"I wanted a campground that was close to McCloud Falls and Mt. Shasta, plus Burney Falls on the Volcanic Legacy Scenic Byway, C-89. Site #12 was beside the road, and there was some truck noise at night, but being closest to the byway, I was first to see a deer walk through camp at dusk.

I put up my azul Ozark Trail tent with the Aerobed queen-size air mattress and made my home for the next few nights. Even though the campground was full, it was quiet, and I felt weird about plugging in my phone with my engine on for a few hours, but I needed have power for the hikes in the morning.

Instead of staking the fly open, I staked one in the middle giving me a front door and holding down the tarp in case of wind or rain.

If it rains, water will puddle, so look for a convex footprint with your head uphill. Never forget the importance of coverage, even if you don’t think it is going to rain. Although water is one of the 10 ways to find magic on the trail, water on dry blankets can drench your sweet dreams.

Two nights of chill became a little more rowdy by the weekend and the center campsite became an out-of-school reunion on bikes, scooters and wilderness walks. I love camping during the summer and if you don’t like families, I don't recommend you camp in popular areas. When the rain started, it was dinner time and most of the families had retreated to campers, so all I could hear was the pounding droplets on my tent.

After a full day of hiking, I was tired and screwed together the JetBoil and gas I picked up from REI for this trip. In less than 5 minutes I was slurping Cup of Noodles, which kept me warm even without the fire.

Before it got dark, I escaped away to the secret water hole named for the camp I was staying. With no one else around, I took a breath and looked for the light.

It started to sprinkle, and I found myself star-struck by the beauty I could create in my life on my own. C-89 Waterfall Loop is 1 of the 8 trips of magic in northern California and Cattle Camp is a dream campground along the way."