You know when your driving through the mountains and you see the sign, "Watch out for Falling Rocks," and wonder how many people actually get hit by one? Well, I did, and it finally happened to us.
We were driving through Bigfoot country, along highway 299 near Willow Creek, California when we heard a loud knock on the side of our van. I looked in the side mirror and saw a rock, about 8 inches in diameter, spinning on the road like a top.
When I got a chance to pull over and take a look, only a small chip off of the fiberglass running board was what looked like the total damage. We're lucky it didn't hit a window.
It's about four in the afternoon when we pull into McCloud, sitting on the southern slopes of California's second tallest mountain, 14,162 foot Mt. Shasta and try to check into our hotel room.
I say try because I can't find a checkin counter. We explore the bottom floor of the McCloud Mercantile Building...the home of our hotel...but don't see anything. We find an elevator at the far end and take it up to the second floor.
Exiting into a ballroom, we cross to the other side and enter a kitchen and living area. The doors on either side have room names and numbers, so we've found where the hotel rooms start but still no checkin area.
Back downstairs, I'm about to enter a gift shop to ask when I see a small sign "hotel guest register inside store." OK, this must be it.
Once I go to the cash register, it goes smoothly. We're given our keys and told we'll get a $30 credit for breakfast at the diner nextdoor.
Now, it's back to the other end of the building, back up the elevator, and across the second floor to our room, the Charles Miller Suite at the McCloud Mercantile Hotel. It's always the moment of truth when we walk through the door not knowing if the room we'd booked will actually be appropriate for us.
No worries here, the suite is stunning. A wall of windows perfectly frames Mt. Shasta in the distance, veined with late season glaciers.
A massive king size bed sits next to a small table between two antique chairs.
Tim will call the twin bed sitting under a roof nook in the next room home for the next three nights. An antique armoir at the foot of his bed will hold our clothes.
The washroom has room to roam, a jetted tub, and two roll under sinks. The next room is a wet room with a large roll-in shower, folding bench, and toilet.
No, there will not be any problems with this room at all.
After settling in, we find our only options for dinner are taco night at the American Legion, the local gas station mini mart, or a pub up the block from the hotel. We chose the pub.
The Axe and Rose is next to the town's other big hotel. Back in the day, McCloud was an honest-to-god lumber company town. Where we're staying was the company store (and theater, restaurant, clothing store, etc), while this one...the McCloud Hotel...used to be the single men's dormitory.
I think the pub is missing some marketing options by not putting an "L" after the first part of the name and pulling in the Guns 'n Roses crowd by calling it the Axel and Rose.
Still, the food was very good and we'll probably come here again before we leave. But...the server comes over and says "are you staying at the hotel down the street?"
"Yes"
"They just called and said you have a flat tire. Would you like some help changing it?"
Oh, darn. Maybe that rock did more damage than just the running board. Or maybe it's just a coincidence. In any event, no, we didn't need help. I just put in a call to AAA and they dispatched someone to change the tire.
I'm hoping it won't cause a kink in the rest of this trip. Tonight, we'll rest up and start exploring the surrounding area, hoping the spare tire holds up until I can get the flat one repaired or replaced.
Darryl Musick
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