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Today was a 'hot' day.

Because we will surely have only continental breakfast the next days we used our chance again at the breakfast buffet...

Then we started our trip towards California. The sky was blue, the sun was shining, and we had pleasant temperatures. But what was that? Barely that we had left Reno it became very hazy. Where this fog came from? A short time later we knew, because the fog was supplemented by a smell of log fire: wild fires...

The fog zone stretched nearly up to Lassen Volcanic National Park which was the first target for today. Parts of the park were closed due to another big wildfire, but this wasn't an issue for us because the most beautiful trails and views were still accessible.

After reaching the park we stopped at the Visitor Center before exploring the wilderness. A really appealing tour lay before us, along rocks, small creeks, meadows and woods. At Summit Lake the road was finally closed, so we had to turn. After some more short stops we decided for a hike to Bumpass Hell, hot springs in the middle of the National Park. This meant actually to just follow your nose, because the smell of sulfur became really pungent... But the vista was enough compensation for the strains of that hike.

Back at the car, and towards Red Bluff. But somehow we had the fire on our side... After a few miles a pilot car directed us alongside fire trucks in action. Helicopters transported firefighting water around this area, the haze was back and abided us till Red Bluff.

When approaching the motel we saw lots of fire trucks parking, even from other counties. Ronny did a quick online search for some information, and so we got to know about the number and size of the wild fires roaring throughout California. But fortunately none was too near to our remaining route.

Dinner we had at Denny's again because we didn't feel like searching for a longer time after that extended trip. And so we had an easy evening at the motel.

Along the way
Along the way

Driving towards Lassen Volcanic NP - no, it wasn't cloudy, the sky was that grey because of the smoke of a huge wildfire

Lassen Volcanic National Park
Lassen Volcanic National Park

View towards Lassen Peak

Lassen Volcanic National Park
Lassen Volcanic National Park

Ines and Jennifer in Lassen Volcanic NP

Lassen Volcanic National Park
Lassen Volcanic National Park

Summit Lake

Lassen Volcanic National Park
Lassen Volcanic National Park

Summit Lake in about 6.900 feet

Lassen Volcanic National Park
Lassen Volcanic National Park

Summit Lake, wonderful quiet

Lassen Volcanic National Park
Lassen Volcanic National Park

Beautiful vista within the park

Lassen Volcanic National Park
Lassen Volcanic National Park

Atop one can still spot remains of snow

Lassen Volcanic National Park
Lassen Volcanic National Park

View onto Lake Helen

Lassen Volcanic National Park
Lassen Volcanic National Park

Lake Helen at a closer range

Lassen Volcanic National Park
Lassen Volcanic National Park

View into the valley during our hike

Lassen Volcanic National Park
Lassen Volcanic National Park

We had to go pass these wooden walkways to not to get our feet burned at Bumpass Hell

Lassen Volcanic National Park
Lassen Volcanic National Park

Bumpass Hell - sulfureous vapors are coming out of the soil

Lassen Volcanic National Park
Lassen Volcanic National Park

Hot, sulfureous water in Bumpass Hell

Lassen Volcanic National Park
Lassen Volcanic National Park

Bumpass Hell - the vapors are due to the acticity of the magma inside the Earth

Lassen Volcanic National Park
Lassen Volcanic National Park

It looks impressive in Bumpass Hell - fortunately you can't smell it from the pictures

Lassen Volcanic National Park
Lassen Volcanic National Park

Some more small sulfur water lakes at Bumpass Hell

Lassen Volcanic National Park
Lassen Volcanic National Park

More hot sulfureous vapors at Bumpass Hell

Lassen Volcanic National Park
Lassen Volcanic National Park

A small lake in Bumpass Hell

Lassen Volcanic National Park
Lassen Volcanic National Park

The water is bubbling and boiling

Lassen Volcanic National Park
Lassen Volcanic National Park

Wonderful meadows full of flowers on the way back

Red Bluff
Red Bluff

That's how it looked like at our motel's parking lot - because of the wildfires are many fire fighters sleeping here