Our Camping Blog

Bacon, Lobster & Chorizo Burritos

2012-01-22T17:08:00.000-08:00

We were a little worried about the rain, but it turned out to be a terrific weekend for a beach trip. We headed down the 15, to the 76 and stopped in a gloomy Oceanside Harbor for lunch at Harbor Fish and Chips before heading into a less gloomy Encinitas and one of Sherry's favorite yarn stores, The Black Sheep.

By the time we got to San Elijo State Beach, it was sunny but sweatshirt temperatures. Like we do on every visit to San Elijo, we had planned on dinner at Bull Taco, but they closed early due to the weather and we settled for Subway sandwiches. Sherry always loves to go beach combing, and the tide was especially low when we got there. We got to walk way out into the tidelands, where we saw lobsters, crabs and sea anemones. Later on we went to a local bar and Sherry had a Huck Finn (blueberries, ginger ale and Jack Daniels).

Sunday morning was looking great, and we started the day with the most amazing Bacon, Lobster and Chorizo burritos. Bull Taco is one of the reasons we are willing to drive so far to camp at the beach. What other beach food stand sells this kind of grub? Their surf and turf is carne asada and grilled shrimp tacos. AMAZING. Check out the video below for a peek in the kitchen. A walk along the bluffs after breakfast provided this treat: a 1949 Oldsmobile Woody with a surfboard rack.

One of the other reasons we like San Elijo is that just a mile or so south is the town of Solana Beach, and especially their Cedros Avenue. This little street is filled with awesome galleries and shops, and then every Sunday afternoon, they have a farmer's market. This makes for a perfect winter beach weekend. Jealous? You should be!

The Holy Grail of LED Lamps

2012-01-16T16:31:00.000-08:00

LEDtrailerlights.com

Boondocking is camping off the grid, unconnected, and away from it all. This can be a drain on batteries, and there is nothing that spoils "away from it all" like a churning generator. The key is power conservation. I've tried a lot of LED lamps; looking for the right color, the right brightness and the right fit in standard RV fixtures. This is it.

I've installed one of these in three of our most used RV fixtures (the table, the kitchen and the bathroom). I put them in double fixtures so the first click is the low-power-draw LED and the second click is incandescent. When we're boondocking these draw only 3.6 watts of power, while a single incandescent draws 27 watts. The brightness and color is comparable to the incandescent.

I need five more to replace the incandescent bulbs in the three remaining double and two single fixtures. I would need ten more to replace everything in the RV. I'm not in a real hurry to do them all since in a boondock, the three I've already replaced would be our primary lighting.

Baked Potato Soup

2012-01-14T12:39:00.000-08:00

It has been a while since I've posted anything about food on here. So why the new post? Disneyland closed down the Main Street Carnation Cafe last week and marked the occasion by releasing the recipe for their incredible baked potato soup. I made it today and it will certainly be one I'll be making for a camping trip.

Loaded Baked Potato Soup
Serves 6
1 pound bacon, roughly chopped
1 medium yellow onion, diced
1 large carrot, peeled and diced
3/4 cup diced celery
4 large Russet potatoes, peeled and diced
4 medium red potatoes, diced
1/4 cup flour
2 cups chicken or vegetable stock
Coarse salt, freshly ground pepper, to taste
4 cups heavy whipping cream (I only used 2 cups)
Optional garnishes: chopped chives, bacon bits, sour cream, shredded cheddar and Monterey Jack cheese

In a 6- to 8-quart stockpot over medium heat, fry bacon until crisp. Remove bacon and drain on paper towels, reserving half (if you can) for garnish. In bacon fat, cook onions, carrots, and celery until the onions are translucent. Whisk in flour and stir constantly over low heat until the flour is cooked and the mixture has thickened slightly, about 5 to 7 minutes (Disney had the flour after the potatoes, but I moved it here to make a rue). Add potatoes and cook for 4 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add chicken stock and half of the bacon. Season with salt and pepper (I used a palm full of Kosher salt and lots of fresh ground pepper). Over medium-high heat, bring the soup to a simmer and cook for 25 minutes or until the potatoes are soft. Mash some of the potatoes for thicker, creamier texture. Add whipping cream and simmer for 5 minutes. Season to taste, and garnish with toppings.

Happy New Year

2012-01-01T12:12:00.000-08:00

Sherry and I took a four-mile hike through the Hidden Valley Nature Center on Saturday. This is the wetlands of the Santa Ana River and past home of a duck hunting club. The ponds are now naturalized wetlands and there are nice trails through the area. Near the nature center are a couple of recreated homes of the Tongva people who lived here long before us.

As the new year begins, I traditionally take a look at the calendar and start thinking about the camping trips. Like every other camper, we're limited by a six-month reservation window, but we can think about future goals. We've also got to think about the growing autonomy of a 17 year-old son.

Grand Canyon Lodge

With the cost of gas, we're usually content to stay within a two-hour radius of home. The exception of course is an extended trip every year: In 2011 we went to Florida and Mexico; Sequoia and Yosemite in 2010; plus Big Sur and Zion in 2009. We can't get the RV into Kings Canyon because of vehicle length restrictions, the cabins inside the Grant Grove at King's look interesting, but I can't imagine more than a long weekend there. That exhausts the National Parks within a six-hour drive of home. I could stretch it and look at the North Rim of the Grand Canyon, but I might prefer the Grand Canyon Lodge over the anxiety of driving the RV that distance. The California State Parks are being hit hard by the economy and it may just be that we end up doing an extended stay without La Rana, or just sticking to weekends. If I were to pick today, it would be a stay at the North Rim of the Grand Canyon at the Grand Canyon Lodge.

Camping Eclipsed

2011-12-11T17:42:00.001-08:00

We won't be camping this month. Instead, we headed out with family for an early Christmas with all of my Mom's side of the family.

While it wasn't camping, we did manage to get some astronomical excitement as we watched the lunar eclipse from the Sunshine State. We also visited the Cabela's in Glendale, Arizona to check out their cool camping gear.

Thanksgiving

2011-11-26T15:57:00.001-08:00

This year's Thanksgiving was at home, but the day after was shared with our Death Valley group, while camping at Jake's place. We got kicked out of our usual camp site near Tecopa, so we met this weekend to discuss alternatives. Chuck suggested an old World War II airstrip in the desert between Ridgecrest and Boron. I started doing some research on the area, and found the place is actually called Goler Gulch. Being a Disney dude, I couldn't help but think of Goofy, saying Goler and Garsh, but the more I look into the place, the more interesting it becomes.

In 1893, a prospector named John Goler found several 10 ounce gold nuggets in the area, and soon there were several mines pulling out over a million dollars of gold from the many washes in the area. Seven miles southwest of the area was another goldfield where they cashed in over $8 million. There is plenty of exploring to be done in this area, and we'll have to pick up some gold pans before we go.

Click for larger view

Just Cruising this Month

2011-11-15T19:32:00.001-08:00

Our once a month camping routine was interrupted by a cruise this month. Sherry and I just got back from a seven-day Carnival cruise to Mexico. Because of the narco-politics in Mexico, we only visited two ports: Cabo San Lucas and Puerto Vallarta.

I won't spend too much time talking about this non-camping trip, but you can check out a gallery of photos at this link. We spent Tuesday lounging at the Me-Cabo resort. On Wednesday, we had a personal tour with a guide from San Jose del Cabo, which we decided was a much better place than Cabo San Lucas. San Jose is a place where the desert meets the Sea of Cortez. The streets are narrow cobblestones, and the village is built around a centuries old adobe mission. There are art walks and farmer's markets in the courtyard -- a thousand times nicer than the frat party in Cabo.


A rare piece of solitude at the end of Baja

We couldn't spend the night in Cabo, so the cruise ship tooled around at sea overnight and came back to port the next day. They didn't officially tell us why we didn't stay anchored overnight, but I know from the behind the scenes tour I took that they have to be twelve-miles out in order to discharge black and gray water, and a food-waste smoothie into the deep.

After crossing the Sea of Cortez, we docked in Puerto Vallarta (next to a Walmart and Sam's Club). Vallarta is less a desert and more like a jungle. We went on a tour through the city, visited a Tequila Distillery and then were taken deep into the jungle to dine at the most incredible family-run restaurant. The surrounding community looked like that town in The Run Down. The seating area was on a concrete slab, covered only by a steel roof. A large rooster roamed the area looking for scraps. There was no menu, the owner just showed us a cooler of sea food. We ordered a plate for the two of us, and this is what he gave us: a lobster, two red snappers, eight shrimp and two mahi-mahi filets. AMAZING!

Best seafood dinner ever!

The End of an Era

2011-10-30T18:03:00.000-07:00

For a few years now, we've joined a band of desert rats for a twice-annual boondock in the wilds just south of Death Valley National Park. Our group has been camping there for over 40 years. It is a remote location which requires some skilled driving to get the caravan back into the secluded canyon of volcanic ash, opals and mastodon fossils. As it turns out, we learned that our spot in the desert has become part of the Ibex Wilderness and after a nice-enough visit by the NPS Ranger, we've been told, in no uncertain terms, this was our last trip with vehicles.

One of the highlights of these trips is the venturing out into rarely visited remnants of desert life. On this trip, we followed the right-of-way of the Death Valley Railroad. This narrow-gauge railway was built in 1914 by the Pacific Coast Borax Company with the route running from Ryan, California, located just east of Death Valley National Park, to Death Valley Junction, a distance of approximately 20 miles. Regular operation of the railroad stopped in 1928. Most of the construction labor was done by Chinese laborers who lived in these rustic stacked stone structures with canvas roofs. This structure was the largest we found, and it was surrounded by a dozen or more smaller structures that were the size of a bedroll, and only a couple feet high (Google Earth view). There were lots of remnants of their encampment; mostly tobacco cans and water jugs.

We were able to 4x4 for some distance, before landslides meant hiking the last three miles. You can see that the roadbed follows the contour of the mountains and there are some incredible vistas across Death Valley.

The Ryan Mine is the terminus of this roadbed, but armed guards prevent getting any closer than a mile or more from this compound. The locals say that they switched from Borax to a nitrate and it might be Homeland Security that requires the extra protection.

Along the way we found one ore car that we could reach and a couple others within view, but far down a landslide. After a couple of hours hiking, and climbing over rockfall, we came to a large set of mines on the friendly side of the Ryan mines. Most of the wood structures had long been burned or removed, but we rested in the shade of this shack before heading back to the trucks.

After two nights in the desert, probably our last at this camp, it was time for the long drive back home and a nap for the puppies.

Traditions

2011-10-09T08:33:00.000-07:00

For us public servants, this is a long Columbus Day weekend, and one we don't use for camping. Since it isn't a holiday for the schools, Sherry and I have used the annual holiday for a trip to the Huntington Museum and Gardens for a grown-up day with lunch in the tea room. This tradition has been going on for over a decade. Now that Andy is almost 17, another tradition has changed hats from our son to our godson, Anthony. We spent the day, and much of the evening at the Disneyland Resort.

Dogwood with Rocky and Mom

2011-10-03T22:46:00.000-07:00

This past weekend, it was just Mom and I for a weekend getaway to Dogwood. It was a very relaxing weekend and I got to try out my new hammock -- twice. We also stopped at a GREAT sandwich shop at Highway 18 and Kuffel Canyon. Rocky's Outpost had the most awesome bread on their sandwiches. Great weekend and great food.

