Plumas Buzz
An informal
account of life, recreation, fun and travel
in Plumas County,
edited by Plumas County Visitors Bureau
staff.
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December 16, 2009
Finally we have snowmobile tours back in Plumas
County!!!!
Explore!
Sierra Touring Company is offering 2 hour snowmobile tours
twice daily. They will begin at 9am and 1pm leaving from
Chalet View Lodge and heading up to Smith Peak. For $130.00
for the driver and $60.00 for the passenger, the price
includes helmet, goggles and instruction. For more
information and booking call: (530) 994-1055 or (530)
927-9743.
You can also book through
The
Chalet View Lodge, and take advantage of their Winter
Escape Package. The lodge is offering a one night stay in
the Deluxe Terrace Suite, 2 complimentary cocktails, a 60
minute couples massage and a 2 hour snowmobile tour for
$329.00. You can also extend your stay for $79.00 each
additional night.
December 7, 2009
Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow!
In
Plumas County, you can't say we don't have FOUR seasons! It
was a big deal for folks in the valley, who woke up today
with snow and school closures. Plumas County schools were
OPEN, despite the fact that over a foot of snow fell, and
more is on its way this afternoon. You see, we're used to
this in Plumas County, and the white stuff is even why some
people choose to live here!
When
the roads and skies get clear, c'mon up and enjoy it! This
is a treat to those of us used to waiting until January or
February for enough snow to
play in. It
appears it will not only be a white Christmas in Plumas
County, but
snowmobilers,
snowshoers,
skiers
and other snow enthusiasts will soon be out to play!
November 30, 2009
Got Christmas Trees?
This
past weekend was busy in Plumas County with all of the tree
hunters! Families were flocking to the mountains for the
perfect evergreen to bring home for the holidays. So, if you
are on the ball and have your Christmas Tree tree trimmed
and decorated already,
send us your photos! We would love to post the photos of
your family outing in Plumas County and also the photos of
the final result.
November 24, 2009
Bundle up for festivities in Chester
Chester is having it's annual Christmas Tree Lighting,
merchants open house and holiday light parade this Friday.
The festivities begin at 5 pm. There will be plenty of holly
and jolly to go around, so bundle up the family for a small
town holiday tradition that includes Santa, cookies and warm
drinks.
Speaking
of the Chester-Lake Almanor area, this sign is placed in the
window of Nancy's, a cafe on Peninsula Drive. She is open
all year long, unless she is closed. Nancy has fresh soups,
sandwiches and daily specials. You can have a cup of coffee
or tea and relax with the paper of meet with some friends.
She encourages music and hosts weekly open mic nights. You
can call her to see what the schedule is for events at
(530) 596-3690.
November 23, 2009
First Annual Quincy Turkey Trot!
Why
not burn off some of those Thanksgiving Day calories? Not
only will it feel good to participate in this 5k fun
run/walk BUT, it is for a really good cause. The Turkey Trot
benefits Tru Community, which is a non-profit organization
that benefits community members who have seriously ill
family members. There will be prizes for the fastest run in
each division and also for the silly hat contest. So, put on
your silliest of hats and head out to the Feather River
College Track on Thanksgiving Morning at 9 am. The race
starts at 9:30 am. You can register online at
www.active.com under
Quincy Turkey Trot.
November 19, 2009
Twain Christmas Boutique this weekend
With
the holidays just around the corner, it is never too early
to get in some local shopping. The Twain Christmas Boutique
may be just what you need to ease you in to the gift giving
spirit. The majority of items showcased at the boutique are
hand made by Peggy Peralta. She has crocheted scarves and
hats, jewelry and gourd birdhouses. She also will create
special orders if you give your request in a timely fashion.
With yummy refreshments being served in a homey atmosphere
there is no reason not to head to Twain this weekend. Call
Peggy for more information at (530)283-0528.
November 9, 2009
Brrrrr....It is COLD outside. We
had to wear gloves this morning! The cars
took a little longer to warm up as well. I
guess this means that our leaf peeper blog
is officially coming to a close after a very
successful and COLORFUL Awesome
Autumn. Thanks to everyone who contributed
fall foliage photos and stories, this made
our job super easy because all of the
contributions were wonderful. Also, thanks
to everyone who logged on to the site to
have a gander or to plan a fall color
itinerary. We would also like to thank the
402 visitors for stopping by the
Visitors Bureau to say hello and share your
stories with us!

Graeagle
Community Church did its annual tree
cutting event on Sunday. Several families
headed up to Lakes Basin in search
for the perfect holiday tree, and shared a
nice potluck lunch together. As you can see,
the weather was perfect for this event- a
little chilly but the sun was shining! You
too, can plan your own tree cutting event!
Permits are on sale now thru December
24th.
September 28, 2009
Can you believe it's fall already?
The Buzz editors have moved to "Awesome
Autumn" mode with the oncoming of leaf-peeping season. We'll
be blogging on that link nearly every day with
reports of fall color as it happens throughout the
forest.
The Buzz will be back sometime in
November! Meanwhile, please help us out on the
Awesome Autumn page with your fall color reports!
September 16, 2009
Quincy Farmers Market
Tomorrow night, Thursday, September 17, is the last
Farmer's Market at the School District lawn on Main Street.
Tommy Miles and Friends will provide the entertainment. So,
be sure to get in on the last of the farm fresh veggies and
fruits of the season, while enjoying BBQ provided by
Southern Accent and visiting with friends and neighbors.
September 9, 2009
Chester Hosts 24th Annual Street Rod Extravaganza This
Weekend
This
exciting event will kick off Friday night with The
Almanor Basin Street Party from 5-8pm. On Saturday morning
pre-registration will be held from 7-9:30am along with a
merchants sponsored continental breakfast in Chester Park.
The judging starts at 10am and will be held until noon. The
poker walk will begin at 10am, participants can pick up
poker cards from 13 merchants in Old Town and West Chester.
The poker run will start at 1pm and street rod participants
will collect cards at 10 designated stops as they drive the
scenic 35 miles around Lake Almanor. Prize awards will be
handed out at 3:30pm. Trophy Presentation will be at 4pm.
Food will be available at Chest Park from 11am to 4pm at
Chester Park. For more information call the chamber at
530-258-2426.
September 2, 2009
Joshua Fest Comes To Quincy
Plumas-Sierra
County Fairgrounds welcomes
Joshua Fest
for the Labor Day Weekend. Joshua Fest is a Christian
Inspired Music Festival including bands such as
Family Force
Five,
Everyday Sunday and
Kaboose in their multi-artist line-up. Tickets are on
sale for Friday- Sunday, September 4-6, 2009. Camping is
included with your 3-day pass.
August 28, 2009
Couple Searches Plumas County for Scavenger Hunt Item
Charlene and Jerry Spielvogel from the the East Bay,
needed a photo of just "one more item" to complete the
list of twenty items required to participate in the Contra
Costa Times Photo Scavenger Hunt. Players had to
take photos of each item and turn
them in to the newspaper to prove that they had actually found
them.
The item they were searching for was a town sign with
a population of 100 people or less. Charlene did a
Google search and Plumas
County came up with the largest concentration of small towns
in the Scavenger Hunts playing area. Shortly after her
search, she called us at the visitors bureau to see what
cities we had in the county that would fit the
requirements. We gave her several options, and
here is Charlene below with the "proof" that they
found exactly what they were looking for!

