Gold Lake Off-Road Adventure

Of all the off-road adventures we have taken in Blue Thunder, climbing the hill in this photo left the biggest impact. We were on "The Gold Lake Crawdad Poker Run with the Toyotally Awesome Cruisers," a club we belonged to for many years, when this photo was taken. This hill was long and steep. The soil was loose. The wheels were spinning. Jeff couldn't get enough traction to make it up the hill. He was getting nowhere. Thanks to the guys with the winch. If it wasn't for them, we wouldn't have made it out. Who knows how long Blue Thunder would have sat there, before we could afford to have it towed out? But, we weren't alone. Several other cruisers had to be winched out as well. I love off-road adventures, because I love to get off-the-beaten path where others can't go. But, I'm not so keen on the sport of off-roading itself. I would rather be the photographer! Now, this is the part I like. It makes it all worth it. After the grueling Poker Run, we returned to camp for a sunset paddle on the lake. Gold Lake is located in Sierra County and is another one of our favorite places we have traveled to in Blue Thunder. To get to the back side of the lake where we like to camp, you need a four-wheel drive vehicle. There is a very small stretch of road that is impassable without one. You can also load up your canoe or kayaks and paddle across the lake to the campsites. Gold Lake has a lot to offer, such as catching Crawdads, fishing, sailing, kayaking, canoeing, swimming and hiking. There are also many other beautiful lakes in the Lakes Basin area to explore. The Sierra Buttes are also nearby, which have a strong resemblence to the Alps. A hike to the Sierra Buttes Fire Lookout is a must do, if you are visiting the area. The famous Pacific Crest Trail runs right through there too. This concludes my theme on Blue Thunder. I hope that by writing about and reliving some of our favorite adventures we have taken in Blue Thunder, I will have an easier time letting go of it.