How Much Does It Cost?

2011-09-24T16:22:00.000-07:00

The two things we always get asked by non-owners is How much does it cost to register with the DMV? and How much is insurance? I just got our registration in the mail, so the answers are $313 and $36 a month, and worth every penny.

Happy Birthday Luau

2011-09-20T21:53:00.000-07:00

This past weekend was my 50th birthday. We celebrated by inviting friends and family to camp with us, or join us for the day at a Hawaii Five-Oh themed luau. We had ten campsites full of love and I feel blessed to have such awesome friends and family.

Thanks to everyone who helped make this happen. There is a full gallery of photos on this page.

The Butterfly Festival

2011-08-14T20:54:00.000-07:00

This weekend's trip was to the annual Butterfly Festival at the Idyllwild Nature Center. We escaped the heat of the flatlands by driving up the Hill for our monthly camping trip. After setting up camp, we spent Friday afternoon, shopping in town and then visiting the butterflies. Paul and I found that both the heat and the butterflies were much more enjoyable with adult beverages.

There were lots of monarchs in screen tents that would feed off chunks of watermelon you could hold out for them. In the late afternoon, they opened the screens and let them fly away. There were some of the local artisans showing their crafts, so Sherry got some hand spun yarn, a beaded spider, and a "beer ball" necklace.

We camped at the Idyllwild County Park with Linda and Paul Jones. The park was at capacity, but the crew did a great job of keeping everything clean and under control. This campground is along a canyon wall so the parking spaces are all on incline with semi-level tent spaces cut into the hillside. There were a few RV friendly sites at the far loop, but the ambiance there is like camping at the County Fair. The only site we liked was the one I had hand picked six months ago when I made the reservations. Number 9 has some privacy from the other sites, and is overlooking Lily Creek. The site is a pull-through, but I would never try it with a trailer as there is a substantial elevation change from the road to the campsite, and it would surely fold a trailer like a taco. If I couldn't get Site #9, I would point La Rana down the road. There were lots of great tent sites.

Paul, Linda, Andy and Sherry pondering Paul's Pink Choo Choo sticker.

On Sunday morning we drove over to Lake Fulmor where we met up with Wendy, Ahlia and Azia for a hike around the lake and a drive up to the Black Mountain Fire Lookout. We had a lot of fun looking at cattails, damselflies, ducks, and vultures.

Any time is a great time to get up to the lookout, but it was great being able to share it with family and friends. The girls all thought the road reminded them of the Indiana Jones ride at Disneyland. This was another great weekend, but it is still too hot (at 8:30 PM) to unload the RV!

Andy wasn't so impressed with the butterflies, but I wish I had video of him chasing one just a few minutes after this photo.

Needles Lookout Lost to Fire

2011-07-30T19:37:00.000-07:00

Those that visit this site know that I am the volunteer leader for the Black Mountain Fire Lookout. Sherry calls it my timeshare tree-house, as I put in my hours and enjoy the benefits of a unique place at the top of the world. That being said, I have a special place in my heart for fire lookouts.

On Thursday, we lost an amazing fire lookout, in the Giant Sequoia National Monument, in the Sequoia National Forest.

The Needles lookout tower was built between 1937 and 1938 by the Civilian Conservation Corps. The tower overlooked Kern River Drainage, Mt. Whitney, Olancha Peak, Farewell Gap and Dome Rock.

According to the local fire department spokesperson, the tower staff had a fire going in the wood-burning fireplace when an ember escaped from the chimney and landed on the tower’s wood-shingle roof, catching the roof on fire. The Lookout staff member had worked in that tower every fire season for 25 years, hiking over two miles to get to work, with the last third of a mile being stairs across the granite peak.

It seems that we lose a couple towers every year, but I can't tell you when the last one was built.

Deja Vu All Over Again

2011-07-10T17:48:00.000-07:00

Andy got invited to go on a camping trip this weekend with friends, so we cancelled our Dogwood reservations for next weekend and went this weekend instead. Andy went to Bonita Ranch, a converted trailer park along the lower fork of Lytle Creek (like camping in a backyard, except for the creek and hike to Bonita Falls).

I took my Mom for our annual Mother-Son trip to Table Mountain. We were just there two months ago, but this time, we stayed in the same site we were in back in 2007 with our Caboose. We forgot to bring cameras, so here is a photo from that trip four years ago.

We had a terrific time in one of our favorite campgrounds. We saw a sailplane catching thermals above us, and once the sun went down, bats took it's place in acrobatics above our campfire. We brought Mom's dog Sadie, who would have spent the weekend sequestered in the closet while Mom was gone. Instead, she spent the weekend being a dog -- digging holes and getting dirty. That meant a stop at the do-it-yourself Paw Spa.

Gonzales Family Campout

2011-06-19T16:44:00.000-07:00

We spent Father's Day weekend on the second annual Gonzales family camp-out. Sherry's Mom and our godson, Anthony joined us in La Rana, while everyone else was in tents. We stayed two nights at Green Valley Campground, two miles past Green Valley Lake.

There was plenty of firewood nearby as the USFS had been harvesting trees burned in the 2007 Slide Fire. As you can see from the photo at left, the forest has become inhabited with crazy man-tree hybrids. As you can see from the photo below, Andy isn't sure if he remembered to put on some pants.

This last photo is one Linda took of Sherry and I on our trip last month to Table Mountain. Great place for sunsets.

On the Interwebs

2011-06-17T07:16:00.000-07:00

You know how much a new door is at CampingWorld? I'd pay good money to see what the inside of this trailer looks like.

Guerrilla Campground

2011-06-06T17:54:00.000-07:00

I had to share this great story from the news today. A campground that was closed due to budget cuts has had the campsites mysteriously mowed, bathrooms opened, and trails cleared by someone who really wanted the campground reopened!

Black Mountain Vista

2011-06-05T22:19:00.000-07:00

We opened up the Black Mountain Lookout Tower two weeks ago, but today was my first full shift, and a solo one at that. I had brought up some homework to work on, but couldn't really concentrate on anything. This place is my stress valve. I took a bunch of photos of the tower to document some maintenance issues, but I also stitched together this panorama from the catwalk. It doesn't quite capture the full circle (the southern view was way overexposed). Make sure you click on it and scroll right and left to see the whole thing. That is San Gorgonio in the center and San Jacinto on the right.

Table for Six, Please

2011-05-22T20:29:00.000-07:00

This weekend we headed over the 7,000' level for a weekend at Table Mountain. Andy brought his buddy Orlando, and we were joined again by our friends Paul and Linda. Clearly, one of our favorite things about this campground is it is only an hour from the house, but up in the timber without any challenging mountain driving. The campsite is just about four miles from Wrightwood, and at the fork in the road, you can head off three miles in one direction to the Grassy Hollow Visitor Center. Take another fork, and you'll find Jackson Lake. This short video shows some of the highlights of another great weekend getaway.

What isn't in the video is some of the window shopping the grownups did on Saturday. On the road to camp, a cabin, built in 1926, is up for sale. We started talking about how nice it would be to have such a place and before you knew it, we were cruising all over town checking out the real estate offerings. We were clearly just dreaming, but it was a fun afternoon.

Spring Boondock

2011-05-05T14:20:00.000-07:00

After school and work on Friday, we headed out across the Mojave desert. Soon the sun was down, and I turned off on Afton Road, halfway between Barstow and Baker. There was no moon, and obviously no streetlights, and we've never been there before, so driving down the dirt road to Afton Canyon was a little intimidating. At one point, Andy said, "Dad if you're taking us out here to kill us, I'm going to be really mad!"

In the morning, however, it was, "Wow, this place is pretty cool." The Mojave River runs underground through much of the desert, and every once in a while, bedrock forces it to the surface. That is what caused this great little oasis away from everything.

We packed up after breakfast and a hike up one of the side canyons. We were on our way to the Annual Spring Boondock in Death Valley.

We got there a little before lunch, but soon we were back on the road again, this time with the others for some rock-hounding. Sherry and Andy found some pink amethyst crystals which I'm sure will be incorporated into some Hogwarts craft.

We made sure to get back to camp in time for the burn-your-own-meat potluck dinner. It was an amazing spread and more than a few arteries were more constricted after that carnivore carnival.

On Sunday morning, we did our usual shooting match, but this time Andy kept the rifle in the case and we worked on holster technique. Our host, Jake, brought his old duty weapon and Sam Browne, and let me teach Andy how to shoot from the hip. As expected, Andy was a quick study, and was looking like an old pro.

Everyone in this bunch is always so welcoming and friendly, and they always make us feel like family when we join them. Thanks guys!

Spring Break in Daytona Beach

2011-04-11T08:32:00.000-07:00

We just got back from Spring Break in Daytona Beach, Florida. Though the National Cheerleading Championship was going on at our hotel, our plans didn't include beer-bongs or public debauchery. Instead, we were the guests of our dear friends Paul and Linda Jones. We went with their son, Jessie and his girlfriend, Abbie.

On Sunday, we headed south for an airboat tour. Words can't do it justice, so click on the video below to see what fun we had.

Following the airboat tour, we visited the Kennedy Space Center, where we saw the Space Shuttle Endeavor being readied on the launch pad. I remember fondly when my parents took me to see the Shuttle land at Edwards, and it was great to be able to share a similar experience with our son. There was so much to see here, we could've spent most of the day and still missed seeing it all.

Monday's agenda was an excursion to Ponce Inlet. This is a quiet little residential area, with a historic lighthouse and a great restaurant on the water. The place felt like we were down in the Keys, with a weathered dock just past our table, and our conversations interrupted by dolphins swimming by close enough to hear them breathe. The kids rented wave runners and followed the river out to the ocean and jumped the waves at freeway speeds.

Tuesday brought tornado warnings, so we stayed at the resort and took advantage of the discount tickets for the theater next door to catch up on some movies. Sherry and I started the morning with a walk on the beach, where the storm had washed up several of the Portuguese Man O'War jellyfish. As we reached at least a mile from our resort, the storm hit with a wallop, and we ran across the beach, jumping over the jellies and getting absolutely drenched. It was a blast!

After the storm passed, it was time for an early breakfast and race to the Islands of Adventure so we could check out the Wizarding World of Harry Potter. This has been something that Sherry has been wanting to do since first hearing of it's construction, so we were there before the gates opened, and raced the crowds to get in line. Once again, a fantastic experience, best explained with this short video.

On Thursday, we headed north, to the Oklawaha River, where Paul and Linda had rented a pontoon boat and took us on a personal tour of this part of Florida's natural environment. We saw Osprey, Bald Eagles, Egrets, Herons, and of course, more alligators. Click on the video below for a ride along this historic river.

We are so lucky to have such great friends in the Jones family. This was a terrific week, and one we'll remember forever. We have a full gallery of photos here.

Hey, Lookout!

2011-03-25T17:00:00.000-07:00

My parents recently celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary with a stay at the Crystal Cove Beach Cottages. We had made the reservations to stay ourselves, but when they said they didn't want any public celebration, the stay at the beach, on a full moon, well, that was just meant to be.

