Restoration efforts have paid off for Clear Creek, but even so, this Fall run seems way below recent years.
We tried to imagine prior runs where the creek was filled with fish from edge to edge.
We spotted these battered sojourners enjoying the gravel beds below the lookout on Clear Creek Road near Redding. They are kind of difficult to make out, but we were at least a hundred feet away, and far above them.
Really Redding
There was a lot to do in Redding this weekend, but…
Summer Schappell plays the Asphalt Cowboys BBQ
Summer Schappell is the granddaughter of my colleague Bill Schappel at the real estate brokerage I worked with in 2009. She’s an up and coming singer who has performed here and recorded in Nashville. She and her band gave a terrific performance for an appreciative audience and I took some photos. We were told that many of the drive-thru customers heard the music and got out of their vehicles instead of just driving through for food. The weather was perfect, the food was really good, and there was lots of it.
Photographic reminder
SWEAT for fun
We found ourselves walking amidst a late summer fun run yesterday on the River Trail. Numbered humans padded by us in their running shoes.
I stopped and spoke with the gentlemen handing off cups of water to runners about midway, a Mr. Parks. It seems this race was one of the the last of the Summer season. One of the Sunset Through the Trees series.
For this run of about 6 miles, they run a loop across the ribbon bridge and end up at the pavillion near the Aquatic Park.
Runners were intense in the 90 degree evening, but everyone was smiling, so I guess it was a fun run after all. You can learn more about the venerable Redding area runner’s club at their website. Click on their logo.
What? A Whiskeytown 50K run? Yikes, that’s like 31 miles. Participants of that run all have my admiration.
Beguiled by bridge busker
I meet RS Editor Silas Lyons for the first time
I finally met the current editor of my usually-beloved/occasionally-infuriating local newspaper, and it turns out he’s a decent guy. It’s hard to believe we’d never actually met.
He seemed to know who I was. He reminded me about that time last year I photoshopped his head onto the body of a young girl on this blog. Oh…yeah. To tell the truth, I’d forgotten all about that. I felt my face redden with embarrassment. It’s easy to sort-of disrespect a public figure online, but when you are face to face, it’s a different story. Plus, I sometimes just get carried away, heh. I apologized to Silas, but he said he had a good laugh over it. I hope he wasn’t just being polite.
He was speaking to the Shasta Association of Realtors about some new programs and stuff. More interesting to me was the glimpse into the things that keep a small town newspaper editor awake at night, while their business model is rapidly changing. Ironically, there was a new online classified ad website being promoted at that same meeting. The new site trumpeted their “localness” but seems to be more of a a statewide business. Another new competitor for the RS revenue stream. Silas and his crew face huge challenges. I want them to be successful. We need a strong newspaper.
Silas was kind enough to let me take a few photos if I promised not to photoshop him again. In return, I was reluctant to bring up my pet peeve about the RS continually running and re-running cartoons in the Sunday paper penned by the long-dead Charles Schulz. Okay, so my dismay about Peanuts is more of an obsession than a pet peeve, but I kept a lid on it. Like I said, Silas seemed like a real nice fellow. Anyway, after looking over the photos, I can see why he’s very comfortable with our newspaper running Charlie Brown cartoons over and over…
Pat Karch Band at Sundial Bridge Cafe photos
We went for a walk to the River Trail yesterday evening, down from Hilltop, a nice short cardio walk. We didn’t know there was a band playing. Approaching from the north side, we could hear Pat’s unmistakable keyboard licks from a mile away. I knew who it was after just the first few bars. Pat Karch is an awesome player.
Joe Catanio joins the trio to sing the standards. Pat is such an amazing player. Even though his singing and keyboard chops are so overwhelming, he is the kind of player who brings out the best in others around him. That’s why he plays in so many bands around here. Talent and class, the rarest combination in musicianship. Plus he’s really nice. A true Redding treasure. Upright bass player Bruce Calin, and percussionist Bobby Viramontes laid down the the groove nicely. They showed their skills and fit the bill.
Then a leisurely stroll back to the bridge brings the color.
What a great evening stroll. The river-cooled air carried waves of jazz aloft, and was perfume for all the senses. Does it get any better than this? Did I mention they are playing there again tonight?
It don’t mean a thing if it aint got that swing. The bridge was totally swingin’.
Missing. Have you seen my imaginary friend?
Spotted this poster at the Holiday Market at the corner of Shasta View and Hartnell.
“Frequents discount sushi bars and polka raves.” But then, who doesn’t?
On the other hand…I love my hometown, but soon I start thinking that seems awfully snarky and clever for a random poster at a Redding supermarket. So I Google “My imaginary Friend Steve” and get 89,000 hits. HERE is the top of the list. So much for originality.
What could it all mean, though?
Hummingbird poses
This little guy (or gal) sat still long enough for me to get in a few shots.
It saw me, but didn’t seem to care much. They seem to me to have quite complex behavior, especially considering how small they are, and how small their brains must be, they seem proportionally brilliant.
I caught one image as it was about to fly off, and thought that was a lucky shot.