Charlene and Jerry said that after they took the picture,
they took some time to take a drive along Highway 70 and
really enjoyed the beautiful scenery. They
promised that they would let us know how they did in the
contest.
August 21, 2009
Portola Railroad Days 2009 - 100 Years of Trains, 100
Years of Service
August 21, 22, 23
This year's event commemorates two historical
anniversaries. The Western Pacific Railroad completed
the line through the Feather River Canyon (driving the last
spike at the Keddie "Wye") and Portola, having gone through
a series of other names, received its current name 100 years
ago.

Gather your family and friends and head on out to Portola
for three days of fun and activities beginning Friday,
August 21 with a concert by The Gary Richards Project on
Center Stage at 4:30 pm, Cowboy Poetry by Tony Argento at
7:00 pm, and music by the Rock Bottom Band starting at 8:30
pm.
Saturday's lineup includes Cowboy Poetry, Dr. Rabi's
Medicine show, Bill the Magician, the Wild Things Animal
Show, Train Tales and Conductor Calls, the Railroad Days
Parade at 11:00 am, food, craft vendors and Monster Truck
rides all day on Taylor street.
Sunday's fun kicks off with a children's fishing derby at
7:00 am at Portola City Park, the Willie Tate Memorial River
Run at 9:00 am, a Spike Driving contest at 11:30 am and the
Lucky Duck Race at 1:30 pm along with food, music and craft
vendors just to name a few of the things you can see and do!
For more information go to
www.portolarailroaddays.com. to see a complete listing
of each days activities and times.
August 14, 2009
Check out this hilarious video of 4-H goats at the
Plumas-Sierra County Fair, butting heads at feeding time!
The fair fun continues through Sunday -- don't forget to
check out the fun with farm animals!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TGOIX-KgB1M&feature=channel_page
August 12, 2009
Plumas-Sierra County Fair Celebrates 150 Years
Relive
the Memories, Recapture the Fun is the theme for the fair
this year. Traditions such as the famous Indian Taco Stand,
The Old Town Beer Gardens, and Stock Car Races, and The
Outlaw Rodeo will return, as well as some old historical
events, including The Logging Show. The Logging Show will
consist of the "Choker Setter Event", "The Double Buck
Contest", and "The Bull of The Woods Contest".
Live music will be featured every day of the fair until
11pm and we can't forget 4-H exhibits, the art barn and the
quilt show. Children of all ages will be seen and heard
laughing and cavorting in the traveling carnival area,
munching on cotton candy and corn dogs.
Wristband days for unlimited rides at the carnival are
Thursday Noon to Close, Friday and Sunday
noon to 6pm. Admission is free Noon until 2pm daily so you
can head out and have lunch at the fair.
August 6, 2009
Exploring Canyon Dam
Seems
as though the "Fitness Center" in front of the Canyon Dam
Store has been abandoned. Is this because everyone is
next door at the
Lake Almanor Kayak Rentals? You can rent a single kayak
for 1/2 day for just $40 or a full day for $60. The tandem
kayak is $60 for 1/2 day and $80 for a full day.
Maybe
people are forgoing all exercise in lieu of a Polish Sausage
at Canyon Dam Dogs, the new roadside hot dog stand,
next to the Post Office, that serves up 6 different kinds of
hot dogs, chili, nachos and snow cones. Whatever your
pleasure, Canyon Dam, located at the south end of
Lake Almanor, is worth the stop. The Canyon Dam Store
even sells locally tied flies for fishing.
August 5, 2009
Rick from Lake Almanor writes to us:
While
up at Lake Almanor for the week camping, we rented a see-doo
at Majors Boat & See-doo Rental (530-259-2727) on the west
shore of Lake Almanor. What fun!!!! Visitors can find
Majors Outpost down by the water at the marina at Plumas
Pines Resort. as you can see, the marina was having a busy
day.
August 4, 2009
Gianna from Fair Oaks writes to us:
Last
week I spent time with my friend tent camping at the forest
service campground on the west side of Lake Al
manor.
What a beautiful place to slow down, ride a bike,
rest along the lake, and have a campfire at night with
s'mores.
Down the road from the
campground is a special place to have breakfast out on their
deck, Carol’s Café at Prattville. Their
French toast with warmed syrup and a fresh cup of coffee is
a great way to start the day!!! I’ll be
back soon.
August 3, 2009
Great entertainment in nearby Sierra City
Here's
a tip on a great summer night of fun: The Kentucky Mine
Museum's "Music at the Mine" concert series in Sierra City
(south of Graeagle.)
You can start off touring the tiny town, maybe poking around
the gallery and store, or trying out a local restaurant.
Or.... just pick up a bottle of wine at the country store
and head for the scrumptious barbecue held at the museum
before the show. For $15, you can't beat it: great tri-tip
and chicken, beans, Cole slaw, garlic bread and corn on the
cob! And a pleasant outdoor setting under the pine trees,
with a mountain view.
The
museum's amphitheater is small and there was plenty of room
last Saturday night. The band, No Taboo, played some great
blues/soul tunes and had folks soon moving to the dance
floor. Bring a blanket or chair pad if you plan on staying
in your seat; the seating is on concrete. Concert charge was
just $10 per person for over two hours of music.
There are just two more concerts scheduled this season, so
check it out! You can get tickets at the door or off the
website.
http://www.kentuckymine.org/
July 30, 2009
Sierra Institute's Maidu History of Indian Valley Tour
on Saturday, August 1st
Join Farrell Cunningham,
Maidu Historian, Traditional Ecologist and one of the few
remaining speakers of the Maidu language, on an educational
tour around Indian Valley in Plumas County.
*Hear
what the Valley was like before European settlement
*Enjoy
captivating stories about spiritual wars and creation
*Learn
how the Maidu utilized and managed the Valley’s natural
resources for hundreds of years
*Visit
former Maidu village sites
*Enjoy
the beautiful scenery of Indian Valley!
Cost for the tour is $45 per person. Morning refreshments,
lunch, snacks, and bus transportation are provided as part
of the tour.
The tour will begin at 10:00 am and conclude by 4:00 pm.
Reservations are required. Call 530-284-1022 to register,
Local Scholarships are available.
July 22, 2009
Lake Almanor's 6th Annual Art Around The Lake
This
weekend Lake Almanor Community Foundation will present the
sixth annual Art Around the Lake in partnership with the
Plumas Arts Council and the Feather River Fine Arts
Association on Friday, July 24 and Saturday, July 25.
Proceeds from the event will benefit the music and arts
programs in the Chester, Westwood and Greenville schools.
The Foundation takes pride in presenting the talented and
generous artists you will see in action at the various sites
around the lake. Participating artists have opened their
studios and donated fine art to be auctioned Friday evening.
A reception will be held in conjunction with the auction and
all Art Around the Lake ticket holders are invited to
attend. For more information see
www.artaroundthelake.org. or call Plumas Arts at (530)
283-3402
July 17, 2009
Gold Discovery Days / 50th Anniversary of
Plumas-Eureka State Park
2009 marks the 50th anniversary of
Plumas-Eureka State
Park in Johnsville. By the early 1950s, the area
around Johnsville had attracted the attention of State Park
officials, who praised its "scenic granduer" and called it
"one of the best (sites) they had ever seen for recreation
purposes of all kinds." Fifty years after it was founded,
the park retains the attributes that made it worthy of park
status in the first place: gorgeous scenery, outstanding
recreation and historical significance.

