Hat Creek was Hot Creek!
We had a nice trip to Hat Creek, east of Redding, the end of July, for the first annual campout with both the North Hills Radio Club and the Mt Vaca Radio Club. Although early reservations had an equal number from each club, last minute dropouts reduced North Hills participation. John, N6SEX, Matthew, W6KDJ, and I (Les, W6TEE) belong to both clubs. In addition, from North Hills there was Kim, KE6RKX, with his wife, son, and son's girl friend, and Earl, KE6PJB, and his wife. Kim and Earl increased the RV ranks with their motorhomes, while son Matthew and I had our trusty tent trailer. John, at his young daughter's urging, had a quiet motel room in Burney, his old home town.
The remainder of the Mt Vaca folks (besides John, Matthew, and me) included Jim, WB6ZII, and Marsha, KD6TTS, with a trailer; Lew, WA6ESA, and Adrianne, WA6CNE, with a trailer; Ed, KE6AFB, Sunny, KE6AFA, and two grandkids, with a tent trailer; Marc, W6MAR, with a tent; Mike, WA6RWR, and Doris, WA6UAF (Vaca's new President), with a tent AND a motel room; and my daughter, LeAnne, KF6FIP, and her mother, Vicki, WB6PHQ, with a tent.
Friday was mostly taken up with arriving, setting up, happy hour, and dinner, followed by a surprise birthday party for Vicki. We had lots of room and could have handled over twice the number we had. Saturday had some fishing, and a hike to cinder cones near the camp. Late morning, as we left for Burney Falls, a small grass fire broke out across the creek, and the CDF was there fighting it. But when we returned at 2 PM, they were just issuing an evacuation order because the fire was not under control. I kept thinking of MASH, bugging out. We were able to find space a few miles down the road at a nice RV park. Those of us with hookups were able to connect up.
After relaxing showers, happy hour, and dinner, Lew showed some early 1970s movies that he made about the MVRC and other early repeater operations in California and Nevada. We had intended to have a group discussion about the next trip, but with the evacuation and all, we just ran out of time. It was suggested that we start an e-mail mailing list (aka reflector) to discuss all future trips. This has been done. Sign-up links are on the NHRC and MVRC Activities web pages.
As the organizer of the trip, it might not be right for me to say that everyone had a good time, despite the evacuation, but I think they did.
Les, W6TEE
Digital photos of the campground and Subway Cave, taken April 21, 2001, and all maps and graphics are by Les Cobb, W6TEE.