Redding is no Bend!

Jeff and I decided to "do the town" of Redding today as we tend to be pretty sick of driving after our "moving on" days. So we hopped on down to the Sundial Bridge which is a beautifully designed pedestrian bridge close to downtown Redding. It connects the Turtle Bay Discovery Park/Museum to the Sacramento River hiking/biking path. Figured we would see the bridge, hike and maybe even go to the museum. Well, the bridge was pretty cool. Unfortunately, the "sundial" is only accurate one day a year...summer solstice. The path bordered the Sacramento River which was really nothing to attractive. Just a river. And the museum was closed.

We did see some wild life on our short walk though. The infamous namesakes of Turtle Bay...

We then tried to find the Redding downtown area. I was pretty stoked as the tourist booklet we recieved at the RV park described it as "quaint shops and great restaurants". Ummm, no. They actually don't even have a downtown. There is a strip mall and a few government buildings, one or two restaurants that I am pretty sure were closed anyway, and a few shut-down gas stations. Major disappointment. Oh believe me, Redding has a profusion of hotels, chain restaurants, malls, even an Outlet Mall and a TJ Maxx (all on the corridor of Hwy 5). Every chain you could ever hope for, if you are into that stuff, which I am not (except TJ, of course!).
Anyway, I was a little upset (and it was only noon) that all our plans for the day had ended up in the crapper. So in somewhat of a snit, I drive up 5 and head toward the "resort" town of Shasta Lake, where I am sure we can find some "quaintness" and maybe lunch. Well, let me tell you. Shasta Lake made Akelely,MN look like a metropolis (get it, Jules!). Nothing, and I mean, nothing was there or open except a Pizza joint. So after a calzone and mini melt-down (for which I apologized profusely to Jeff) we trekked on down the road to the Shasta Dam, the second largest in the US of A. Though it didn't start out great (you are practically strip searched and cavity searched before admission is granted....no lie), the tour was really great and the Dam incredibly impressive. An engineering feat to say the least and an important part of northern California culture.

Lake Shast

Two of the guys in our group were from Alexandria,MN. And four others from Wisconsin so we had good representation today! And I have to make the inevitable comment that Shasta is "Dam Big". Tommorrow we will get in the truck and put a few miles on visiting some of the areas parks and hike to a few waterfalls. Looking forward to some exercise and fresh air.

Oh, and if you can't tell from the photos...sunny and 86 today. More of the same tommorrow....we hope!