Alturas Cattle Country!

In our short time here in Likely California, we have seen lots of farmland and cattle.  That means cowboys, saloons and hotels.  After meeting Patty and Dan's good friend Norma in Alturas, we headed out to lunch at the 100 year old Hotel Niles.  Empty for several years, the new owners are fixing it up little by little.  They have garnered the help of the townsfolk, several of whom were invited to take on the restoration of the upstairs hotel rooms.  See Dan's blog for a view of the entire building.

A lot of the original fixtures remain, including tin ceilings in every room.  Upstairs were the sitting rooms where the women congregated while the men smoked in a special room downstairs.

Almost every window has leaded, etched or stained glass.  Even the "Bathroom" sign!!

Downstairs was the main back bar and dance hall.  Once crowded with ranch owners, cowboys and drifters, it is now used for dinners and proms.

Back at Norma's family ranch where she grew up, I was allowed to wander around and take pictures.  It was like being at MY family ranch.  Her dad used the same equipment my family did, including seeders, mowers and manure spreaders.  It was a walk back in time!

Here's the view from Norma's front window!!!

And what better than an old red barn with corrals!!

Back at our "Ranch", Patty and I went for a walk, hoping for a nice sunset.  We found a huge pond, deer tracks and more geese, but the sunset .... not so much!!

Unfortunately, on the way back, we took a different route and ended up off-road in some really sticky mud!!  With our waffle sole tennis shoes, you can imagine the mess.  Dan said no problem and pulled out his handy dandy shoe brush and helped us clean up!!

We are off this morning to a Thousand Trails park in Bend Oregon and the next great adventure!!