Embrace an old place to make it new and lovely again

What a pleasant surprise to arrive at Lake Isabella State Park the other day and see that the main trail system was 99% litter-free. I also noted several cars at the trailhead parking lot - I was expecting none - and soon realized that good ol' Lake Isabella was embracing the first waves of spring 2022 as a most healthy and welcoming park.

From the surprising sample of visitors I saw, I estimated the park playing host daily to dozens of hikers and dedicated dog walkers.

I hadn't visited the park in more than two years. It was somewhat on the decline during my last time there, with its champion...