Waterfront Recreational Properties and Vacation Rentals

The ROCKHOUSE on Famous Hat Creek

Hat Creek

I just came across an announcement about a unique home on Hat Creek that is available for short term vacation rentals.  It is called the ROCKHOUSE, and sits on 1/2 mile of Hat Creek.  Here is a link to the listing on the internet:  ROCKHOUSE ON FAMOUS HAT CREEK.  A vacation rental in this or other recreational areas would be a terrific way to get to know an area in which you may be considering a purchase of a vacation home.  An excellent resource to find such properties is Vacation Rental by Owner, or VRBO.  These are individually owned properties that are available for short term vacation rentals.  I have utilized this service several times, and have had only good experiences.  The homes usually have little guest-comment books in them which offer great tips about what to see and do, and it gives you a local perspective and contacts that a hotel in town will never be able to match.  Check it out and let me know if you find any good places to recommend to others!

Lisa Collins
Is a Realtor in Northern California
Specializing in Riverfront Property

Lisa@ReddingRiverQueen.com
530-953-8542
www.ReddingRiverQueen.com

Clean Water Restoration Act or Federal Land Grab?

“He who controls the water, controls life!”  It’s been said in many ways, by many people from Shakespeare to Bruce Babbitt, and the truth of it is indisputable.  Senate Bill S.787 was introduced on April 2, 2009 by Senator Russell Feingold (D) Wisconsin.

I will provide links at the end of this article so you can read it for yourself, but the essence of the bill is that control of virtually all water in our country (including streams, intermittent streams, mudflats, sandflats, wetlands, sloughs, prairie potholes, wet meadows, and playa lakes) will be handed over to the government of the United States.  This means that if you have any kind of water on your property, they will have the right to tell you what you can and can’t do with your property, and perhaps charge you accordingly!  If you think the US Government is the best protector of  this precious resource, then sit back and do nothing.  But if you think maybe, just maybe, property owners have the right, intelligence, and capability of taking better care of their own property – then you might want to take note of this alarming development.

The title of this Bill makes it sound like something that anyone should be in favor of – but the devil is in the details – please take a moment to consider all the implications that come with this action!

The Library of Congress, Thomas List: Bill S.787

Full Text of Bill S.787

Summary and Status of Bill S.787

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Lisa Collins
Is a Realtor in Northern California
Specializing in Riverfront Property

Lisa@ReddingRiverQueen.com
530-953-8542
www.ReddingRiverQueen.com

Cartoon courtesy of The Westerner Blog Spot

Mother's Day On The River

Just want to make sure you all know that our two lovely local riverfront restaurants have mother’s days specials and gorgeous weather available for the big day tomorrow!  The Riverview Restaurant on Gover Road in Anderson (503-365-3011) is offering a champagne brunch from 10am to 1pm, and Rivers Restaurant on Hemsted in Redding (530-223-5606) is offering a special four-course dinner from 4-10pm.  So, theoretically you could enjoy both in one day!  My dear family took me to the Riverview Brunch last year and it was glorious!

Lisa@ReddingRiverQueen.com
530-953-8542
Lisa Collins
Realtor, Riverfront Specialist
www.ReddingRiverQueen.com

Whitewater in the North State 2009

Tim Holt wrote a great article in today’s (Sunday, May 3rd) Record Searchlight about whitewater recreation in the North State.   It prompted me to add the companies to my Whitewater Link Page, and to encourage you to read the article.  Below is a link to the article as well as the Rafting Companies mentioned in the article – Paddles Up!

http://www.redding.com/news/2009/may/03/rafting-firm-keeps-rolling-on-the-river/

Siskiyou County rafting companies:

Klamath River Outfitters

Living Waters Recreation

River Country Rafting

River Dancers

Turtle River Rafting Co.

Lisa Collins
Northern California Realtor
Specializing in Riverfront Property

Lisa@ReddingRiverQueen.com
530-953-8542
www.ReddingRiverQueen.com

Shasta Mayflies Offer Scholarship to Kids Fly Fishing Camp

As a specialist in our beautiful North State Riverfront Property, I feel it is my duty to do as much fly fishing on the local rivers as possible.  So to help keep me on the water, I joined up with the fabulous Shasta Mayflies organization and attended my first meeting last night.  Naturally, they were a great group of folk who welcomed me warmly and I can’t wait to join them at the Redding Library this Saturday for a fly fishing bootcamp.  The meeting itself started off, rightfully, with everyone’s fish stories from the past month.  You should have heard about the amazing colored trout that one member caught in the lower Sac, and how she described it to the DFG officer that floated by . . . well, you had to be there.

