Down By the River

After a fun Thanksgiving weekend at Dunsmuir last year, I told Martin I wanted to spend the first week of September up at house exploring the area and relaxing. We invited a few friends and thankfully, unlike our week at the Lake over the fourth, our plans to spend a week at Dunsmuir was not cut short due to work!

We drove up Saturday midday and our friends Roxanne, Rico and their daughter Rory joined us just before dinner.  After an easy homemade dinner, the adults began to fully appreciate what a family trip meant… we had a relaxed evening on the couch drinking wine and beer while Rory and Oskar ran around the house playing monster.

Erin and Josh and their two kids Alton and Joanna joined us Sunday morning and, after packing up half of the house, we drove up to Castle Lake for an early day on the lake and picnic. We were also joined at the lake by another family from San Francisco, who Roxanne and Rico knew and happened to staying in Shasta that weekend! The fun continued after the lake with dinner at the house… 8 adults, five kids and two babies noshed on burgers and salad, along with a few beers and wine, later that evening. The kids again had a great time entertaining themselves allowing the adults a few moments to actually relax and enjoy a conversation.

Alton and family left Monday morning and Rory and family left Tuesday morning, giving the four Breuers a chance for a night to ourselves before the next wave a family and friends arrived… After a night alone on Tuesday, my parents arrived on Wednesday and our friends Jen, Scott and Elsie joined Friday night for our last two nights in town.

During the week and following weekend we spent the time riding bikes, picking blackberries, watching trains, smashing pennies, swimming in the creeks, checking out the different playgrounds and exploring different attractions including McCloud Falls.

Even after a week, there was still plenty to explore.  And yet even better, we headed back home, fully relaxed and recharged.

Castle Lake with Alton 

The whole gang at Castle Lake

Roxanne leading storytime with Alton, Rory and Oskar

Super dad...

Playing down by the river just out front of the house

Berry picking 

Followed by blackberry crumble later that night

Swimming at Castle Creek 

Biker gang

Oskar with a real biker gang

Looking for trains! 

McCloud Falls

 

"hot tub"

Final night in town.  Dinner and watching the trains.