That also meant that March was only the third month in four years that we haven't gone camping or at least on a family trip during the month (we did go see the Ben Franklin exhibit at the Bower's Museum). We're going to make up for it however in April when we've got a week in Florida and a weekend in Death Valley. In between those two trips, I've got seven days of teaching new fire lookout volunteers. Baseball season starts too, so that works out to only twelve days in the month when we don't have something going!

That's a negative, Ghost Rider, the pattern is full.

This will be my third fire season as the leader for Black Mountain Fire Lookout. In this photo, I'm training one of last year's new volunteers. As I get older, I can't help but think I'm looking like a chubby Tom Skerrit in Top Gun. That Navy blue hat sure helps the perception. I just need some scrambled eggs on the bill.

Andy doesn't see the resemblance and instead suggests that I look like neighbor in the movie "Despicable Me." I haven't seen the movie but Andy was nice enough to pull up this image from YouTube for me. I don't see it in the face, but I'm working on that gut.

Cancel a Trip? Hail No!

2011-02-21T19:39:00.000-08:00

Somewhere under the rainbow
is the only photo of Paul, and
we never did get a shot of Linda

We had a great campsite reserved at San Clemente State Beach, and our friends Paul and Linda had a site reserved a few steps away. Great plan, but all week long we watched the weather report and the big storms heading in from the Pacific. We briefly debated canceling, but as Sherry pointed out, one of our favorite family trips was when we were snowed in and down to our last can of soup and some crackers.

Southern California in February

Andy brought his buddy Alex, and we brought our friend Wendy, so with Paul and Linda, we had seven of us braving a storm of biblical proportions. Saturday night was water spouts off the coast, hail, torrents of frozen mud, and a bunch of friends huddled inside watching a movie.

Sunday morning greeted us with a rainbow over La Rana and soon enough, everyone was out exploring the aftermath. It was a three-mile round trip hike on the beach to the pier, and nearly everyone, including Shasta made the trip at some point during the weekend. We headed into San Juan Capistrano for lunch and my first tour of the Mission since grade school.

Since it was President's Day weekend, we still had another day left, and we checked out the surf beach at San Onofre and then headed to our favorite fish and chips joint for lunch and then headed home. I'm so glad we didn't cancel the trip. This was a great weekend.

Squirrel Appreciation Day

2011-01-21T11:58:00.000-08:00

Apparently, today is Squirrel Appreciation Day according to the National Wildlife Federation.

With the exception of our Death Valley and Joshua Tree trips, I can't remember a single camping trip where we didn't see a squirrel.

Now, let's count the seconds until we get a Rocky and Bullwinkle comment. Tic, Tock...

This is January?

2011-01-16T09:02:00.000-08:00

This is supposed to be the dead of winter, but we're camping next to the surf with temperatures in the seventies. Ah, California. We started our trip with a stop at the Tree of Life Nursery. This wonderful place specializes in California native plants and we filled the cargo hold on La Rana with several additions for our backyard.

We then headed down to San Juan Capistrano for an incredible lunch at Carniceria El Campeon. We walked off the calories with an exploration of the historic Los Rios Street. This neighborhood is over 200 years old with adobe homes, turn of the (last) century homes, and eclectic stores and tea houses. This area is shaded with huge trees planted by the new home owners two centuries ago. The gardens are gorgeous and there are lots of reasons to loiter here.

We then headed into Doheny State Beach for the night. This campground has tight little campsites, and it is almost impossible to get a beach site, but the best plan is to just use it for sleeping. The day use area is open from 6AM-10PM, so we moved La Rana to this incredible spot for the sunrise. After Andy gets some time on the basketball court, we'll move over to Dana Point Harbor for a sea food lunch before heading home.

January in Southern California

Nature is Neat

2011-01-14T12:56:00.000-08:00

Here is some more fun from the Intergooglenet.

Watch that first step

2011-01-14T07:34:00.000-08:00

Every once in a while, I find something on the net that just needs to be posted here. As is usually the case when that happens, words (almost) escape me.

San Elijo is the Choice

2010-12-29T20:04:00.000-08:00

Boy meets Dog

In the last post, I made a comment about a sad dog story. For those keeping score, here is the story so far: Andy brought home a stray for a few days, we found the owner and then Andy asked for a dog for Christmas.

Tired Puppy

We went looking at the local shelters and were chosen by Shasta, a seven-month old shepherd-rottie mix. She is fixed, with all of her shots, and has an awesome temperament. She was actually born at the shelter in May, adopted out in September but returned to the shelter by the previous owner for whatever reason.

Since she isn't potty trained yet we took her with us on our annual between-the-holidays beach trip. We had a full hook-up at San Elijo State Beach, which is our favorite beach. It is kind of funny that Elijo is Spanish for "Choice." Here is why San Elijo is our choice:

San Elijo State Beach

That building on the left is the best damn taco joint on the planet (Bull Taco: shark tacos for lunch). That short little RV, five spaces from the showers is our campsite. The beach is awesome for surfing and beach-combing. On this trip, Andy rescued a slightly damaged surfboard from the dumpster! The Cedros District in Solana Beach is a great place to spend the afternoon. Plus, there is a nice upscale market a short walk away. The only downside to this place is the drainage in the rain. The whole campground is on a gentle slope from the bluffs on the north end, to the sand on the south end. During a storm, the camp road becomes a culvert and those spots on the south are a mud bog. During the winter, I would definitely aim for the bluffs.

Waxing Poetic

2010-12-21T09:40:00.000-08:00

Maybe it is the rain. Maybe it is the sad dog story we just went through. Either way, I stumbled upon a hundred-year-old book, recently translated into English. Nature Stories will be tucked away in a cubby of La Rana for campfire reading. Jules Renard describes a donkey as "a rabbit who's grown up" and a butterfly as a "love-letter, folded in two, looking for a flowery address." Sappy, I know, but in the right setting, it beats reading the AAA maps in the glove box.

'Tis the Season

2010-12-11T17:17:00.000-08:00

We're in the middle of December and it was nearly 80 degrees today. Even so, I spent the morning up at Snow Valley helping out with plans for their "Ski with a Naturalist" programs. While that kind of sounds like naked skiing, it is actually a guided nature walk on skis. I was invited up to help scout out the journey and identify some of the natural history that could be included in the program. Since I don't ski, this was a ski lift to the top and a hike back down the mountain.

Last weekend we hosted the annual Messick Family Reunion at our house. It was a great success, with more uncharacteristic weather for December. Even so, the backyard fire ring was a favorite destination during the party.

With just two weeks until Christmas, I'm running out of time to vacuum out the Yosemite dirt from La Rana before we start packing up for the bluffs at San Elijo. This is my favorite beach destination: full hookup, gourmet food cooked by somebody else, and the cool little town of Solano Beach nearby.

Yosemite in Autumn

2010-11-15T05:59:00.000-08:00

We got back last night after spending the long holiday weekend in Yosemite. This short video shows the fun we had, but doesn't talk about the RV battery going bad. It wouldn't hold a charge, so the heater was out of the question, which made twenty-degree nights a little brisk. We spent the evenings in Curry and Yosemite Lodges, warming ourselves by their fireplaces. We had brought lots of bedding, so once we got under the covers, everything was fine.

In the video, we spoke of Andy's twelve-hour nap and Sherry sleeping on the drive up. Let's just say next time we'll buy the non-drowsy Dramamine or skip it all together. With the exception of the battery, La Rana performed perfectly. Unfortunately, I became completely caffeinated for the long drive home and couldn't sleep last night, nor search for royalty-free music to accompany the video.

Several folks have asked for more on the Winchester House. Unfortunately, they don't allow cameras inside, but here is a good commercial video on the WMH.

Death Valley Day Trip

2010-11-08T09:26:00.000-08:00

Sherry, Ed and Man-Child in Death Valley

Snapping down the 38

The Death Valley Gang was camping out this weekend, but the Fire Lookout's end-of-season barbecue was on Saturday, so we could only get out for a Sunday visit. Andy always looks forward to some time on the firing line, and he got a chance to break in a new 38 Special. He shot Marsha's new pink-pearl handled Beretta, a couple 357's, and a cowboy-style wheel gun. As usual, he was a crack shot. Sherry got out on the range too and enjoyed the competition.

Andy starts reloading as Jake steps up to the firing line.

Sherry looking for dates!

After washing the lead off our hands, Andy stayed back in camp to visit, while Sherry and I went with some of the group to the China Ranch Oasis and Date Farm. The archeological history of this place goes back to Pre-Columbian times, but the recent history is that a Chinese man named either Quon Sing or Ah Foo came to this canyon after many years of work in the Death Valley borax mines. He developed the water, planted fruits and vegetables, and raised meat for the local mining camps. It became known as Chinaman's Ranch. But, sometime in 1900, a man named Morrison appeared, and, as the story goes, he ran the Chinese farmer off at gun point and claimed the Ranch for his own. Tough times in a tough place, but we had a blast.

On the Scent

2010-11-04T22:45:00.000-07:00

As we get ready for our trip into bear country, I found this video taken by a hunter standing in a tree. It just needs the theme from Jaws in the background. Da-Dum. Da-Da-Da-Dum...

Switching Gears

2010-10-23T10:19:00.000-07:00

Well it looks like we've made a quick transition to Winter in California. Around here, they say we have two seasons, Green and Brown. We're getting ready to put the shutters up on the Lookout tower, and I just ordered tire chains for La Rana.

I worried a bit about the chains. I have duallies in the back, so does a chain go on both tires? Just one? I found the folks at TireChains.com to be really helpful and they've collected all the laws about tire chains here. It seems Yosemite has even tougher chain laws with fines up to $5,000!! Since we're gearing up for a winter trip to Yosemite National Park, I'm glad they had given me the heads up.

I went with the Dual-Triple chains, with cams and spring tensioners. They got here very quickly and I'm very impressed with the quality. I'll be buying a couple duffel bags for these because each side weighs about 26 pounds and I'd rather slug each set separately than one bag that is almost sixty pounds.

The CHP has some tips on winter driving that makes a great checklist for our preparations. I'll be going down that list, plus shelling out $350 for a new windshield since a tiny chip turned into a full crack after the last trip.

Guys' Trip to the Rancho

2010-10-04T06:39:00.000-07:00

Patrick, Kyle and Andy
at the Tin Mine portal.

Sherry was off on a crafting retreat with her friends, plus we missed last month's trip due to the playoffs, so that made this weekend the perfect opportunity for a guy's trip with Andy and his two buds, Patrick and Kyle.

We started off the morning with a hike to Tin Mine Canyon. It was quite the episode of Wild Kingdom, with Patrick finding the remains of a scorpion and then Andy and Kyle spotting a couple Tarantula Hawks.

Mini-golf at Rancho Jurupa

We then headed out for Rancho Jururpa, just twenty minutes from the house. This is a Riverside County park, along the banks of the Santa Ana River on the historic farm and ranch lands of Riverside's pioneers.

There are over two -hundred acres of cottonwoods, two lakes and two campgrounds. The older campground, Lakeview, has only 12 sites with hookups, but it is under giant sycamores and cottonwoods so there is plenty of shade. The newer campground, Cottonwood, lacks full size trees, but is otherwise a country-club of a campground with laser-level concrete pads, full hook-up including cable and internet access, laundry and even a miniature golf course that is more putting green than windmills. There is a water play area that young kids go crazy over. This is clearly the best county campground I've ever seen.

