Glory, Hallelujah!

A half a foot of snow fell on Mt. Shasta City late last night and early this morning. Interstate-5 had chain restrictions and we drove over Black Butte Summit in a line of cars trailing the plow at 35 mph. The snow would swirl and stick and then turn to slush, but the grip was adequate with four-wheel drive and we made it through the storm at a steady pace. Most days I wouldn't drive in that kind of mess--unless of course I had to be somewhere. And somewhere today was Mt. Shasta City Park. We braved the rain, snow, and sleet of a Siskiyou Spring to get up-close-and-personal with The Trophy. And thanks to the weather, we got at least 15 minutes of glory today. The Recreation Center had been organized with tables forming a snaking line to the photo area, and the sidewalk up to the entrance had been roped for a line. Alas, no lines were necessary and no lines formed. We encountered a couple of dozen hearty souls who'd braved the elements, but that was it. Lots of opportunity to see The Trophy, be photographed, and take photos as well. The Park & Rec staff were out in force with big smiles and had coffee and food ready for the attendees. It was truly a small-town affair. Everyone was giddy about making it through the foul weather and having The Trophy all to themselves. Hero of the day for RMC was Parks Administrator Mike Rodriguez who organized the event. That's him in the middle with me and my mate JC. Note the TV in the back with Giants highlights. That's me with The Trophy below. More to follow!

--M.C.