One of the neatest things this organization does is give two scholarships to kids to attend the amazing Kids FlyFish Camp put on by the Fly Shop every summer at their own Antelope Creek Lodge in the shadows of Mt. Shasta.  It’s a 5-day, 4-night ultimate fly-fishing adventure for boys and girls ages 10-15.  The fee is $750 per camper, and includes amazing instruction, mentoring, all the gear, food – everything but the sleeping bag.  A great value, but still a bit steep for many kids and their families, especially in the current economic environment.  That’s where the Mayflies, as well as the Shasta Trinity Fly Fishers, and the Golden West Womens Flyfisher Foundation and their offer of scholarships are a wonderful option.  It’s pretty easy to apply, so if you know any boys or girls who would love this kind of adventure – I encourage you to check it out.  The deadline for scholarship applications is March 2nd, so time is of the essence.  Here’s a link to the scholarship information: FISHCAMP SCHOLARSHIPS

Lisa Collins
Is a Realtor in Northern California
Specializing in Riverfront Property

Lisa@ReddingRiverQueen.com
530-953-8542
www.ReddingRiverQueen.com

Share Your River Story And Win A Chance For A Gift Certificate To Rivers Restaurant!

Whether you live on the river, play on the river, or just admire it from a distance, you are invited to share your thoughts and photos at a new feature on the Redding River Queen site!  In return for your contribution, your name will be placed in a drawing to win a gift certificate to the fabulous new restaurant on the Sacramento river in Redding, appropriately named Rivers Restaurant!  It’s easy – all you have to do is go to www.ReddingRiverQueen.com, click on the top tab that says “Life on the River” and follow the link to the simple form with your story, photo, words of river wisdom or favorite river quote.

We just got a wonderful contribution this morning from a river fan who reminded us of the River Bank chapter from the classic tale, The Wind in the Willows – enjoy:
`I beg your pardon,’ said the Mole, pulling himself together with an effort. `You must think me very rude; but all this is so new to me.  So–this–is–a–River!’

`The River,’ corrected the Rat.

`And you really live by the river? What a jolly life!’

`By it and with it and on it and in it,’ said the Rat. `It’s brother and
sister to me, and aunts, and company, and food and drink, and
(naturally) washing. It’s my world, and I don’t want any other. What it hasn’t got is not worth having, and what it doesn’t know is not worth knowing. Lord! the times we’ve had together! Whether in winter or summer, spring or autumn, it’s always got its fun and its excitements. When the floods are on in February, and my cellars and basement are brimming with drink that’s no good to me, and the brown water runs by my best bedroom window; or again when it all drops away and, shows patches of mud that smells like plum-cake, and the rushes and weed clog the channels, and I can potter about dry shod over most of the bed of it and find fresh food to eat, and things careless people have dropped out of boats!’

Lisa Collins
Is a Realtor in Northern California
Specializing in Riverfront Property

Lisa@ReddingRiverQueen.com
530-953-8542
www.ReddingRiverQueen.com

Sunny November Morning on the Sacramento River Trail

Can you tell where on the Sacramento River Trail this photo was taken? If you email me with the correct location, you win a $5 gift certificate to the coffee joint of your choice!

Saturday, November 15th was an amazingly warm and balmy day here in the heart of Shasta County.  My friends Mary and Jan joined me for a mid-morning bike ride on the fabulous Sacramento River Trail, which was teeming with activity. Couples of all ages strolling hand-in-hand, families with little ones on training wheels and cattywampus helmets, strollers, dogs of all shapes and sizes – all dutifully walking on leashes and owners had plastic-bags in hand.  One gallant mom was running, and keeping up amazinigly well with her young daughter who was setting quite a pace on her bicycle!  We met them as they were coming down a steep part of the trail, and the mom still had enough breath left to say ‘honey, slow down a little bit!’ 

The coolest group we ran across was Clint C.Blackwell (far left) and friends and family of Troop 59 who are working on sprucing up the benches along the river trail.  A very personable young man, Clint is working on obtaining his Eagle Scout classification – I have no doubt he’ll achieve it!

As you know, I specialize in riverfront properties, and as such, am quite a stickler for clarity about what constitues a riverfront house.  Most of my clients are looking for something who’s property lines go right to the middle of the river.  However, I wouldn’t turn down a chance to live in one of the lovely homes along the north side of the river trail.  They may not have riparian rights, but walking out your back door, opening the back gate and setting foot on the river trail doesn’t suck!  We passed one such home Saturday, listed by my associate, Jerry Martin. Click here or on photo to go to listing details.

Lisa Collins
Is a Realtor in Northern California
Specializing in Riverfront Property

Lisa@ReddingRiverQueen.com
530-953-8542
www.ReddingRiverQueen.com

Bidwell Ranch in Hat Creek – The Perfect Location For A Fantastic Fly Fishing Weekend!

On one warm and wonderful weekend in September, Wilderness Unlimited and B.O.W. put together an incredible weekend of fly fishing instruction for women only at the Bidwell Ranch in Hat Creek, California.  World renown fly fishing instructors coached us in everything from sub-surface nymphing, to tying flies, to striving for the perfect loop in our casting.  Susan Herrgesell was the energetic force behind the event, and made sure everyone had the time of their lives.  The Bidwell Ranch is a private working ranch that features five