I’m on the road and the McDonald’s manager is giving me the evil eye, so I’ll make this fast. (Apparently he thinks my one dollar coffee purchase doesn’t mean I can sit here using their free Wi-Fi forever.)
One of the many delightful national parks experiences I’ve had on this Scamp has been at Lassen Volcanic National Park. It’s in central California, and I took a fun hike down to what’s called Bumpass’s Hell – because the man (Mr. Bumpass) found out the hard way just how hot these boiling mud pots and fumaroles can get. He lost his leg because of it, poor guy.
The grey stuff is boiling mud. The whole place was like a mini-Yellowstone.
Lots of steamy, smelly water. The yellow is sulfur, hence the smell.
Apparently some of this water had a crust over it when Bumpass stepped into it, thinking it was solid ground. His foot broke through and he scalded his leg in something like 240 degree water.
Though I loved the colors, it was also beautiful in black and white.
Bubbling and steam everywhere.
And it was so smoky from all the fires – it seems the entire West is burning – the upside is it made for some beautiful sunsets, like this one:
Gorgeous, if you can forget why.
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12 Comments
Wow. I’ll have to check that place out one day. Looks great!
Emilie Vardaman recently posted…Apple Annie’s
Emilie – it’s we’ll worth a visit!
Deonne Kahler recently posted…Double, Double, Toil and Trouble
That looks amazing! I would love to explore, but I’m likely to follow Mr. Bumpass and burn my arse! Maybe when I’m older and don’t wander so much . . .
Marie – You’d be fine, I promise. It’s definitely worth a visit! Thanks for commenting. 🙂
I love Lassen, and especially the campgrounds that are the most remote. i took my kids to Bumpass Hell back in the 1980’s, and have been back myself one more time. I don’t think I’d go again – it is pretty smelly!
Martha – it is smelly! I had to breathe through my mouth. ?
Deonne Kahler recently posted…Double, Double, Toil and Trouble
Surreal photos, and I love the contrast of them against the image of you sitting in McDonald’s with your laptop and cup of cheap coffee. It’s funny – I was just today telling the story of how I practically lived at McDonald’s during that gas outage we had in Taos a few years ago. Because they had a generator, it was one of the only places in town that had heat, not to mention hot food (including my own house). I’d sit there on my laptop eating hot cherry pies, while Eliana played in the jungle gym. It was pretty much heaven, and I never thought I’d say that about McDonald’s.
Susan Carpenter Sims recently posted…Outing Myself
Susan – great story! I’m a huge fan of McDonald’s because of a) Egg McMuffins with no Canadian bacon and b) the free WiFi. It’s almost like my second office, ha.
What a cool place and it sure does remind me of Yellowstone! Am going to have to share this with my CA brother and so glad the McD manager just gave you stink eye and didn’t boot you out! Was wondering how your Scamping was going. Enjoy your hiking and I’d like to say I hope you don’t get rained out but really if it brings it into the interior of WA I hope you do….LOL Stay in touch if you are headed back south while we are still in OR.
Sherry in MT recently posted…Walk About Downtown
Sherry – The Scamp has been amazing, despite the smoke. I just started my fourth week on the road, and probably have three more. I love this life, and the photography has been fruitful, hoping to bring back at least a few new pieces for the portfolio. 🙂 Stay in touch.
thanks for al of this, Deonne
Ron Hagg recently posted…HAGGMEDIA
My pleasure, Ron! Thanks for reading and commenting.