The gala weekend celebration will include history
relived, the ever-popular Rotary Pancake Breakfast on Sunday
from 8 am to 11 am, and live music by Code Bluegrass.
Enjoy the old favorites like the blacksmith shop
demonstrations, tours of the Moriarty House, the Stamp Mill,
hikes, gold panning, folk dancers, baked goods, weaving,
food, and much more! Bring your family and friends out
for two days of good old fashioned fun! 10 a.m. to 3
p.m. Saturday, July 18 and Sunday, July 19.
July 9, 2009
The Plumas County Museum is open on Saturdays again!
The Plumas County Museum in Quincy, located at 500
Jackson Street, will be open on Saturday's again, beginning
this week. Be sure to stop in and visit the next time
you are in town. This is one of the most comprehensive
and well-presented museums in rural California. You can see
displays depicting home life, agriculture, logging and
railroad history and one of the world's finest collections
of Maidu baskets along with a hands-on replica of a Maidu
hut.

The historic Variel home is also available for tours. The
museum's new hours are Tuesday through Saturday from 9:00 am
until 4:30 pm (closed on Sunday and Monday). You can
contact the museum at (530) 283-6320 for more information.
July 8, 2009
Solar Cook-Off at Taylorsville Campground, Friday and
Saturday
Every
year in July the Solar Cook-Off event in Taylorsville is
Plumas County's "group hug" for the year. Not only does it
draw many of the residents of Plumas County but also
visitors from out of town. They come for the music and the
food, but most of all for the over all feeling of a
community that is proud to get together and feast on solar
oven cooked food, and dance to solar powered music all day
while being surrounded by their favorite people. No matter
where you turn, you are bound to see a smiling face and
witness a hug or a firm handshake between friends.
While
the children are running around and eating snow cones or ice
cream, their parents are lounging in their lawn chairs
visiting with friends and listening to the many bands that
are taking the stage all day long. There is a creek adjacent
the campground where folks can get cooled off and still hear
the music. There are also several arts and crafts vendors if
you feel like doing some early Christmas shopping. From
jewelry to handbags, pretty clothing to solar ovens, there
is plenty of browsing to be done.
Music Schedule for Friday Night:
7:00: Now and Then Trio
7:45: The DeVilles
8:30: Blue Haven
9:30: Drumming Extravaganza with Cameron Tummel
Music Schedule for Saturday:
10:00: Melissa Ruth and Johnny Leal
10:30: Penny & Dude
11:00: Whiskey Hawlers
11:45: The Hell Busters
12:30: MudBone
1:15: BLT's
2:00: Soldiers of Hi Fi
2:45: Bourgeois Gypsies
3:30: Guitar Woody
4:30: Rick Hammond
5:30: Jeff Pershing
6:30: Drum Circle
July 2, 2009
4th of July Weekend Festivities Galore!!
With
the holiday weekend approaching it's hard to decide what to
do when there is so many fun things to choose from! From
fireworks to music festivals you are not going to be without
something that fits your fancy! Have a safe and fun holiday
weekend!!
Lake Almanor/Chester Area on July 4:
Pancake Breakfast: 7-11 am, Chester Memorial Hall and
Lake Almanor Elks Lodge
Wine Walk: 8am-3pm, Main St., Chester
Elk's BBQ: 9am - 3pm, Elks Lodge, Chester
Arts and Crafts Show: 10am-3pm, Chester Park
Clampers BBQ: 10am, Main St., Old Town Chester
Fireman's BBQ: 10am-2pm, corner of Main and Feather
River Dr
70th Annual Parade: 11am, Main St., Chester
Lion's Club BBQ: 11:30am- 2pm, Chester Park
The Great Feather River Duck Race: 2pm, Starts at
Chester Park
Momboosa Music Festival: 10am-10pm, Chester Meadow
Fireworks: 9pm off the tip of the Lake Almanor
Peninsula
Indian Valley July 1-5:
Silver Buckle Rodeo: July 1-4, Taylorsville Rodeo
Grounds
Cowboy Dance: July 3, 8pm to Midnight, DJ Matt
McCutcheon
Cowboy Dance: July 4, 8pm to Midnight, Soldiers Of Hi
Fi
Gem & Mineral Show: Indian Valley Museum, July 4 & 5,
11am-4pm
Central Plumas July 2-4:
High Sierra Music Festival: July 2-5, Plumas-Sierra
Fairgrounds
Farmers Market: July 2, Church and Main St, Quincy,
5pm-Dusk
4th of July Parade: Meadow Valley, 11am, Meadow
Valley Fire Dept.
Eastern Plumas July 3-5:
Fireworks, Food & Fun: July 3, 4-9pm fireworks at
9:30pm, Graeagle Pond
Civil War Battle: July 3 at 8pm, July 4 at 11am and 3pm,
Graeagle Field
BBQ & Street Dance: July 4, 6-11pm,
Blairsden
Tethered Hot Air Balloon Rides: 10am-12pm, July 4 and
July 5 at Graeagle Mill Pond
Pancake Breakfast: July 5th, Graeagle Fire Hall, 8-11am
June 29, 2009
Gianna from Fair Oaks, writes to us:
Dear
Plumas Buzz:
The first-time I sat at the Lassen Soda Fountain counter in
Chester and had my first hot-fudge sundae was 1990; I was
only five years old. I have been coming
back every since while on vacation at Lake Almanor.
It is a special place, not very many of these old
fashion soda shops around anymore.
Another great “find” in beautiful Plumas County!
June 23, 2009
John Cramer from Lodi, writes to us:
Dear
Plumas Buzz:
I
was up in Chester/Lake Almanor Tuesday on business, I
had heard about a wonderful golf course located in
Lake Almanor West, off highway 89.
I was so glad I had my golf clubs in my trunk.
What a terrific 9-hole course!!!
From some of the fairways, I could see snow
capped Lassen Peak. And, the deer
on the course, I won’t ever see this where I live and
play golf in Lodi, Calif. This
place must be a well-kept secret, I have never read
about it in any golf publication.
Why????
June 22, 2009
Just Horsin' Around
Here's
something you don't see everyday! A couple of horses tied up
to the hitching post while their owners enjoy a beverage in
the local saloon!
Willie (left) and Paige (right) carried their owners Sandy
and Mark down to the Knotty Pine Tavern in downtown Graeagle
on Sunday. The geldings are apparently getting geared up to
ride in Graeagle 4th of July parade (on Sunday, July 5). It
was a scene straight out of the Old West!
June 17, 2009
Taste of Mohawk
Eastern Plumas county has an abundance of quality
restaurants and fine chefs to keep both locals and visitors
well fed and happy. Come on out to Graeagle on
Saturday, June 20th to have the opportunity to preview some
of these delights. Big Springs Garden, Bonta Street
Bistro, Graeagle Mill Works, Graeagle Meadows, Graeagle
Outpost, Grizzly Grill, Gumbas V, Iron Door, Lodge at
Whitehawk, Lena's Cantina, Log Cabin, Longboards Bar &
Grill, Mt. Tomba Inn and Trattoria Rosa will serve up some
of their best fare from 1 - 4 pm. The downtown park in
Graeagle will be full of food, spirits, and live music!

For more information and tickets, call the Mohawk Community
Resource Center at (530) 836-0446, located at the corner of
Highways 89 and 70.
June 15, 2009
Star Tour Wednesday Night, June 17th
Dennis
Cokor will host another one of his famous star tours on
Wednesday night. Come down to The Quincy High School Tennis
Court, on Quincy Junction Rd. from 8pm to 10pm, bring your
jacket, and your eyes, or for better viewing, a telescope,
and be prepared to be dazzled by a variety of
constellations.
Wednesday evening's Center of attraction will be the
Leo Constellation, with many other sites to behold, such
as, Saturn, Vega Rising, Virgo, and M44 The Beehive Cluster
in Cancer.
Dennis will also give a special computer presentation of
The Infinite Cosmos: Saturn, Lord Of The Rings.
For more information or questions, call Dennis at
(530)283-3382
June 10, 2009
Gianna From Fair Oaks writes to us:
"Dear
Plumas Buzz:
After school is out for the summer, it has been a
tradition for my dad and me to take off for a week or
more on our annual backpack camping trip to a high
mountain lake in Plumas County. We had a fantastic time
again this year; can you
recognize which lake we spent our week,
swimming, cooking fresh native trout, camp fires,
s'mores, and hours looking at all those stars in the
night ski?"We at The Plumas County Visitors
Bureau, are guessing Jameson Lake. Any other
guesses????
June 9, 2009
Richard McCutcheon of Indian Valley sends us some great
photos of wild flowers and wild life in the Indian Valley
Area.

