Lassen

It's good to be in the same time zone and just a car ride away from my brother. Grant and Chen-Yee met me halfway in Chico, and we toured Lassen Volcanic National Park on Saturday. Lassen erupted in 1914 and 1915, which is why it's a national park. I was sad to see how little snow is now left on the mountain due to the heat wave.

We hiked out to see the bubbling mud and sulphur steam of this hot, harsh landscape. I heard more foreign languages on the trail than I heard English. The Chinese and Indian families outnumbered everyone else: Parents were trying to expose their children to as much as possible during the summers. Children held their noses and complained about the smell, though. I smile thinking about those little Lilys and little Grants.