Skipped the Beach

2010-09-19T22:22:00.000-07:00

We had reservations for a trip to Doheny Beach this weekend, but we cancelled and went to the ball game instead. Of course it would have to be a really important ball game to make us skip camping, and this one was. For a few years now, we've had season tickets to the Rancho Cucamonga Quakes Minor League Baseball. For only the second time in their history have they won their division in the California League. They're in a best of five series for the League Championship. Instead of a campfire on the beach, I spent my birthday with my family, sipping beer and watching the Quakes tie the series 2-2. The kicker of the evening was after Andy talked the PA announcer into announcing my birthday, but he said "Happy Birthday Ed Harrelson" during the game.

Labor Day Splash

2010-09-05T09:24:00.000-07:00

We had planned on camping part of this weekend with our great friends Paul and Linda, but the weather forecast was for triple digit temperatures. Without a hookup for the air conditioner, an RV is a miserable place in that kind of heat.

Instead, we headed out for the day (stopping first at the Farmer's Market). Paul has a beautiful new boat and he took great pleasure in dragging the family and friends behind it. This shot shows the before and after of one of Andy's rides. Unfortunately, I didn't get a shot of the aftermath where the impact blew out the panels on his life vest like shipwreck flotsam.

The Vail Lake Resort was hosting a concert on the lawn, so we gorged on Linda's barbecue ribs and shrimp while watching some live bands and a laser show. The first band, Rockola, was very good and we would definitely catch another one of their shows. They played an hour of Beetles and an hour of sixties and seventies tunes. Good times.

It is home for chores on Sunday, but on Labor Day I'm working the LA Fair, in the Wilderness Ridge area, by the Home and Gardens area. I'll be working with Woodsy Owl and Smokey Bear, representing the US Forest Service.

The Backyard Campfire

2010-09-01T09:44:00.000-07:00

Time for an update on the backyard fire ring. I finally got the bench top installed and I'm pretty pleased with the results. I debated a lot about using redwood or the plastic/wood alternatives. Ultimately, the decision was in favor of redwood because of the sagging and heat absorption that can occur with the man-made stuff.

We'll need to get a basket of seat cushions, and I'd like to fill the area between the ring and the benches with gravel, but Andy is convinced it is ready for a back yard bonfire. This project ought to top out at $500 with those extras, but it should last for years.

The blackout dates on our Disneyland passes are finally over, so we can get back to the Happiest Place on Earth. We love meeting up with family and friends for evenings in the park. Michael and Obed come down from LA often, and we always have a great time.

Today is the first of the month and that means hovering around the computer at 7:59 AM trying for the best reservations when they open at eight. I've tried unsuccessfully for years to get one of the cottages at Crystal Cove State Beach, but my luck changed! This morning I got reservations for this cottage a short walk from the Beach and Ruby's Shake Shack. In March, we'll leave La Rana in storage and spend the weekend in this quaint cottage, built in 1938. It'll be a full moon, so midnight beach combing!

Lake Hemet

2010-08-26T17:55:00.000-07:00

Last weekend was a terrific two nights at Lake Hemet with our friends Paul, Linda, Jake and Vicki. The campground has a couple hundred sites, and over half are permanent residents. Our sites were roomy, with large shade trees providing some shelter from the scorching heat. A short bike ride away is a market and deli, which helped out with the inevitable shopping list of forgotten items.

Paul launched one of his fishing boats and we went out for a cruise on the lake. We were surprised to find out that the lake is a nesting area for the American Bald Eagle. We saw a mother eagle and her youngster down by the dam. Very cool!

Some of us went for a day trip into Idyllwild where they found this photo opportunity. With a little computer magic, Andy got his mug in the same photo four times.

All the Comforts of Home

2010-08-07T08:58:00.000-07:00

During my Saturday morning web crawl, I ran into this photo of some camper's efforts to bring all the comforts of home to a tent campsite. I sure hope he hasn't kludged up some indoor plumbing too.

This weekend is one of our rare stays at the house, but we're getting ready for a trip with friends to Lake Hemet and Idyllwild later this month. Andy has been trying to cram in as many summer activities as possible into his last two weeks before returning to school.

H-O-T Weekend

2010-07-18T11:30:00.000-07:00

It has been triple digit temperatures around here lately, so on Thursday night, Sherry and I escaped to Newport Beach for a walk on the pier in the cool evening.

On Saturday the family loaded up La Rana and headed up the mountain to Lake Gregory for a couple rides through the pines on the water slides. Andy's basketball buddy Frosty joined us for some lake bottom squished between our toes. We headed to Lake Arrowhead Village for dinner and then pulled into Dogwood Campground for the night.

Sherry ~~likes~~ loves to knit, and likes to read, but can't do both at the same time. That prompted me to read the first twelve chapters of The Art of Racing in the Rain aloud on Saturday night. It is easily one of the best books I've read in years, and we both couldn't wait for the next chapter. In the early morning, we sat in the first rays of the sun, sipping coffee, and I continued. I read a passage which described the fact that the Native Americans of the Northwest believed the Creator of man was the raven, while the native peoples of the Plains believe it is the coyote. Just seconds later, a coyote walked through the woods, not twenty yards from us!

Here is a video trailer for the book from the publisher.

Backyard Campfires

2010-07-08T20:25:00.000-07:00

This isn't really about camping, but it is about campfires. With the sun going down so late, I've been able to do some puttering outside after work. We have at least a couple backyard campfires a month so I've wanted some benches out there. Last year I salvaged eight telephone pole segments from a drive-through getting a landscape remodel. The long boards were salvaged from some cement forms when I built the fence. That means I've only spent $19 on the bolts to assemble the frame. The bench top will be a little pricey, but I'm making it out of recycled decking. I'll get Andy to dig out the soil around the fire ring and backfill it with gravel. It should be a nice little social area when it gets done.

Tinkering Tripod

2010-07-05T12:12:00.000-07:00

As much as we love our little video projector, it suffers from a lack of height adjustment. In past trips we've used everything from sticks to pine cones in order to get it pointing correctly at the screen. With about $5 in hardware and my pocket tripod, the problem is solved. I used a double-gang blank exterior outlet cover (the weather sealing makes a great anti-slip top!), a 1/4-20x5/16 T-nut with brad holes, and a couple of 1/4x3/4 rubber washers. Works like a charm.

Magic Stove

2010-06-29T10:33:00.000-07:00

Every once in a while, I run into some obscure destination on the web that is appropriate for posting here. This is obviously one of those destinations. Cabinet Magazine has a cool article on the history of the camp stove, including this 1850 model Soyer's Magic Stove. Reportedly, the Marquis of Normanby, was an eccentric aristocrat who used the stove to cook a dinner atop a pyramid in Egypt over 160 years ago. Unfortunately, the account does not indicate the menu.

Serrano = Mountain People

2010-06-20T21:30:00.000-07:00

We just got back from two nights at Serrano, next to Big Bear Lake. Serrano is the Native American name for the mountain people who lived here and it is one of our favorite places because the pine shaded sites are level and spacious, plus there are lots of activities like hiking to the Big Bear Discovery Center, the Stanfield Marsh, and cool little shops nearby.

While there isn't a store in Serrano, a short walk away is the camp store for the Lighthouse Trailer Resort. That campground doesn't have the best reviews, but the store is the cleanest I've ever seen at a family-run campground.

This trip wasn't just a Father's Day outing, but a family trip with Sherry's family. You can tell by the smiles, we all had a terrific time.

Off the subject of camping, the Norco High yearbook came out with a couple photos of Andy's skills on the court. As Andy would say, "Cool Beans." I think that means he approves.

With Our Thoughts and Prayers

2010-06-11T22:52:00.000-07:00

AP NEWS: Flash floods swamped campgrounds along a pair of southwestern Arkansas rivers early Friday, killing 16 people and leaving anguished families pleading with emergency workers for help in finding dozens of missing people. The Albert Pike Recreation Area, a 54-unit campground in the Ouachita National Forest, was packed with vacationing families. Two dozen people were hospitalized and another 60 were rescued from the steep Ouachita Mountains valley. At least 40 from the area are still missing.

Our thoughts and prayers are with the families, friends and those still missing. Please consider a donation to the American Red Cross.

The Rock

2010-05-31T23:43:00.000-07:00

"Ladies and gentlemen, I, Ranger Bob, cordially invite you to become inmates of Alcatraz" Remember that line? It was from The Rock, and after watching that movie so many times, it was really kind of odd walking around Alcatraz Island at sunset on Saturday.

Sherry had training in San Francisco all week, so Andy and I flew up for the long holiday weekend. We took in all the touristy sights we could cram in with a transit pass and walking shoes. The highlight, however, had to be the Rock at night. The golden sunset added so much to the institutional pink of the buildings. It was great to get Andy into a setting his parents have talked about for his whole life. It was such a terrific (non-camping) trip, but it is good to be back home so my feet can heal.

Tin Mine Time

2010-05-16T09:02:00.000-07:00

It has been such a busy Spring, that we haven't had time to get out for a hike through Tin Mine Canyon. We made a point of catching up this Saturday morning (after a stop at the Farmer's Market). The creek was still running through most of the canyon, but dried up before it got to the parking area. There were lots of wildflowers still in bloom, especially these wonderful Matilija Poppies, which always remind me of a fried egg.

After breakfast, we hooked up with Sherry's Dad, Art, for a trip to the Koroneburg Old World Festival (aka Ren Faire). The setting is the fictitious estate of the Baron Heinrich Von Lauffer, located along the Rhine river (aka Santa Ana River) in 1450. They have a small Ren Faire on the grounds every year between Mother's Day and Father's Day. Not too big, not too small, just the right size for some cold ale, wenches and bad jokes. We munched on Prime Rib and pulled pork sandwiches, mushrooms and pear ale.

Happy Mother's Day

2010-05-08T21:54:00.000-07:00

For years now, I've enjoyed a camping trip with my Mom for Mother's Day. When we were both younger, it was backpacking to Hoegee's Camp in the Angeles National Forest. Now, it is an overnighter in the RV. This year, we headed down to Newport Dunes.

Located in the "California Riviera" (according to their literature), the Dunes is the country club of RV parks. Until now, I've never stayed at a park where fire pit rental is $25 a day. Despite fees for just about everything, the dinner we had at the Back Bay Bistro was a tremendous value. For the price of a fire pit, I had fresh bread and salad, Asian style vegetables and rice with grilled ribeye, and dessert. Awesome meal.

The next morning, we rolled up the awning and headed over to Balboa Island. We did a three-mile round-trip walk across the island, across the ferry, and after a great breakfast on the waterfront, we went on a harbor cruise and out to the buoy to see the California Sea Lions. Can you still call it camping if you never cook a meal? Great trip. Love you Mom!

I Think We Need T-Shirts

2010-05-05T21:37:00.000-07:00

It Was Supposed to Be...

2010-05-02T12:43:00.000-07:00

This weekend was supposed to be a guy's trip with Andy bringing three of his buddies along. Unfortunately, troubles at school for the buddies eliminated that possibility; though right up until the morning we left, it was on again and off. With our hearts still set on Joshua Tree, we decided to bring my Godson and the dogs for the trip.

Anthony had specific goals for the camping trip. He wanted to walk the dogs, climb on rocks, put sticks in the fire, and fly a kite. We got to do all of those, except for the camping part. By nightfall he was ready to be back with Grandma, and so we doused the fire and headed back home Saturday night.