Brown Bear

Bull Snake

Caterpillars
See our
Bloom Blog for the Wild Flower Photos!
June 8, 2009
Rick from Lake Almanor Writes to us:
"
In a previous posting on your "Plumas Buzz", May 14th, The
San Francisco Chronicle mentioned in their column that
Sardine Lake, at the south end of Lakes Basin
near Graeagle, was one of the "prettiest" lakes in
the state. I had heard this before, so, I drove over to the
Gold Lakes Basin to take a look."
"Over
the last 15 years, I have been on a lot of high mountain
hikes, and I must say that I agree with The Chronicle, it is
one of the "prettiest" lakes in the state."
June 2, 2009
Petal Peeping by ATV in Sierra Valley
The flowers are really blooming around Sierra Valley now,
according to Jay Read of
High
Sierra ATV Tours. The Reno Gazette Journal
featured a
story on these tours and though it was a slightly late
bloom season, the area has exploded in color. Flowers such
as Mules Ear, paintbrush (Applegate's and Indian), phlox,
bitter brush, snow plants, and lupine are flourishing.
Jay Read and his wife Lisa run their ATV business in
Chilcoot, just 30 miles from Reno on HWY 70. They host
private tours, corporate tours and individual tours. "Our
goal is for everyone to have a good time and see the area",
says Lisa Read. Be sure to read the story to get the full
scoop and see some pictures!
May 29, 2009
What's the best part about Plumas County? The AIR
and the WATER, according to two Bay Area visitors who
stopped in today to rave about their
wildflower watching trip around the county. Here's what
they had to say: "The pine-scented air here is the freshest
anywhere....even better than Yosemite and Lake Tahoe."
For more details about their adventures, which included a
thunderstorm, a rattlesnake and a great Italian dinner,
check out the
Bloom Blog!
May 27, 2009
Sand Pond fun on Memorial Day Weekend
Suzi
Brakken and Amy Koenig of Graeagle, ventured out with
kids to the Sand Pond in the Lakes Basin Area
this past weekend for some fun in the sun. The children
laughed and cavorted in the water a
nd
played on the beach.
After swimming, they all decided to take a nice walk on
the boarded nature trail near the pond.
Although
there were not any flowers blooming yet, it will only be a
matter of time before Mother Nature runs her course. There
was still snow on the ground at Gold Lake, but lower
elevation trails were snow free.
May 21, 2009
Owl Prowl Friday Night
If
you are a night owl and are looking for something fun to do
on Friday night, Plumas Audubon Society is hosting an
owl expedition lead by David Arsenault. The tour is
scheduled to leave the Quincy Library at 7pm
and is scheduled to wind up around midnight. You don't have
to attend the whole tour, you can fly the coop whenever you
like.
Possible owl sightings include:
Barn Owl, Northern Pygmy Owl, California Spotted Owl, Barred
Owl, Great Horned Owl, Virginia Rail and Sora Northern
Saw- whet Owl and the Flammulated Owl.
This should be a real hoot! Don't forget to dress
warm and wear your walking shoes!!
May 20, 2009
Tour de Manure!

Hey all you cycling enthusiasts, here is a brand new
cycling event you will not want to miss! And yes, the
name of the event is the Tour de Manure. Come
on out to Sierraville on Saturday, June 13 for
the first ever Sierra Valley Metric Century organized
bicycle ride benefitting the Sierraville Volunteer Fire
Department.
Ride Director Doug Read and the gang have designed
a wonderful course that takes advantage of Sierra Valley's
wide views and colorful birdlife. You can ride the
62-mile metric century route up the west side and into the
center of the valley, or follow a 30-mile route along the
undulating Highway 49 on the valley's east side. A
finish-line party at the Sierraville firehouse will feature
live music and great food provided by Los Dos Hermanos
and The Round-up Cafe.
You can register online with a credit card at
www.active.com or you
can go to
www.sierravillefireandrescue.com for more
information and a link to the active.com registration page.
The race starts at the Sierraville firehouse between 8 and 9
a.m. Just go to Sierraville and follow the signs!
May 14, 2009
Want a full lake for Memorial Weekend?

The San Francisco Chronicle today touted Plumas County's
Antelope Lake and Lake Almanor as FULL
lakes for campers to visit on Memorial Day weekend!
The esteemed outdoors columnist Tom Steinstra
reported both those lakes and surrounding campgrounds
"couldn't be better" for lake-based camping, as opposed to
lower elevation lakes that are looking mighty dry due to
drought conditions. And many higher-level lakes are still
inaccessible due to snow.
Lake Almanor is reportedly 88 percent f
ull,
making it the "fullest" lake mentioned in Steinstra's list.
He listed Lake Davis (61 percent full) and
Frenchman Lake (54 percent full) as "fair to middlin'"
The Bucks Lake and Lakes Basin Recreation Areas
were listed by Steinstra as "wildcard" areas, for possible
snow, but we're here to tell you that those camping areas
ARE INDEED OPEN!
Sardine Lake, at the south end of Lakes Basin near
Graeagle, also was mentioned in the column as one of
the "prettiest" lakes in the state.
May 14, 2009
Feather River College Hosts Round Two of Nor-Cal Super
Regional Baseball Tournament
Friday, May 15
Game #1 #4 San Mateo Vs. #9 Delta 11:30am
Game #2 #3 Feather River Vs. #12 Sierra
4:00pm
Saturday and Sunday game times to be announced.
Games will be played at the Feather River College baseball
field at 570 Golden Eagle Avenue in Quincy.
Contact Feather River College at (530) 283-0202 for more
information.
GO FEATHER RIVER EAGLES!!!!!
May 12, 2009
Indian Valley Valley-Wide Yard Sale
This
Saturday, May 16, 22 sites will participate in
the valley wide yard sale. This is an annual event
and widely talked about. So if you are in the area, and yard
sales are a passion of yours, this is the event for you!!
With 22 different sites, you are bound to find a treasure or
two (possibly more) awaiting you!!
May 8, 2009
Plumas Audubon 20th Anniversary Celebration
Come
on out to the Maddalena Ranch on Saturday, May 9th for
birding with Mellouise Curry at 8:00 am, botanizing with
Bill and Nancy Harnach at 10:00 am, and a 20th anniversary
celebration and trail dedication at noon. Bring a lunch, a chair
and a canoe if you've got one! Don't forget to put on
some sunscreen, bring your binoculars, camera and a hat,
too. The weather forecast for Beckwourth is a sunny 73
degrees! Contact Darrel Jury for info at (530)
283-2939.
Mellouise Curry was recently out at the Maddalena
Ranch and saw: Western Meadowlark, Brewer's Blackbird,
Cinnamon Teal, Willet, Mallard, Gadwall, Canada Geese,
Western Grebe, Pie-billed Grebe, American White Pelican,
Red-winged Blackbird, Yellow-headed Blackbird, American
Coot, Turkey Vulture, American Crow, Osprey and Sandhill
Cranes.
May 6, 2009
So we posted two of the many You Tube videos of Steam
Train UP #844 you can check them
both out or see this one:

May 6, 2009
Mothers Day Festivities Happening all Over Plumas
County
Forget
sending flowers! Bring your mom to Plumas County for
wildflower viewing and for a wonderful Champagne Brunch.
There are a variety of activities happening for Mothers Day.
Greenhorn Ranch
is hosting a Mothers Day Lunch and Horseback Ride,
Longboards Bar and Grill in Blairsden, is opening
for brunch that is featuring Crab Cake Sliders!
St. Bernard
Lodge near Chester is hosting a bottomless
champagne brunch with Eggs Benedict, Waffles and
Cheese Blintzes among the items on their buffet menu.
May 5, 2009
Feliz Cinco De Mayo!!!
For the residents in Taylorsville, and for future
visitors to the area, we have some great news for you!!!
The Grizzly Bite Cafe is open! To celebrate, they are
cooking up a special Cinco De Mayo Feast that
includes, Mahi Mahi Fish Tacos and Mexican Chocolate
Cheesecake. You best make a reservation, because we hear
that it is filling up fast! They are also hosting a
Mother's Day Brunch on Sunday, May 10th. The menu boasts
Eggs Benedict and an Asparagus Tart. Call for reservations
at (530)284-1010.
Be sure to stop in and sample goodies from their daily
menu!! Regular hours begin May 15 and are as follows:
Friday: 11am to 2:30pm and 5pm to 9pm
Saturday & Sunday: 8am to 2:30pm
May 2, 2009
"The Northern Arrives"
"The Northern" steam train # 844 made its
way up the Feather River Canyon and stopped at the Keddie
Wye for an hour for the Golden Spike ceremony. Several rail
fans who stopped in at the Visitors Bureau office afterwards
and witnessed this historic event, told us that "there were
people everywhere, some even perched on top of rocks at the
Wye to get a photo of the famous engine". We
hope there weren't any casualties!
John
Sheehan of Quincy, was one of the many admirers who came
out to see # 844 roll on in to Quincy today. He
took these great shots at Quincy Junction Road shortly
after noon as it made it's way through town heading to
the Western Pacific Railroad Museum in Portola
where it will be stationed all day on Sunday, May
2nd on a layover from 8 am to 6 pm for public
viewing. If you have questions, call the museum at (530)
832-4131.
April 30, 2009
Steam Train Coming Through Feather River Canyon
Saturday

The world famous Union Pacific Steam Train #844, also
known as "The Northern" will leave Oroville at 8:00
am on Saturday, May 2 and is scheduled to stop at the
Keddie for one hour between 11:30 am and 12:30 pm.
The Steam engine is scheduled be at The Portola
Railroad Museum by 3:00 pm. So, for all of you train
enthusiasts out there, be sure to grab your cameras and your
families and head to one of these Plumas County destinations
for a rare glimpse of this Steam Engine.
If you get some good shots, send them in to us and we
will share them on our Blog!!!
You can
keep updated on Engine #844's progress and itinerary and
and you can also
follow the engine on Twitter.
April 23, 2009
Streams Open For Fishing Saturday
At
last, stream fishing season is here! This Saturday,
April 25, Plumas County will be the place to be on
opening day. Bring the family and your fishing poles and
enjoy the High Sierra in all it's glory. Be sure to
have your fishing license! Children under 16 years of age
do not need a license to fish.
If you head in to Plumas County to fish The Feather River
or one of the many creeks, streams or even lakes, send us
some photos and a recap of your time spent here. We love to
post your stories and share your photos on our
Plumas
Buzz and if you catch some wild flowers on camera, we
will add them to our
Bloom Blog.
Be sure to stop by The Plumas County Visitors Bureau for
any guides, maps, and be sure to grab one of our brand new
2009-2010 Visitors Guide. You can also
order a
guide to be mailed to you.
April 22, 2009
A Day At The Railroad Museum
Rick from Lake Almanor writes to us:

"My daughter and I spent the
afternoon climbing into locomotive cabs,
cabooses and passenger cars that are on
display at the Western Pacific
Railroad Museum in Portola. David
Epling, Museum Manager and engineer
instructor took us for a ride down the
tracks and taught us how to drive a

locomotive with their
"Run-A-Locomotive" program. A
certificate suitable for framing is
given to you after every RAL
instruction."
"Unlike other railroad museums,
this facility wants their visitors to
get a hands-on experience by sitting in
the engineer's seat. What a great idea
for kids, they will be grinning from
ear-to-ear!! Another special place to
spend the day in beautiful Plumas
County. All aboard!!!"
April 22, 2009
Seats available for steam train
through Feather River Canyon
If
you've ever dreamed of riding a steam
train through the scenic Feather River
Canyon, now's your chance!
On Saturday, May 2, the
world-famous Union Pacific steam
locomotive #844 (otherwise known as
"The Northern") will run from Oroville
to Portola, and 50 seats are
currently available for "just" $1,000
(includes lunch.)
The journey on this historic train
(built in 1944), is part of a Feather
River Rail Society fundraiser
celebrating the 100th anniversary of the
opening of the Western Pacific Railroad.
The train leaves Oroville at 8 a.m.,
will stop at the famous Keddie Wye,
and arrives at the Western Pacific
Railroad Museum at Portola at 3 p.m. An
optional return by motorcoach is
included.
The
Northern will then be on public display
at the museum on Sunday and Monday, May
3-4. It leaves Portola Tuesday, May
5 for Winnemucca, NV (seats for that
excursion are also available for $500.)
Get your tickets for this rare
excursion before they sell out by
calling the Western Pacific Railroad
Museum at (530) 832-4131. In addition to
the train ride, you'll get a
complementary one-year membership to the
Feather River Rail Society, which
operates the museum. You'll also be
entered in a raffle for a free
Run-A-Locomotive ride at the museum.
For those of you that don't get
seats, there will be plenty of places to
view and photograph this historic steam
train as it heads east through Plumas
County. Come help celebrate Western
Pacific Railroad's Centennial!
For information about
lodging and
restaurants in the Portola Area
please call The Plumas County Visitors
Bureau (530) 283-6345.
April 20, 2009
Bloom Blog Promoted on Bay Area Radio
Show
Plumas
County Visitors Bureau's
"Bloom Blog" was promoted on Bay Area
KGO Radio on Saturday! John Hamilton, host
of the "On the Go with KGO" travel show,
interviewed bureau director Suzi Brakken for
some 20 minutes at 6:35 a.m.....they talked
about wildflower watching, the Feather River
Canyon, golf, the Lakes Basin Recreation
Area, train attractions and more! Following
the interview, several listeners called in
to request the just-released 2009-2010
Plumas County Visitors Guide, which features
wildflowers on the cover.
Hamilton and KGO Radio has long been a fan
of Plumas County fall foliage, and we are
grateful for him for helping us promote
SPRING as well!
Earth Day Star Tour Planned
Meet: Quincy High School Tennis
Courts, Wednesday, April 22 at 8pm
(Quincy High School is located at the
corner of Main Street and Quincy Junction
Road)
Come
and celebrate earth day with a guided view
of the stars! Dennis Coker will host a tour
of several constellations and recommends
bringing a coat, eyes and/or telescope and
any questions you may have.
Center of Attraction: Gemini
Constellation
Sites To Behold: Saturn,
Constellation Orion, Leo The Lion, The
Constellation Canis Major and Minor, The
Winter Triangle-(Sirius, Procyon,
Betelgeuse)
Spring has sprung in Downtown Quincy

