard about this hike along the Feather River over old log flumes (water troughs used to transport lumber along the mountain) and was intriguing. The trail is metal/wood catwalks constructed over metal flumes scaling
considerable heights; as you walk downstream some of these heights can
be 100’ above the river. The flume often is partially filled with water
diverted from the Feather River that flows downstream to the Kunkle
reservoir. The trail meanders through a variety
of habitats including drier chaparral and scrub, and outcroppings of
serpentine and associated plants, and wetter mixed hardwood-coniferous
forest consisting of Douglas fir, Incense cedar and Big-leafed maple
trees. At the end of the 2 mile hike in, we would reach a swimming hole and grounds to have a picnic! Excited for some warm weather, we packed up the car and headed to this quirky small town and stayed in a dog friendly motel. Finnegan didn't seem to mind the room's decor too much. His bow tie matched its Americana theme perfectly!
I forgot to take any photos of Finnegan
swimming because it was just too hilarious to watch. So instead, I leave
you a photo of him looking completely terrified trying on his life jacket.
After spending one day out and about in the wilderness, we visited various antique stores and boutiques the next day. I was able to find two Griswold cast iron pots in excellent condition. I like Griswold not only because it is durable, but the metal is also lighter than other cast irons. I am looking forward to some great meals once these pans are re-seasoned. I was also able to find a cute skirt and top from a local vintage shop as well that I'll photograph later. Overall, Paradise was a beautiful small town and we would definitely come back again. We had a great time using the town's name in various puns/sayings and it is definitely always nice to get away from the busy hustle and bustle of San Francisco for the weekend.
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