Our trip was anything but smooth sailing. When we got to JT, we learned that all of the campgrounds were full, so we could aim for the BLM dry camp with no campfires allowed, or try out a private campground in Joshua Tree. We did a drive through JT with a few stops for Anthony's list, and along the way, a bottle of olive oil fell from the cabinets and exploded on the floor. Adding to the aggrivation was counting how many times Anthony asked if we were camping yet. After completing the circuit, we ended up at the JT Lake RV Campground, across the valley from the National Park. It is run by some visionary young folks who have a music festival there every year, and it definitely had a hippie vibe to it.

Our dog Digger was perfect, but Scooby must have suffered a brain trauma because she lost several IQ points and started acting possessed. After experiencing 90 pounds of dogs fighting in the front of the RV while I'm driving, I'm sure that was her last camping trip. I've posted all of our trip photos at this website.

Dueling Paddles

2010-04-15T13:24:00.000-07:00

Ask anyone who went on the trip with us, there was a kid at the campground that had to have come from the same gene pool as the banjo kid in Deliverance. Even so, we all survived the trip down the Kaweah River and there are pictures to prove it.

Linda added several from the river trip, and I added some labels for those who need a program. And for the sake of Andy's ego, he chose to swim here, he wasn't knocked overboard. And for the sake of everyone's lunch, I cropped off the eight pairs of legs in tight neoprene wetsuits in that last photo.

Spring Break in Three Rivers

2010-04-10T21:12:00.000-07:00

This year, we shared Spring Break with a camping trip with several of our friends (Back: Robert, Jana, Wendy, Ed & Andy. Front: Paul, Linda & Sherry). We left after Easter for the town of Three Rivers, along the Kaweah River, in the foothills below Sequoia National Park.

Our campsite was a private campground filled with full-timers and river guides. We could have stayed inside the park, but this was the closest full-hookup site, and for easy meals, we really wanted to be able to plug in the crock-pot while we were out playing. It was probably a little too much like camping in someone's back yard, but the Kaweah River was a short walk from the campsite, and the price was right. Next time, we'd probably stay at the Kaweah Park Resort.

The winter snow pack was quite deep, but we made it up to Wuksachi Lodge on Tuesday for lunch and some snow play. It was incredibly beautiful up there, but nice to be camping out of the snow.

Andy and his pseudo-sister Wendy were having a killer snow-ball fight across several acres. We warmed up after dinner under blankets for warm cobbler and movies projected onto a sheet on the side of Paul and Linda's trailer.

On Wednesday, we all had a blast doing some Class III+ rapids on the Kaweah River. If you look closely between those gray beams in the raft, you can see one of the dogs that went rafting with us. We did rapids with names like Tuber's Religion and Devil's Eyeball.

Thursday was a bit of everything with Robert, Jana and Wendy going back up to the snow for snowshoeing; Linda and Sherry shopping; Paul fishing; I went for a hike along the Kaweah; and Andy caught up on his sleep and X-Box.

Friday morning it was time to pack up and head for home with the obligatory stop at the Outlet Center. I've posted all of the photos at this web page.

Way Too Cool!

2010-03-28T21:43:00.000-07:00

I had to share this photo of my Uncle Mike test driving a new all-terrain wheelchair at the Arizona Game and Fish Expo.

This thing looks like a camouflage bomb-disposal robot with a joy stick and a Ricaro seat. I don't know what the range is on this wheelchair, but it looks like he could get deep into the wilds with that thing. It just needs a GPS and a cup holder.

Earth Day Reminder

2010-03-27T12:04:00.000-07:00

We're lucky enough to live a few hundred feet from the banks of the Temescal River, just upstream of the basin behind Prado Dam. This wet winter has cleaned the streets of debris and litter, but unfortunately, all of that gunk has flown right into the the wetlands where the egrets, herons and ducks nest.

During my morning walk with the dogs, we walked into the basin; into areas that just last week were still underwater from the winter rains. The volume of foam cups, packaging and man-made junk is depressing. I was pretty moved by the experience and I hope everyone who reads this will be too.

Every year, Earth Day is celebrated near the April 22nd birthday of Conservationist John Muir. Community clean-ups are planned all over the world, so watch your local paper or do a Google search for events in your area. And don't forget to be a responsible camper.

San Elijo Beach Combing

2010-03-21T20:46:00.000-07:00

We just got back from a Summery weekend at San Elijo State Beach. Our friends Paul and Linda bought a new trailer, and joined us for the trip. We had the intentions of just vegging out at the beach, but we ended up having a blast shopping in the cool little town of Solano Beach, bike riding, surfing, and beach combing.

We must've been quite a sight with all the bikes and surfboard on the back of La Rana. As it turns out, we were spotted by my old buddy Geno as we were cruising home and he was on his way back from Lake Skinner. Andy would rather ride his skateboard than his bike, but we have a carrier for four just in case he has a friend along that talks him into bike riding. I think we'll end up with a three or five speed for Sherry. I'm cool with my beach cruiser.

Sherry is always up for a long walk on the beach, looking for pretty things. We walked all the way down the beach to San Elijo Lagoon, where the warm fresh water mixes with the cooler ocean water. There are lots of wildlife here that, like Goldilocks, find the temperature that is just right for them.

I never had to cook this weekend. We ate ham and apple pininis at a sidewalk cafe; Paul and Linda cooked up an awesome dinner of carne asada; we had a breakfast burrito from the great little taco shop in the campground (how many camp stores sell lobster tacos?); and lunch at Costco on the way home. Great trip.

A quick tip I discovered this weekend: Since all of the California State Parks have AT&T WiFi and my GPS has all of the AT&T hot spots, we have all of the Calparks already programmed into our GPS.

New Toy

2010-03-12T20:48:00.000-08:00

I'm not generally one of those that would go camping just to sit in the RV and watch TV, but having spent days in the rain, or in areas where campfires were verboten, a little light show is appreciated after dark.

This is just the thing for us. It is the Dell M109S LCD projector. While it fits in your hand, it does use a power supply that is almost as big, so the photo is a little deceiving. It also is missing any audio, so auxiliary speakers are a necessity, but we can use the RV stereo, a radio or small computer speakers for sound. A tripod mount on the bottom would be nice, but sadly it is missing. Still, it can project up to a 50" diagonal image.

It uses LEDs instead of a bulb so it stays cool (no fan noise) and the bulb won't burn out. It will hook up to a computer, game console or DVD player. When we were at Ocotillo Wells we saw some campers who had shot video during the day and then projected it onto a sheet after dinner. I'll have to play around with the house wiring and some screen ideas, but tinkering is half the fun of camping.

Hey You! Lookout!

2010-03-04T22:15:00.000-08:00

Even though it has been the wettest winter in decades, preparations are well underway for the 2010 fire season. The training of the SBNFA Fire Lookout Hosts starts next month and I'm teaching the Natural History and Interpretation sessions of the training, so I'm already doing my homework.

I'm the volunteer leader for the Black Mountain Fire Lookout, on the shoulder of Mount San Jacinto. Click on the photo for a larger version and you might be able to see me standing in the right (southeast) corner of the tower. The purple line shows the approximate location of the lookout. In the foreground is San Bernardino. On the other side of the mountain is Palm Springs.

These lookouts are staffed 100% by volunteers who spend at least one day a month standing watch. If you think this sounds like a wonderful experience, you're correct. If this is the year you want to try it, you better hurry because the training is only offered during April of each year and you need to complete the training before you can take a turn. Be sure to send me an email if you're interested.

On a side note, here is my new favorite commercial:

1st of the Month

2010-03-01T08:32:00.000-08:00

The first day of the month is always important to a California camper. That is because it is the first day that reservations are available for six months from now.

You have to be logged in and ready to go, because you'll see campsites disappear off the reservation site before you can type in your credit card information. Because of the State budget, California parks and beaches have almost doubled their fees, so County and Federal parks are seeing increases as frugal campers migrate away from the more expensive sites.

It was a tough fight this morning, but we've got our reservations through September:

MAR: San Elijo
APR: Sequoia
MAY: Oak Glen
JUN: Serrano
JUL: Dogwood
AUG: Idyllwild
SEP: Doheney

Spaceship Grill

2010-02-23T21:25:00.000-08:00

This cool grill is the latest accessory for La Rana. The Caboose had an R-V-Q grill, but we didn't have a portable grill for our trips with La Rana. We have made great use of the on-board oven for scalloped potatoes, but we needed something for the steaks and grilled veggies. The O-Grill 3000 took care of that job perfectly.

It has a 225 square-inch grill area and a hot 9,450 BTU output. It has attached folding legs to keep it from melting the tablecloth and a removable drip pan. The grill fits in the dishwasher and the smooth lines mean there is nowhere for the grease to hide. The only thing I don't like about the grill is it has a removable tool box behind the hinge and since it is made of plastic, it must be removed before heating up the grill. Wonder how long it will take me to forget and melt that into something that looks like a green army-man under a magnifying glass? (in answer to a comment below, the tool box is a little larger than a school pencil box. You might be able to fit a SMALL pair of tongs in there, otherwise it is corn cob holders, short kebab skewers, or a sauce brush).

In other news, while cleaning out the sand from our recent beach trip, I decided to do one of the few mods we've made to La Rana, and added a 12v plug under the dinette seat.

What Rain?

2010-02-21T14:41:00.000-08:00

We were watching the weather forecast pretty closely all week and decided to risk it and go camping despite the thunderstorms that were predicted. It was a great gamble because it only rained for ten minutes the whole weekend. We had an absolute great time camping with our friends Paul and Linda. We met at Doheny for Saturday lunch, browsed the shops in the harbor, and then headed to San Mateo for the night. We had a great evening around campfire, joined by their son Jesse and his girlfriend Abbie. In the morning we headed to San Clemente and walked the surfline and bluff trails before heading into San Clemente for the Farmer's Market and this really cool artist cooperative. It was a terrific weekend with some terrific friends.

Wagon Train

2010-02-14T10:10:00.000-08:00

We spent Saturday with our friends Paul and Linda at their office camping trip at Ocotillo Wells SVRA. More than 80,000 acres of the California desert are open for off-highway exploration near the Salton Sea. I always pictured these areas as drunken parties, but was pleased to learn that, like the wagon trains of the old west, they are largely a self-policing, family-friendly rendezvous.

Almost all of the riders we saw, whether they were on motorcycles, quads, side-by-sides or buggies, were demonstrating the concepts of the Tread Lightly program. While we were sitting in our campsite, we saw one rider climbing a steep hill, flip over and tumble down the hill. Within seconds, riders were at the accident scene helping him get his OHV back on all four tires and back on his way (there wasn't much they could do for his pride). Of course Andy wants to buy a quad of his own, but "Pops" is content to go with friends a couple times a year. Andy will just have to find a job if he wants to buy his own. Of course you should always ride with a buddy, so he'll need to buy one for me too.

Old Man Winter

2010-01-22T07:17:00.000-08:00

We had planned a guy's trip to Joshua Tree this weekend, but in the last five days we've received more rain than we did all of last year. The flooding knocked our power out for 22 hours, and Joshua Tree got snow last night. Since our trip was with several of Andy's buddies who have never camped before, we decided to postpone the trip for more favorable conditions. If the weather cooperates, we could head out for a hike on Sunday.