If you are lucky enough to live in downtown
Quincy or you have been visiting this past
weekend, you have certainly noticed the
brilliant cherry and various fruit trees
that have blossomed over the past week. This
photo was taken in front of The dentist
office next to the Quincy Natural Foods in
Downtown Quincy. Check out our
Bloom Blog for other flower viewing in
Plumas County.
April 15, 2009
Earth Day
Activities planned for April 22
Wednesday, April 22 1-5pm Earth Day
Bazaar
Plumas County Office of Education Lawn, Main
Street, Downtown Quincy
Activities Include:
* Recycled Art Exhibit
* Composting Workshop
* Bike Tune Up Station
* Children's Activities
* Alder St. Garden Workshop 1-2pm meet at
Garden
* Cemetery Hill Workday 1-2pm meet at Quincy
HS
Call Allison for any questions: 530-283-5758
Performances:
* Four Hairy Naked Chickens
* John Muir Impersonator, Lee Stetson-
7:30pm at Town Hall
Theatre
April 9, 2009
Taste of Plumas on Saturday

The Plumas-Sierra County Fairgrounds will
be serving a plethora of local culinary
specialties paired with fine wine and
micro-brews at the annual "Taste of Plumas"
event in Quincy.
Come and sample from: Alley Cat
Cafe, American Valley Baking, Bella Luna
Creative Catering, Cafe Le Coq, The Drunk
Brush, Dunn's Coffee and Fine Teas, FRC's
Culinary Program, Gamboni's Peninsula Grill,
Genesee Bistro, Greenhorn Guest Ranch, The
Grille at the Chalet View, Longboards,
Moon's, Morning Thunder, Mt. Tomba, Pangaea,
Quincy Natural Foods, Southern Accent and
Trattoria Rosa.
This is a great way to mingle with local
people in a fun and appetizing setting. For
information please call Plumas Arts at
(530)283-3402.
April 7, 2009
First Sloat Towne Hall Free Music
Night

About a dozen people showed up for the
first Sloat Towne Hall Free Music Night.
Everyone enjoyed sharing their musical
talents, laughter and a potluck dessert bar.
The participants brought guitars,
harmonicas, autoharp, fiddle and lungs for
this "hootenanny". Banjo players are going
to be scouted for the next of monthly
gatherings. The date for the next music
gathering at The Sloat Towne Hall is
April 25 at 7pm. Bring some dessert and
your musical styling's for an enjoyable
evening. See our event
calendar for future Sloat Towne Hall
gatherings or go to
www.sloattownhall.com.
April 2, 2009
Seminar teaches how to be a wildlife
rehabilitator
 With
spring approaching, and the human population
ever encroaching, it is likely that wild
animal and human interactions will increase.
In a one day seminar hosted by Lake Tahoe
Wildlife Inc. registrants 8 years and
older will learn about wildlife care. Topics
include capture, handling and transportation
of wildlife, anatomy and examination,
housing and first aid, and diet and feeding
techniques for animals.
The
class is taught by Cheryl
Millham,
founder and executive director of LTWC, a
non-profit, volunteer organization whose
goal is to "raise, rehabilitate and release"
wildlife through the care of licensed
rehabilitators and volunteers trained in
home foster care.

The comprehensive class is Saturday, April
25, from 8am to 4pm, and will be held in
Quincy. Registration is $50 per person
and includes one training manual,
registration after April 17 is $60. As a
safe guard, registrants under 16 must be
accompanied by an adult.
For more information, call Robin
Thielman-Gifford at (530)283-3039.
March 31, 2009
Indian Valley is starting to thaw out!
Last
Sunday, Christie Brawley (me), web marketing
manager for Plumas County Visitors Bureau
and 2 girlfriends took a bike ride around
beautiful Indian Valley. We parked
our cars at the Taylorsville Tavern
and rode out to Crescent Mills and
over to Stampfli Lane. We biked
across the valley where we came across a
pair of Sandhill Cranes sunbathing in
all their glory. The ponds no longer have
ice on them, so that means, at long last,
spring is here. Although it was chilly and
windy, we had a fantastic ride. We stopped
for lun ch
at the bridge on Stampfli Lane near North
Valley Road. At the end of our ride, we
saddled up to the bar at the Taylorsville
Tavern for a much deserved (in our minds),
Bloody Mary. Great way to spend a Sunday!
March 24, 2009
New Plumas County Visitors Guide
Coming Soon
If you need a new, updated version of the
Plumas County Visitors Guide, you can put
your order for one in now by emailing us at
info@plumascounty.org. The guide is
being published in April and will be good
through April of 2010.
March 19, 2009
High Sierra Music Festival Line Up
Announced
For
those of us who wait anxiously all year for
the
High Sierra Music Festival to come to
Quincy, it is always fun to see the
line-up when it is announced. This year
Quincy and HSMF will welcome the musical
talents of many celebrated artists, such as
The
Wailers,
Ani DiFranco,
Disco Biscuits, and many, many more.
March 18, 2009
CNN Covers World Championship
Longboard Races
Despite
wintery conditions, that included heavy
winds and snow, there was an impressive
turnout at the Historic Longboard Revival
Series Races in Johnsville last Sunday.
While the veteran longboarders are always
favored to win, the young men of the group
took the championship, while the veteran
women came out on top. Brett Marty of
Quincy won the men's race and Sue
Jackson of Quincy won the ladies race.
Cable News Network (CNN) acquired a
video from a free lance journalist who
attended and not only posted it on their
site but featured it on the nightly news.
You can view the hilarious video at
http://www.ireport.com/docs/DOC-230596.
March 16, 2009
Jay
Read of High Sierra ATV Tours sent us
some amazing photo's of his Arctic Cats with
tracks installed on them. For a very
reasonable price, Jay and his team will take
you out to the top of a mountain of snow.
These ATV's are unbelievably reliable in
deep snow. Jay mentioned that he got his
snowmobile stuck in the snow so he grabbed
one of these ATV's with the tracks installed
and it pulled the snowmobile right out. You
can check out their website for more
information at
www.highsierraatvtours.com.
Jay
has invited us to come out for a tour, so
stay tuned- we will be sure to post photo's
from our adventure!
March 11, 2009
Men Of Worth at The Town Hall Theatre,
Thursday March 12
The folk-music duo, Men of Worth, was
formed by James Keigher (Ireland) and Donnie
Macdonald ( Scotland)
in 1986. Both exiles, it was through the
Celtic music scene in Southern California
that James and Donnie first met, and within
a couple of years a partnership developed
that was simultaneously serious and fun.
Geographical changes now find James and
Donnie living in Southern Oregon and
Northern California respectively. Whilst
remaining true to their Gaelic roots, Men of
Worth have successfully evolved as
entertainers. A natural progression toward
education and travel has sealed the next
decade as an exciting and pioneering era for
the versatile duo. Cultural presentations in
Schools have received rave reviews by
students and teachers alike.
The experience of a vacation in Ireland, and
in Scotland, escorted by James and Donnie is
now a reality. The Men of Worth travel
program began in April 2003 in the Scottish
Highlands, and has continued with great
success with two tours each year in
Scotland, and two tours each year in
Ireland. You can browse their website
and learn more about their journeys,
at
www.menofworth.com.
March 10, 2009
World championship longboard races are
on for this weekend!
With the snow fall we had last
week and the sunshine we have in the
forecast for Sunday, the races this weekend
are going to be fantastic. Pack a picnic
or buy some BBQ at the races, an d
bring the family out to Plumas-Eureka
State Park in
Johnsville. There will be live music,
friendly people and lots of laughs. With
spring looming before us, this would be a
good time to get the kids out for some snow
play. While the racing area is not a
permitted area for sledding, there are
designated spots nearby. Don't forget your
sunglasses, the bright sun on that white
snow can cause a ferocious glare, and
sunscreen is a must have.

