Ruth Lake–Day 1

I’m sitting in a tent at Boy Scout Campground on Ruth Lake in Trinity County.  We are the only ones here so it’s quite peaceful.  In the distance I can hear an occasional dog barking and truck shifting gears going up a grade on Hwy 36.  It took us approximately 2 hours to get here, a nice twisty drive south and east of Eureka.  I’ve lived in this area 18 years and its the first time I’ve been to Ruth which is rather unheard of as its one of the most popular places to camp, fish, boat and rent/own small cabins.  Ruth is actually a reservoir, created by damming up the Mad River.  It’s nice, about five miles long and maybe a half mile across. Long and skinny like most reservoirs.  

 

So we arrived here around 2:00, set up our tent, ate a late lunch and then took the canoe out for a paddle.  Then we came back, went skinny dipping (we are the only ones here, so why not right?), made a fire, cooked some sausages and are now cozy-ing in the tent.

 

The wind came up this afternoon and brought in a cloud layer at sunset which I’m slightly bummed about.  I could use a nice vista of stars and moon.  Luna’s almost full…shine on harvest moon and all that.  Good sleeping weather which I’m now planning to do.  Tomorrow, we shall see how much we learned from our fly fishing lessons.

 

 

Addendum:  Luna did peak out from the clouds and was lovely.  Then, after moon set and far from city lights,  the stars were glorious!