LAKE SONOMA SUMER HOUSEBOAT EXCURSION

ONE SUMMER WE HAD A GREAT WEEKEND VACATION WITH OUR FRIENDS , WE TOOK A HOUSEBOAT TRIP WITH OUR CLOSEST FRIENDS AND SOME OF THEIR EXTENDED FAMILY. IT WAS A HOT SUMMER AND WE SWAM IN THE LAKE WITH INNER TUBES. THEY HAD A SMALL SKI BOAT AND WE CAMPED OVERNIGHT ON THEIR HOUSEBOAT. IT WAS GREAT SCENERY AND WE PUTTED AROUND WITH THIS HOUSEBOAT AND SAW MANY BIRDS AND SOME FISH.

THE LAKE IS A HATCHERY FOR SALMON AND STEELHEAD TROUT. THERE ARE EAGLES AND PEREGRINE FALCONS PERCHED ON SOME OF THE TREES IN THE BACK COUNTRY MOUNTAINS. THE LAKE ATTRACTS MANY FISHERMEN. THERE ARE QUITE A FEW GOOD OUTLOOKS WHERE YOU CAN VIEW THE MOUNTAINS AND FIND FIND GOOD HIKING TRAILS.

THERE ARE A FEW TALL TREES AROUND THIS LAKE AND YO9U NEED TO BRING SUNSCREEN AND HATS AS IT GETS VERY HOT. THERE IS A NICE TREE COVERED TRAIL THAT I HAVE TAKEN MANY TIMES BY THE VISITOR CENTER. IT'S ONLY ABOUT AN HOUR HIKE.AND VERY GOOD VIEWS. THEIR VISITOR CENTER WAS CREATED BY CONTRACTS WITH A COUPLE OF COMPANIES. IT HAS A RECREATED POMO VILLAGE WITH SOME MANIKINS MAKING TOOLS AND SKINNING ANIMALS. THE MOMS CARRIED THEIR BABIES ON CRADLEBOARDS AS THEY COLLECTED VARIOUS SEEDS. THEY HAVE SOME POMO MINIATURE BASKETS AND SOME FEATHER BASKETS THAT ARE SACRED TO THE POMO.

THEIR DIORAMAS EXPLAIN HOW THESE INDIGENOUS PEOPLE USED TO LIVE AND HOW THEY MADE NETS AND BASKETS. ALSO IT SHOWS HOW THEY MADE NETS AND BASKETS FOR COLLECTING FISH FROM THE RIVERS. IT ALSO TELLS A STORY OF HOW THEY MADE SOME OF THEIR TRADE ALLIANCES WITH THE TRIBES IN CLOVERDALE AND ALONG THE RUSSIAN RIVER AND ALONG THE COAST. THEY HAVE ANIMALS FROM THE AREA IN A NATURAL SETTING IN THE MUSEUM. IN THE 70'S THE ARMY CORP OF ENGINEERS DECIDED TO FLOOD THE AREA AND CREATE A LARGE DAM AS WELL AS A WATER STORAGE LAKE FOR NORTHERN SONOMA COUNTY. THEY NEEDED TO MITIGATE THE NATURAL AND CULTURAL RESOURCES. IN ORDER TO DO SO THEY HIRED ALL KINDS OF SCIENTISTS AND ARCHAEOLOGISTS. THE POMO SITES WERE TEST EXCAVATED AND SOME OF THE ARTIFACTS WERE PUT ON DISPLAY IN THE VISITOR CENTER. THEY ALSO MITIGATED THE AREA WHERE THE POMO COLLECTED SEDGE ROOT FOR MAKING BASKETS. THIS IS THE PRIMARY GRASS USED BY THEM APPARENTLY THEY RELOCATED SOME PLANTS FOR A NEW BED NEARBY THE VISITOR CENTER. THIS MITIGATION COST A LOT OF MONEY.