Plumas County Visitors Bureau is on
Twitter and Facebook
If you are one of millions using the
networking sites, Facebook or
Twitter, you can also find us, The
Plumas County Visitor Bureau on both sites
now! For quick updates on current Plumas
County events and calendar updates, join our
network. We joined Facebook last month and
already, it was the #6 referring site for
www.plumascounty.org! We are heading to
a tech training next month where we will
learn how to promote Plumas County using
Twitter and be linked with other Visitors
Bureaus, so rest assured, we are keeping up
with the times and the current media
technologies. We will be sure to blog about
what we learned at the Western
Association of Convention and Visitors
Bureaus Tourism Tech Summit in Oakland
and share all of the mind blowing
information we bring home with us!
March 4, 2009
The snow hid all the cars last night!
Our
Plumas Corp Administrative Assistant,
Barbara, lives off of C Road and sent
us a photo of her car, or what used to be
her car, that was completely blanketed with
snow this morning. Barbara and the rest of
our Eastern Plumas County
population, got their exercise shoveling and
digging their cars out so they could drive
to work today. Mountain living in the winter
at its finest!!
New Geocaching page on website
We published a
page dedicated to geocaching on our
website. If you have any photos or stories
to share with us from your geocaching
explorations, please email them to
info@plumascounty.org .
March 3, 2009
Father and daughter duo visit the
Kohm Yah-Mah-Nee Visitor Center
Rick
Barlupi, of Lake Almanor sends this account of his recent
snowshoeing visit to Lassen Volcanic
National Park:
"My daughter and I went to
Lassen National Park last Friday to see the
new Kohm-Yah-Mah-Nee visitor center and to
see how much snow fell since the last storm.
WOW!! They have a new theatre inside the
center showing a park film that is played in
high definition with digital surround sound.
After we hiked to the Sulphur Works Area, we
came back to the lodge and sat around the
huge stonework
fireplace and enjoyed the warmth with a cup
of hot chocolate from the restaurant. The
new visitor center is first class, I must
say."
March 2, 2009
Young Plumas County Artist Shows
Amazing Talent!
Lacy
Ringo of Quincy, has been a student with Plumas Charter
School since the
ninth grade (she is currently a Junior). Her
artistic abilities are known county- wide
because of her participation in art shows,
where she has demonstrated her skill at
capturing the fluidity of the moving horse.
This year, Lacy has branched out include 3-D
art in the form of ceramics— at which she
demonstrates impressive skill— as well as
murals and paintings. This jungle mural is
in the office of Lacy’s teacher at PCS. The
mural unfolds a jungle scene brimming with
movement and life.

If you are interested in a custom mural or
other painting, contact Lacy for more
information. Lacy can be reached at Plumas
Charter School on Tuesdays and Thursdays
from 10am-3:30pm. (530)283-3851

February 25, 2009
Snowmobiling,
Fun for all ages....until the sled gets
stuck!
As
you can see, these pictures tell a great
story.... Suzi Brakken of Graeagle and her
friend Rich Carmichael took her son Sam out
for a fun day of snowmobiling to the top of
Bucks Lake last Saturday, all the way to
Four Trees.
It
was a beautiful day for a ride, until they
hit the soft powdery snow. Thanks to Rich's
fine knowledge of digging, packing and
making a "bed" out of the snow, and a
couple of fellow sledders, they were able to
free up the sled and continue on their ride.
Sam learned that starting the sled, "helmet
hair", and digging the sled out are some of
the
obstacles of snowmobiling. So not only did
he have a wonderful day in the Plumas
County
back country, but it was a learning
experience as well. We're sure he had a
wonderful story to tell his friends at
school on Monday!

February 24, 2009
Plumas Longboards Ski Club T-Shirts
Available at Visitors Center
Phil Gallagher of The Plumas Ski Club
brought in new Ski Club T-Shirts with a
brand new design. These T-Shirts are
available here at our visitor center for the
bargain price of $15.00 for the short sleeve
and $20.00 for the long sleeve. As you can
see,
these shirts are very stylish and will look
great on everyone. He said that there were
"girlie" T-Shirts made, but if you want to
purchase one of these, you have to come to
the next Longboards Race on March 15 at
Johnsville to get one. Hmmm...is this a ploy
to get the Plumas County ladies up on the
hill? I think so.
February 23, 2009
Snowshoeing up Eureka Peak

Eastern Plumas County residents Amy and
Steve Koenig took advantage of the ample
snowfall last week and took a long
snowshoe hike to Eureka Peak from the
parking lot above Johnsville. Here's a
post from Amy's Facebook page on the
journey:
"It was a 4-hour trip. The up was
pretty hardcore- had to plug in the Ipod
for some musical motivation to keep me
going on the way up. We were sore but
the views were worth it! Yes, it only
took us an hour going down."

This race was
cancelled due to high winds. Next race is
March 15. See you there!
February 12, 2009
Fresh Powder For Longboard Races!!

With all of this fresh snow, The
Longboard Races at Plumas-Eureka Ski Bowl
are guaranteed to be a huge success! Put on
your old fashioned garb and bring the family
for a day in Johnsville! The races start
around noon and there will be BBQ hamburgers
and hot dogs. The weather is supposed to be
cold and windy, so dress warm, because the
races are going to go on rain, snow, sleet,
or shine.

February 11, 2009
Mardi Gras
Anyone??
We
sure have missed our Plumas Community Radio!
Now is our chance to come out and raise some
money to help bring it back! Join the
supporters of the Plumas Community Radio and
celebrate Mardi Gras with Live music, DJ,
Dancing and of course plenty of colorful
beads to get you in the mood! Put your
favorite Mardi Gras costume on and come to
The Quincy Vets Hall, Friday, Feb. 20. Doors
open at 8pm. Tickets are $5.00 at the door.
2009 Snowmobile Drag Races in Chester
Cancelled
The Chester Lake Almanor Chamber of
Commerce has regretfully cancelled the
Snowmobile Drag Races scheduled for Feb.
28-March 1, but the Snowmobile Cross Country
Race for Feb, 21st is still on! So if your
are up for taking your snowmobile cross
country, head up to Chester on Sat. February
21st!! For more info call the chamber at
258-2426.
Chester/Lake Almanor Snowmobile Poker
Run Rescheduled

