... I've wasted a nice afternoon at McDonalds, due to my having postponed getting on the trail at Burney Falls a few days ago due to a very threatening sounding weather forecast calling for thunderstorms, hail, snow at 6500ft, etc, which they've then kept pushing further forward nd making more mild. Sort of like waiting for a car to pass before turning onto the highway, then realizing its going slower than you'd assumed, then realizing that it's slowing down to turn or something, no turn signal given. Too late now to turn in front of it til you're sure it's turning. Losing my mind in frustration.
Did make the best of it, maybe. I think I left off telling you I was going to Redding for that PCT section-hiker's presentation for the Sierra Club. That turned out to be another bit of confusion - whether it was Wednesday or Thursday. Turned out to be Thursday evening, so I went to Redding a day early and had to then find a place nearby to overnight. Ended up after a bit of an exploratory detour, heading back to Whiskeytown - to near the end of the road at the "Whiskytown" turnoff which went north along one of the arms of the lake, past a boater's picknic area and then a group campground. Past the campground about a half mile was a nice turnout for some "dispersed camping" that I'd found actually on the morning after leaving you at the Oak Bottom CG. It was a pretty warm night; I was in my screen-tent laying on top of my sleeping bag much like you described that night in Nevada on the picnic table. Well, not quite that awesome.
Next day my initial quest was to find a shower. Asked at one of the RV campgrounds, they referred me to a nearby athletic club. that charged $10 day-use. I had forgotten to bring along some swim trunks so I couldn't take full advantage of that. Next I drove 5 miles south on I5 to a truck stop I remember passing. But that charged $13 for just the shower. Returning north to Redding I stopped at a Big 5 at the east side of town and got myself some Speedo's. They were cheaper than the baggy alternative. Yeah. I next went to the aquatic center along the river just west of the Sundial Bridge. but it only opened later this month. So I knew there was also a Y in town but didn't know where, so back to the visitor center to ask. Turned out it was practically next to the aquatic center. Hav they offered a $5 shower, but only before 8am. Settled for the $10 day pass there. Did about a half hour of laps in their outdoor pool (water not quite as "hot" as their indoor pool which at 90degrees sounded like hot-spring territory.)
Spent the rest of the day in the library, again, just processing picts mainly. (Or did I now forget I've already told you this story of my Redding shower quest?) Attended the PCT presentation, talked to a number of people there including a another CNPS member. and two people considering doing the PCT next year. And got some ideas based on that presentation how I might put one together myself.
Drove back up to the road past Castle Crags to overnight. Another hot night.
Next day Got some good picts of the two falls in Dunsmuir: Mossbrae falls being very much like Burney Falls, flowing straight out of the lava-flow rock into the Sacramento River. It took a mile of train-track-walk to get to it. I've put together some good pano's of that. Here's one:
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