Here Comes the Rain

2010-01-17T16:57:00.000-08:00

It looks like we're going to get our winter rains all in one week. There are major storms rolling into Southern California and the mountains could get as much as two feet of rainfall this week. Since it could be a while before we get out, Sherry and I decided to head up to Wrightwood for lunch.

We don't do too much camping in the Angeles National Forest. It isn't that we don't like the place, its just that there are only three campgrounds that take reservations, and the anxiety of wondering if you'll have a place to set up camp isn't our kind of fun. All three of the campgrounds with reservations are within a ten-minute drive of the town of Wrightwood.

Mountain Oak is the furthest from town, but they only take RVs up to 18' long -- La Rana is 23. Lake Campground is very intimate with only 8 campsites, but they too are limited to 18' campers. Table Mountain can take up to 32 feet, and it is where we spent Memorial Day weekend in 2007. When we just had a trailer, our favorite sites were 85, 112, 113, 72, 73, 74, 75 and 76. Today we couldn't tell one site from the other because the entire campground was under a foot of unplowed snow.

Old Black Water

2010-01-09T17:04:00.000-08:00

I've been wanting one of these black water flush kits for a while and I finally went over to Giant RV today and bought one. I'll be doing the installation like this video tomorrow.

The sales girl offered a really interesting suggestion for cleaning any really stubborn deposits in the tank. She said to put a few gallons of water in the tank, pour a big bag of ice cubes down the commode, and then drive around for awhile. The ice acts as an aggregate that knocks everything loose and once it melts is obviously no problem for the dump station.Very clever.

I also stumbled upon a really cool website, called CampsitePhotos.com. They have a searchable directory of campgrounds, with photos of every site in the place! If you sign up as a photographer, they'll even pay you to take photos of the campgrounds you go to.

DoHo Christmas

2009-12-29T21:35:00.000-08:00

We just got back from a couple days of beach camping at Doheny State Beach. It was really a commuter-camp because Andy was in a basketball tournament in Rancho Cucamonga so we were commuting the 120 mile roundtrip between the campsite and the games. We were set for another night at camp, but with his Wednesday game starting at 9:00 AM, we decided to come home after the campfire on Tuesday night.

My folks got a room at the Doubletree Resort -- walking distance from the campsite. They just stayed the one night, but they joined us for some hot soup around a cold campfire. I had bought four bundles of firewood at Smart & Final and it just smoldered and never flamed. It was a good thing Sherry knitted my Dad a new hat to keep his melon warm on a cold night at the beach.

This cool photo is from the CSULB geology department. It does a good job of illustrating the things I wanted to write about in this post. At the far left (east) are some condos on the bluff over the campground. Many of those folks have their WiFi unsecured, and it was no problem finding an available network to stream tunes and update the FaceBook page. On the far right (west), is the harbor and there are many fine restaurants within walking distance of the campground (which is located directly under the letters Dohe in the photo). The large building inside the wye adjacent to San Juan Creek is the Doubletree Hotel where my folks stayed.

When the tide was out, Sherry and I walked out onto the tidelands visible directly under the word Beach in the photo. This area is the size of several football fields, and it is all cobbles with lots of sea creatures eking out an existence in this intertidal zone. The Orange County Harbors, Beaches and Parks department has an interesting Virtual Tidepool where you can learn about some of the cool things we saw there. All of the living things are protected, but non-living items may be collected. Along with a few shells, Sherry found several vertebra from a small animal and a large rib bone from some large aquatic creature.

During our final commute, we decided to bring the dogs back to join us for the day. Digger (in front of Andy's feet) had no problem napping through the new adventure. Scooby was ever vigilant for other dogs and Scooby-snacks. This photo was taken in the green park area, directly under the word State. During the summer, this area is hopping with bike and surfboard rentals. Andy isn't crazy about surfing here because the waves break too close to shore near the campground, and those cobbles we were walking on are weapons of mass destruction during high surf.

As we were breaking camp, I heard one of the Rangers referring to Doheny as DoHo, which I thought might catch on with the family. I wonder if it is DoHo or Dough Ho'?

Time to Start Planning

2009-12-26T10:09:00.000-08:00

It is that time of year when everyone makes their lists: Best Movies of the Year; Best Sports Plays; Best whatever. Around here our list is where we want to go camping next year. Since we usually can only make reservations six months in advance, the end of the year gets a little fuzzy.

Winter is always a little rough because of the basketball schedule, but at the Frosh level, there are never any weekend games, so it is actually easier this year. In January, Sherry has a ladies’ retreat, so that weekend is a guys’ trip, and we’re looking at either Joshua Tree National Park or maybe another try at Ocotillo Wells.

We’ve got a couple beach trips planned for the rest of the winter. In February, we’ll be in San Mateo Campground, inland from San Onofre State Beach. Our reservations include day use at any State Beach, so we’ll spend daylight hours on the coast and head inland for the night.

March is at San Elijo State Beach which is right on the coast. It is a nice place to camp because some of the sites are on the bluffs and some on the sand – whatever floats your boat. There is also a fantastic taco stand in the campground, so it is easy to let someone else cook any or every meal.

Our long trip this year is at Sequoia National Park in April with lots of friends. We’re hoping the snows clear early so we can explore Crystal Cave, but even if it is still under snow, we’ll be camped next to the Kaweah River in the Sierra Foothills.

May is pretty busy. We might start with a boondock in Death Valley with friends, but the busy month may prevent that trip. We're also planning a trip to the apple orchards at Oak Glen. We’ve never been there before, but have heard from friends it is a great getaway. Even if the apples are gone, there are shops to stroll and waterslides at the campground lake.

Summer brings us back to the mountains. We’re planning a June weekend at Big Bear Lake, staying at Serrano Campground. This wonderful retreat got Sherry’s highest rating ever, and it is the yardstick she uses for every other campground. It is in a Ponderosa Forest, close to where they filmed the Bonanza TV show, and there is a terrific trail to the Discovery Center (and gourmet coffee).

July is where it starts to get fuzzy because we can’t make reservations too far out in the year. Where Sherry uses Serrano as her yardstick, I use Dogwood. The forest there is more reminiscent of the Sierras than the Ponderosa, and the little town of Blue Jay is close by.

In the late summer of August or September, we could head to the beach or to the mountains of Idyllwild. I think Sherry and Andy enjoy the beach more, and working at the Black Mountain Fire Lookout, I get a couple days a month at the top of the forest. It is tough getting beach reservations in the summer, so we could end up camping in the pines and a couple day trips to the beach.

In October, we want to try something new and head out to Mitchell Caverns in the Providence Mountains State Recreation Area. The SRA is surrounded by the Mojave National Preserve, which has been brought before Congress for creation of the Mojave Trails National Monument.

November is a Death Valley boondock, and we might slip another beach trip into November. Doheney is fun for camping, but the surfing isn’t the greatest. San Elijo is close to Legoland, so it might be a trip with our Godson.

December is always a tough month, but we usually try to sneak in a Doheney Beach trip during the holidays. It gives us time to plan our 2011 calendar.

Tin Mine Trio

2009-12-19T11:40:00.000-08:00

A camping trip with friends this weekend didn't work out, so we enjoyed a day hike in Tin Mine Canyon. This was Andy's first trip to the canyon, and while he had a slow start, he warmed up pretty quickly.

The recent rainfall has greened up the hillsides, and the creek was starting to run. Hopefully, it will see a lot more rain in the coming weeks.

This last photo I took from Skyline, above the canyon. The crisp winter air made for some great visibility, and in this view looking North, you get a good idea of what a great location we live in for camping fun. The Angeles National Forest is just an hour North of us; San Bernardino National Forest is just two hours to the Northeast; Cleveland National Forest is minutes away to the South; Chino Hills State Park is a few minutes to the West; and the beach is just two hours to the Southwest.

Sticker Shock

2009-12-03T20:05:00.000-08:00

We had a tradition with The Caboose that we put a sticker on the back showing everywhere we hauled it for camping.

We continued that tradition with La Rana, and went a step further by removing some of the factory stickers and replacing them with these custom stickers. These were all made to order for us by Seth at Vinyl Disorder.

These stickers are almost always a conversation starter at campgrounds and even gas stations. They remind me of the window decal passes of the early days of our National Parks, and the passage stickers that were attached to old steamer trunks. We're going to be adding Ocotillo Wells, Joshua Tree and Sequoia National Park this spring.

Knott Camping

2009-12-01T21:43:00.000-08:00

Jake hates when I do this, but this post has absolutely nothing to do with camping. On Sunday we headed over to Knott's Berry Farm with Sherry's Dad, Art. We had a terrific afternoon without any crowds. We did Ghostrider and the Silver Bullet roller coasters, but one of the most fun is Sidewinder. This is really a mash-up of the classic Tilt-a-Whirl and a rollercoaster. For $15 they sell you a DVD with video taken from an in-car camera. We got one of Sherry and Art, and another with me and the Boy. I did my own mash-up, combining the two videos into two minutes of funny faces (Check out Andy at 1:08!). Enjoy.

Insomnia and the Tin Mine

2009-11-26T01:29:00.000-08:00

Blame it on insomnia, but I spent the better part of Wednesday night researching the history of Tin Mine Canyon. It seems it was all a wonderful con game, and while it has nothing to do with camping, it does cover our new favorite day hike destination.

It starts in September of 1891. Colonel E. N. Robinson, the General Manager of the mines was called to London to answer to the investors over the productivity of the mines. He told the investors that the rumors they had been hearing were most assuredly untrue. The mines were not employing 250 men, but only 80, and the claims of daily yields of $2,000 or more were ridiculous. I'm sure the investors must have thought they were being swindled because they had yet to recover anything from the venture.

Despite his claims to the contrary, the source of the rumors was in fact, Robinson, who three months earlier took a load of tin pigs (ingots) to the South Riverside (Corona) train depot so that President Benjamin Harrison could pose with it and endorse the endeavor in the local papers. After the President's photo, the pigs were hauled around to other locations for publicity photos to fuel the rumors of productivity.

When the scam began to unravel, Robinson and his conspirator James Crossman, blamed the controversy on the investors not wanting to work with anyone but "Cornishmen." The investors had sent their own managers to the site to see what was going on. Robinson and Crossman were accused of building illusions with shoddy mills without any possibility of enough water to run them. They said they were being shut down by "English capitalists who would rather waste the sweetness in the profound depths..." than to have anyone but an Englishman make a profit. Like a good con-man, they blamed the victim and then said that while they were harvesting tin, they had found some gold and were looking for local, American investors for their next venture.

I don't know if they ever got a pound of tin from the area, but the new managers recovered their money by selling the water rights to the "agriculturists in the vicinity." The most notable of these was Frank Miller, a Civil Engineer in Riverside who built an Inland Empire which included the Mission Inn.

In my late night research, I was looking for active claims in the area, and finding none, annotated the photo of the canyon. Only three of Robinson's 28 shafts are in this canyon. Blue is the creek, red is the main trail, and pink is the side trails. It is a half-mile walk on the dirt road to the trailhead, and another half-mile to trail's end. Now maybe I can get some sleep.

Doheney Weekend

2009-11-22T17:30:00.000-08:00

We finally got out for more than a day trip. We spent two nights at Doheny State Beach for what we thought was going to be a surfing trip, but a shore break and two-foot surf kept Andy in the sleeping bag texting the weekend away.