The Chester-Lake Almanor snowmobile
poker run scheduled for Saturday,
February 14 has been postponed until
Saturday, March 7. The event registration
will be from 8 a.m. until 9 a.m. and the
event will start at 9 a.m. at the Chester
Snow Mobile Park at Hwy 36 & 89. For
questions, contact Jeannie Cessarin
530-284-7469.
Meanwhile, the Lake Davis Poker Run
is still on for this weekend (Saturday,
Feb. 14) as scheduled. Registration is 9-11
a.m. For questions, call 800-995-6057.
February 10, 2009
Unique Valentine's Day Gift from
Plumas County
If you are searching for the perfect
gift for your sweetie for Valentine's Day,
how about a golf cart? Plumas Pines Golf
Resort, is replacing their entire fleet of
2004 DS 48 Volt Electric Club Cars. From now
until the end of March you can own a golf
cart for the bargain price of $2000 plus
tax. If you're not local or a nearby
homeowner, you'll need a pickup truck with
ramp to transport the gift. The carts will
need a bit of upgrades to make them street
legal, but tooling around in them on your
own property is no problem. Contact Brandon
Bowling, PGA Head Golf Professional, at
530-836-1420.
|
February 6, 2009
The
first Downtown Quincy Art Walk of 2009 will take place
tonight from 5 to 8 pm. The works of local artists
Beth
McMorrow and Micaela Rubalcava will be featured at the
Plumas Arts Gallery at the opening reception. The
Studio Gallery, The Eagles Nest, and Epilog Bookstore will
also feature exhibits. A special sale at the Studio Gallery
from 5 to 8 pm will offer 40% off selected
artwork.
Recent
storm activity has brought some fresh snow to higher
elevations just in time for the Snowdrifters Poker Run at
Bucks Lake this Saturday. Breakfast will be served
from 7 - 10:30 am at the
Bucks Lake Lodge. Registration begins at 8 am and maps
will be available that locate the five checkpoints along
approximately 50 mile route. For more information,
call (530) 283-2262.
Keep those snow toys out as more snow is expected early
next week according to the
National Weather
Service.
A couple of local organizations will be serving up some
good food this Saturday. Start off the day with a
pancake breakfast at the Quincy Masonic Temple from 7 to
10:30 am. Or head up to Lake Almanor for the Peninsula
Fireman's Association annual crab feed beginning at 5
pm. Space is limited for the crab feed, so get your
tickets early at Station #2, or call (530) 259-2306.
February 2, 2009
What weather we had to end January over the weekend! The
w
arm
temperatures sent Plumas County residents to the
out-of-doors, with options for both snow and non-snow
activities. Up in the
Lakes Basin
Recreation Area, snowmobilers enjoyed plenty of
groomed
and ungroomed trail, and one popular spot was the ride to
Mills Peak lookout. As you can see from the photos, this
ride offers nice views of the Sierra Buttes, home to another
lookout.
And for those not into snowplay, Saturday was an excellent
day for a bike ride around Sierra Valley, as a small group
of Quincy riders discovered. They were not the only
bikers on the road --- the
Plumas-Sierra Bicycle
Club also had a ride that day, complete with a stop at
the Blue Moon Bakery in Loyalton for strawberry waffles.
If you are interested in riding in Eastern Plumas, the
club's website has maps of favorite routes. You can also
join this enthusiastic group of bikers on a ride sometime.
It's not every day that one witnesses a vintage Chinese
warplane fly by their window,
but
that is exactly what happened at the Visitors Bureau this
afternoon. A couple of pilots flew into Gansner
Airfield (Quincy) for the day in their Nanchang CJ6 warbird,
which was once a trainer for Chinese air force pilots.
You just never know what a day in Plumas County will
present!
January 23, 2009
Yes, it's a little wet outside today in Plumas County,
but the precipitation is much needed, and of course, more
snow to pursue our various winter activities will be most
welcome!
A good time was had by all who went out to participate or
be a spectator at the first
Longboard
races of 2009 this past Sunday. As predicted there
were thrills, chills, and a few spills, and a lot of fun for
all! This unique event where the participants wear period
clothing, never fails to deliver as you can see from these
photos shared by photographer Bill Obernesser (we
would also like note that he took the photos used in the
January 15 Buzz). Thanks, Bill!

It never hurts to be good at several sports as this
longboarder (below right) demonstrates the "slide into
homeplate" method of stopping after crossing the finish
line.


And speaking of the longboard races, the Plumas Ski
Club's 17th Annual Redstreake Snow Ball is this Saturday
night
at Longboards Bar & Grill in Graeagle starting at
7:00 pm ~ Hors d'oeuvers ~ No Host Bar ~ Dancing from 8:30
pm until 12:00 am. The Royale Deuces will be the featured
musicians (photo courtesy of Steve Liebenberg).
Tickets $40 in advance $45 at the door. Limited quantity
available at Dollard's, Graeagle Store, River Pines Resort,
Epilog and Quincy Natural Foods.
January 21, 2009
Though we all wished there was more snow "up thar in
those hills", there is still enough to enjoy various outdoor
winter activities. We continue to receive stories from
visitors enjoying their time in Plumas County, such as
John Cramer from Lodi who sent the following account of
his trip and photo of his daughters:
"Dear Plumas Buzz: I was just looking at your
website, noticed your new link,
'Plumas Buzz'. Pretty cool. Here's is one picture for
ya. I came up from Lodi with my two daughter's
(eating ice
popsicles at right)
a couple of
weeks ago, enjoyed the weekend, stayed at a motel in
Chester. We had a wonderful time in the snow; walking
along the lake and throwing snow balls. Took a trip up
to see the new lodge at Mt. Lassen Park, very nice.
Went on the Saturday, snow shoe hike with the ranger.
The girls really enjoyed it!!! See you again soon."
January 15, 2009
JANUARY 18th LONGBOARD RACES ARE ON!!!
The Visitors Bureau received the official word this
morning that this Sunday's Longboard Races will be held as
scheduled. Expect "chills, thrills, and
spills" says
a
representative of the
Plumas Ski
Club.
This 'not-to-be-missed' event will begin at noon, but folks
usually start showing up around 9 am to enjoy a little
sledding or skiing before the races. Races are open to
spectators and participants, and are held at the Eureka Ski
Bowl located within
Plumas-Eureka State Park, approximately 5 miles
west of Graeagle. (photos courtesy of Bill Obernesser).

This year, along with the fun, music, and food, you will
probably see a camera crew or two among the crowd ... Yes,
this unique, historical event continues to attract national
attention, most recently in
Forbes magazine, the Boston Globe and the Denver Post.
More ways to enjoy winter in Plumas County....
R. Barlupi of Lake Almanor sent us this
report and photo of recent outing with his daughter -
"Dear
Plumas Buzz: Lake Almanor is beautiful during the winter,
especially at Almanor, on the west side of the lake.
Since the Forest Service campground is closed, the cabins
boarded up for the winter, and the Plumas Pines Resort &
Restaurant closed, the west shore is very tranquil and
loaded with a lot snow since it is in the shade most of the
day. Last weekend, my daughter and I spent the day
sitting on the jetties and taking a scenic snowshoe trek
along the shoreline toward Almanor west subdivision.
As you can see, we brought our chairs, camera, very hot
coffee mixed with chocolate and enjoyed our mochas, sunshine
and fun in the snow."
For those wanting to do a little
snowmobiling this weekend, check out the
update on
groomed trails from the Lassen National Forest office.
January 7, 2009
Thanks to a snowy December, snowmobilers are having some
early season fun in Plumas County for the first time in
years!

There are hundreds of miles of groomed trails and numerous
designated staging areas throughout the
Plumas National Forest, as well as many more miles
of ungroomed, but marked routes. Detailed route maps
are available through Plumas National Forest (530) 283-2050,
Lassen National Forest (530) 258-2141, or the
Plumas County
Visitors Bureau (800) 326-2247. For those who may
have rented snowmobile equipment in the past, Majors'
Outpost at Lake Almanor will NOT be offering rentals or
tours this season.
Here's a shot of some off-trail venturing in the Lakes
Basin Recreation Area...one of many hot spots for
snowmobilers. We expect the action is the same at Bucks,
La Porte, Almanor, Davis and other popular
locations, and are hoping those sledders will send along
some action photos like this one!
January 2, 2009
HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Ready or not, 2009 is upon us and what
better way to celebrate than to go out and enjoy a scenic
snowshoe trek in Lassen Volcanic National Park. That
is exactly what Terri and TK did to welcome the new year.
They explored the Park's new visitor's center, complete with
a fireplace and hot drinks to welcome you after some fun in
the snow. For those who are interested, Lassen Park
offers ranger-led snowshoe hikes throughout winter on
Saturdays . See their
website for more details, or call (530)-595-4480.