Our buddy Mike came out on Saturday for barbecue and some cold ones. Mike was Andy's surfing teacher and we thought they'd get out again, but the conditions were much better for tri-tip, roasted vegetables, escalloped potatoes and adult beverages.

The weather was pretty cold for Southern California standards. It was in the 40's overnight and never got above the mid-sixties during the day. While Andy tended to stay within a car-charger's length of his cellphone, Sherry and I had wonderful walks along the beach, coffee on the jetty and cozy campfires. This was a great trip, even without the surfing, and we're looking forward to a return trip in December.

Tin Mine Canyon

2009-11-15T10:28:00.000-08:00

The family has been sick since Halloween, so it was great to get out for an early morning hike up Tin Mine Canyon. Andrew spent the night at a buddy's house, so it was just Sherry and I stretching our legs before breakfast.

This canyon is so representative of the Southern California Natural History. We climbed through three distinct habitats. The only downside of the early morning walk was that we really needed a small towel for the morning dew at the rest stops. It is going to be really pretty back there when we finally get some rains and we'll have four or five creek crossings along the hike.

We spent much more time exploring this trip. The first tin mine we encountered had been sealed shut with rocks. The second shaft was a deep horizontal shaft with a sharp right turn after about fifty feet. You can walk up to the portal, but the Forest Service has sealed it shut with heavy iron. The third shaft was way up on the side of a cliff, and like a fool, I risked life and limb climbing up the mine tailings and hugging the side of the cliff so I could get to the portal. Once I got out there, it was another deep horizontal tunnel protected by iron.

I'm hoping we won't tire of hiking in this canyon. It is only ten minutes from home, yet it feels like a million miles from work and the city.

Out of Service

2009-11-11T15:49:00.000-08:00

Today we closed down the Black Mountain Fire Lookout for the season. It was quite the chore to bring everything down and secure the structure with metal shutters, but the real work is yet to come.

Sometime on the long, bumpy ride down the mountain, a ten-pound ABC fire extinguisher emptied inside my five-foot camper shell. What looks like a carton of eggs is actually a case of water. The inset photo is of my mostly-black drill. The gray upholstery of the shell interior has taken on a jaundiced look, but I'm happy to report that all of the Lookout stuff is cleaning off fairly well.

This is going to take a lot of time to clean up, which makes me wonder if a dry chemical extinguisher for the RV is really the best choice.

Death Valley Rendezvous

2009-11-02T15:12:00.000-08:00

Andrew and I spent the weekend hanging out with the usual suspects out at Death Valley. This has turned into a twice-a-year rendezvous that is a lot of fun. We're sworn to secrecy on the exact location, but lets just say it is a stone's throw south and east of the park boundary. I forgot to bring a camera, so this old promotional shot and a photo from last Spring's trip will have to do until some of the other campers share their photos.

The natural history of the area is quite stark. Usually the only living things we see are ravens and black flies, but game cameras around our boondock have spotted foxes too so I have to assume there are rodents around. I haven't seen any burrows so they must use the rubble of the cliffs for shelter. These canyons are remarkable formations of volcanic ash which was inundated by sea water eons ago. Opals can be found in some of the strata. On the top, is desert pavement with lots of volcanic rock and desert rose crystals.

As always, we had a terrific time, and the hospitality of our hosts was remarkable. Thanks guys! And thanks to Jake for sending on this photo of our campsite. We're the little RV on the right.

Campfires and Tin Mines

2009-10-24T11:28:00.000-07:00

Last night we celebrated Andy's 15th birthday with a potluck in the backyard. Andy invited a bunch of his friends and they spent most of the night at the campfire in the back yard. It was quite the sight to see two dozen teenagers packed around the fire ring.

For too many of them it was the first time they've ever been to a campfire. It sure is great being able to share that with them in our own backyard. Check out the view of the city lights too.

Saturday morning, Sherry and I went for a hike up Tin Mine Canyon in the Cleveland National Forest, about ten minutes from our house. During the 1800's there were several working tin mines in this canyon, and at least one shaft can be viewed from the trail.

The canyon bottom is shaded with Live Oaks and Sycamores, and there are lots of sages and buckwheat growing along the sides. The tin ore is clearly visible and there are some remnants of the history for those who look. We're working up to a hike up to Skyline and Oak Flat on the same trailhead.

Cool Reading

2009-10-21T19:51:00.000-07:00

Not much to do with camping, but most of us outdoorsy-types appreciate the venerable USGS topographical maps. They've been publishing an interesting history of the maps in one of the obscure journals I read (ARCNews). They have from 1884-1980 posted online. The next chapter should be posted after the print edition comes out after New Years, so save the link and check back later.

This historic photo shows an early USGS topographer taking measurements while his assistant records the information on a field sketch. Imagine mapping our entire nation before GPS, lasers and four-wheel drive. Incredible.

Outdoor Stove

2009-10-12T10:17:00.000-07:00

I've always admired the tinkerer. This guy built a camping stove out of a metal mailbox, some conduit and a rain gutter. I'm not sure how many fires it would take to finally destroy it, but you have to love the ingenuity. Check out his blog for homemade kayaks, trikes, campers, etc.

Pikachu

2009-10-05T22:16:00.000-07:00

It is still months away, but I'm getting excited about the trip to Sequoia National Park for Spring Break. We'll be staying in the foothills below the big trees, but that will only be a base camp for our explorations. The logistics are a little more involved than the Zion trip, but we'll be bringing along several friends this time around. Sherry is hoping to see some bears, but I'd be happy to see some of these pika.

Modifications

2009-10-03T16:00:00.000-07:00

I've made a few modifications to the RV that I never posted, so it is time to bring the blog up to date. We decided to call our RV, La Rana, which is Spanish for The Frog. I took off the factory decals in the back and added a large version of this frog drawing as well as our destination stickers. There is a smaller version of La Rana on each side of the RV too. I'll be adding the text for La Rana as well.

We found it frustrating to use our XM radio during the Zion trip because the overhang of the cab frequently blocked the signal. Rather than attach it to the roof and try to figure out an elegant way to route the wiring, I mounted a bracket the the front grill and mounted it next to the hood latch. Hopefully, it won't get in the way of the mechanics. Most people won't even notice it.

Finally, I spent some time playing with the layout of Our Camping Blog. Let me know what you think.

TV or not TV, That is the Question

2009-10-02T12:59:00.001-07:00

I'm not generally the kind who likes to watch TV on a camping trip, but during fire season, there are no campfires allowed, so once the sun goes down, it is easy to end up inside instead of at the fire ring.

We have a digital TV, DVD and antenna, but the location of the TV doesn't work well for viewing. In the drawing to the right, the Blue line is the factory installed TV. As you can see, forget about watching it from the single chair or the cab-half the dinette.

Andy likes that location well enough for playing video games, but everyone else gets a sore neck. One possibility is moving it to the green line, above the single chair and then putting a separate monitor for video games on the cab-over bed.

Another option is to get a set of those back-of-headrest monitors and mount them by the back bed and above the door. The selector switch already mounted in the cupboard allows each of two TVs to choose their source: Antenna, Cable or VCR/DVD.

The issue with the headrest monitors is that they're 12v so they can be powered by the interior lighting circuit, however the tuner and selector are 110v so they wouldn't work without shore power anyway. I could find a 12v DVD player and use it during boondocking.

At this point, I'm thinking I can put the existing TV above the chair, but reverse the mount so that it will pivot toward the cab-over bed. That way, there is only one TV on board, and if Andy is going to play video games, it can be pivoted toward his bed (the cabinet is too small for the existing TV). The only person who gets left out is whoever is sitting in the single chair, but a mirror mounted on the other wall could solve that problem. I'm going to need to ponder this for a while.

Air Tanker Base Tour

2009-09-19T17:33:00.000-07:00

This morning I got a chance to tour several aircraft at the US Forest Service's Air Tanker Base in San Bernardino. They invited all of the fire lookout volunteers to come down and meet the pilots and see the equipment.

I went inside two converted submarine-hunters, and a helicopter, plus got to poke my head into a Single Engine Air Tanker (crop duster) and the radio tower.

It was great to meet some of the men and women we've heard on the radio and seen fly over the lookout towers. What an incredible experience. There is a full gallery here.

Surf's Up

2009-09-12T18:48:00.000-07:00

Andy has wanted to graduate from boogie-boarding to surfing but we lacked instruction and equipment. Then I remembered my buddy Mike is a veteran surfer with several awards. Mike was happy to spend the day teaching Andy how to surf. We were joined by his daughter Chloe.

Andy was a natural, making it upright on his second try. Oceanside is a really nice beach to learn at because there are no rocks or stingrays and the waves break way off shore. That means shallow, warm water.

We could not have asked for a more patient instructor. I've posted a full gallery of our photos here.

Mountain Man Rendezvous

2009-09-07T23:54:00.000-07:00

We finished up the Labor Day weekend with a couple days at Holcomb Valley with our friends Paul and Linda. Beyond the joys of catching up with some old friends, we got to explore a Mountain Man encampment with over a hundred folks camping with period equipment (albeit aided by some food safety devices a la Coleman Coolers).

Later in the day, we explored the valley on quads, and then on Sunday night, we went for a chilling adventure as we braved the cold mountain air to go on a quad ride under the moonlight. Paul has built a cross country trail marked only by small reflectors shaped like cat eyes, and the adventure is navigating across the valley using only these life size eyes attached to tree trunks every few hundred feet.

On Monday morning, the boys headed over to the rifle range for some testosterone-charged fun before a barbecue lunch and estrogen-laced shopping in Big Bear. What a great weekend. Check out the two-minute highlight reel.

Thunderhead

2009-09-06T09:17:00.000-07:00

I started the Labor Day weekend with a shift up at the Black Mountain Fire Lookout. While I didn't get any smokes, the weather is changing and we could get some thunderstorms. While moisture helps the existing fires, we get lots of new starts when lightning strikes the dry fuel. This thunderhead appeared in less than 15 minutes on Saturday, and within two hours, it covered the mountain.

Early this week, we lost one of our Lookouts to the Station Fire. The Vetter Mountain Lookout was destroyed after standing its post since 1935.

Finally, I wanted to thank the ground troops for their hard work in the fires. The pilots and the tankers get all the attention on the news, but it is these ground fighters that get the job done. Two of these brave firefighters made the ultimate sacrifice. 47-year-old Captain Tedmund "Ted" Hall, and 35-year-old firefighter Specialist Arnaldo "Arnie" Quinones, Los Angeles County firefighters were killed when their vehicle went over the side of the road while fighting the Station Fire.

Andy's Favorite Camping Video

2009-09-03T22:14:00.000-07:00

End of Summer

2009-08-29T09:27:00.001-07:00

Andy starts high school on Monday, plus it is my Mom's birthday -- two perfect reasons for a quick camping trip to the beach. We went to San Mateo for the night and got a site for $37 instead of the post-California economic-melt-down $67 they now charge for a hook-up site (no kidding).

The campground is very nice, but because it is on Camp Pendleton Marine Base, you can't leave the campground except for the mile-and-a-half hike to San Onofre State Beach. That means there is not much to do in camp except check out the other campers.

My Mom and I enjoyed catching up with a couple hours of campfire conversation. Andy forgot we were there and wore out his battery texting everyone else in his contact list.

Our camping receipt allowed us day access to Doheney and San Clemente State Beaches, so we tried to get into the surf, but the conditions were brutal with horrible rip tides. I got a cool souvenir from the trip; someone threw away this classic White Gas Lantern. It looks great hanging on my back shed.

Zion - The Promised Land

2009-08-22T10:33:00.001-07:00

Zion National Park is truly one of the most magnificent places on Earth. As anyone who has seen this blog knows, we’re no stranger to camping and the outdoors, so when we say it is one of the most magnificent places on Earth, it must be.

We spent a week with a base camp at Zion Canyon, in the hottest month of the year, and it was perfect.

Each morning, we would complete an adventure before the heat sent us back to camp for a siesta. In the evening, we would venture out for another adventure before settling in for the night.

The towering Navajo Sandstone cliffs are like sandcastles in the expanse of the Mojave and Great Basin Deserts. The trails along the canyon walls were incredible, and every day we saw dozens of wild turkeys, deer, bats and once, a grey fox.

Traveling with a 14 year-old son is usually easier with a distraction, so we brought along Andy’s buddy Travis. He had his own adventures, as he had never eaten Spam and eggs, or even tamales.

One of our favorite adventures was taking our bikes on the park shuttle and then riding the Pa’rus Trail back down to camp. This two-mile trip was so much fun as we let gravity do most of the work during the cool evening air.

These few photos and short video fail to do this place any real justice. It truly is our favorite place, and one we will surely revisit time and again.

The Caboose is Loose

2009-08-15T22:20:00.001-07:00

After two years, the Caboose is loose. We sold it off and now we're making new memories with an RV. She was good to us, and she went to a good family.

We decided the new RV is named La Rana, Spanish for The Frog.

(Rail) Road Trip

2009-08-08T17:51:00.000-07:00

This morning I took Andy plus his buddy Travis on a beach trip. We took the Metrolink to San Clemente Pier. All summer long, they have weekend beach trains, and you can take up to four people, anywhere on the line, round trip for $29. I can't pay for gas and parking for less.

We left at 9:30 and were on the sand at 11:00. Well, almost on the sand. I knew I'd have a hard time getting them out of the water for lunch, so we ate pizza before going into the water. The track is literally ten yards from the beach, so it is a popular destination.

We caught the 3:09 train home, pulling into our home station at 4:30. It was a great trip, one that we will certainly do again.

Surf Warning

2009-07-26T19:37:00.000-07:00

This weekend had triple digit temperatures and an unusual storm that brought in ten foot waves along the Southern California coast. For us, that meant road trip. We used the new RV as a base station under the palms at Corona Del Mar.

Sherry's Dad Art joined us, as well as Andy's buddy Travis. We had several thousand other folks join us too. The parking lot was full by noon, and it stayed that way until dusk.

If you look closely at the photos, you can see how crowded the sand was. It was not uncommon to have the waves knock you into several strangers, and none of the umbrellas in Art's photo are ours.

Sherry is looking great and enjoying the new comforts of a real RV and not the Caboose. These little road trips are really helpful for us to learn the little things about the new rig and figure out what we need to do before the Zion trip. We're still trying to come up with a pet name for it, and we're playing with variations of La Casa Rana (the Frog House), which is what we call our home. Ranita is Spanish for little frog. Since the RV is made by Dutchmen, De Kikker, is Dutch for The Frog.

The Smithsonian

2009-07-23T11:01:00.001-07:00

OK. It wasn't a camping trip and it wasn't a family trip, but I was in Washington DC this week and managed to do enough exploring that I had to stop and buy some new insoles for my shoes. Our meetings were generally over by four, and so my opportunities to explore were limited due to the closing hours of the assorted museums.

This big fellow is a really big fellow. He is probably ten foot tall while seated, and I sure don't want him standing up. He was in the basement of the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden. The realism of this piece was amazing.

The Air and Space Museum was open late, so I visited there after dinner. It so happened that it was the anniversary of the walk on the moon, so there was lots of media there. As impressive as the various artifacts were, I was most moved by a film I saw on the artwork of Astronaut Alan Bean. He continues to create incredible paintings, and he does them on aircraft plywood that he textures with imprints from his moon boots, rock hammer and bits of moon dust from his uniform patches. There is an excerpt of the film below.

The following day, I visited the gardens of the Smithsonian Castle (top photo), and then a couple museums before they closed. In the Castle they had displayed the judges desk from American Idol and props from the Night at the Museum movie.

I went to the Natural History Museum and was disgusted by the attitude of most of the visitors. It was as if they thought they were in a McDonalds' play-land. My favorite exhibit was on the world of ants. This piece which looks like a jelly fish is actually a cast of the tunnels and chambers of an ant colony. The biologist/artist, pours molten aluminum into the top of a tunnel and after it cools, excavates the casting. Incredible.

My last museum of the night was the American History museum. I saw the Star Spangled Banner, and this trailer was in the transportation exhibit. Very cool stuff.

I took the Metro to Union Station and then took a twilight tour of the city on the top of a double-decker bus. A quick Metro ride to the hotel and I was crashed for the night.

I slept in the last morning and then walked to the Potomac River through historic Alexandria, Virginia. It was very nice, with lots of galleries and street artists. At the waterfront, they have taken the old torpedo factory and turned it into a three story artists' gallery. Lot's of cool things going on in there. If I could afford it, I would have spent a lot of money in there.

This trip was a lot of work, with a few hours of tourism thrown in. It would have definitely been better with the whole family. Maybe next year. The video below is about ten minutes long, but I found it, and his work, my favorite part of the trip.

The Maiden Trip of the RV

2009-07-19T20:01:00.000-07:00

What a whirlwind of a weekend. I took my Mom up to Black Mountain Lookout for a few hours and on the way down my truck died next to Lake Fulmor and out of cell range. While we were hanging out at the lake, we saw a young rattlesnake, which gave Mom the excitement she was looking for.

The truck was inoperable so it got towed into Idyllwild Garage for repairs. Meanwhile Sherry came and rescued us while we left my truck on the Hill to wait for parts. We dropped my Mom off and then we loaded up the RV for a weekend at San Elijo State Beach.

Right before we left, the UPS man dropped off my new GPS navigation unit so we had a little help driving in the dark. Andy brought Joe along, and they kept the dogs occupied. As you can see, Andy's summer hairdo is growing out.

The beach was very nice, with dozens of surfers and our boys playing Frisbee and boogie-boarding in the waves. That is Andy walking out into the surf behind Sherry-the-Surfer-Mom. A few minutes after this shot was taken, a lady stepped on a stingray and was taken up the bluffs by the lifeguards. After that, we all remembered to do the stingray shuffle when we walked in the water.

It turns out we could have skipped the late night provisioning at Trader Joe's. There was a really good taco stand at the beach that had some pretty good food. After breakfast burritos on Sunday, we set the GPS for Idyllwild and headed up the Hill to rescue the truck. Two hundred dollars and the truck was ready to go.

As you can tell by checking out a very tired Digger, we had a terrific trip and the RV is officially broken in, though we still haven't agreed on a nickname for it yet. Any ideas?

Putting the Cart before the Horse?

2009-07-17T05:52:00.000-07:00

That is a pretty expensive anchor.

Googie Palm Springs

2009-07-09T11:57:00.000-07:00

We're in Indian Wells this week on business/pleasure. While I consider myself somewhat of a desert rat, there is also the attraction of the Googie style so evident in the area around Palm Springs.

Googie is a style of architecture that thrived in the 1950s and early 1960s. Think boomerangs, satellites, brushed aluminum and neon. Cool dude.

We had to split the week into two parts so Andy could make a basketball game in the summer league (Go COUGARS!). It also helped me keep from replacing my sweat with Mojitos. Sherry has the unfortunate business part of the trip, but evenings have been free for dancing, sushi and shopping.

Negative Ghost Rider, the Pattern is Full

2009-07-05T21:22:00.000-07:00

I was working a quiet shift in the Black Mountain Lookout today. Well, it was supposed to be quiet. Right around 10AM, we had some wifts of smoke less than a mile off the tower. Cranston Station sent a helicopter to confirm, and identified the smoke as a snag burning in the timber cutting area. By the time the first crews were on scene, ladder fuels were involved and the helicopter began doing water drops. We watched the chopper make five runs to Lake Fulmor for water, but we never could see the actual fire, even though it was less than a mile off the tower, it was behind the ridge. Later on, we were buzzed by a tanker coming home from the Tujunga Fire. So much for a quiet Sunday in the tower.

This morning, I edited some cool timelapse video of the De Luz fire from July 2nd. It really shows how fast a fire can grow from spark to 94 acres.

Greatest Hits

2009-07-01T05:19:00.000-07:00

Thinking about the previous post, and looking at the comments, our greatest hits are:

9 Comments - Big Sur and the Central Coast
8 Comments - Just Dusting Off
5 Comments - Damn Big Tree
5 Comments - Tubing on the Kern River

100th Post

2009-06-28T10:15:00.001-07:00

I just noticed this morning that today's post is the 100th update to Our Camping Blog. A lot has happened during these 100 posts, so let us know if you have a favorite post and maybe we'll put together a greatest hits.

On Friday, we brought home our new RV. We love it, but we've got to come up with a pet name, kind of like the Caboose. Any ideas?

It has been a busy weekend with the new arrival of the RV and then our Saturday night field trip. Our friend Stan is the president of the San Gabriel Valley Mustang Club and they were invited to display their gorgeous classics and take a couple laps on the Toyota Speedway. Stan let us ride in his 65 Mustang Convertible. It was lots of fun screaming around the track snapping photos. This was another one of those crazy field trips we like to do. Who else goes crawling into hundred year-old mines, aqueduct tunnels, and laps around a banked half-mile oval track?

Wanna Buy a Caboose?

2009-06-20T20:45:00.000-07:00

Today we bought an RV. We had been toying with the idea for a while, and while the economy sucks, it made it easy to get an incredible deal on this upgrade from our Caboose. Did I say incredible? I meant INCREDIBLE. We got a 2008 Dutchmen Express, 23 footer, with only 9,400 miles on it, for $26,000 off retail.

This model had everything we were looking for: it has a knitting chair for Sherry; an over-cab bed for Andy; no slide-outs (for fuel economy); a roomy bathroom; and a downstairs queen bed. Extras are a generator, huge storage, LCD TV, and an outside shower.

While the kitchen is small, we do most of our cooking outside and it keeps our sleeping area from being claustrophobic with walls. The on-board microwave and oven will be great additions to our camping menus.

The bathroom is large, with a shower, vanity and porcelain commode. The refrigerator and freezer are a good size for our weekend trips. The dinette is much more comfortable than the one in the Caboose, and it can be made into a perfect bed for the trips with our Godson.

Chassis Chevy
Vortec Engine 6.0L / V-8
Wheelbase 158"(F)/159"(C)
Exterior Length 24' 10"
Exterior Height 10' 10"
Exterior Width 99"
Interior Height 82"
Awning Size 15' 6"
Fuel 55 gallons
LPG 40.9
Fresh Water 40 gallons
Black Water 24.5 gallons
Gray Water 38.5 gallons
Water Heater 6 gallons
Furnace 25,000 BTU