As I get ready to prepare myself for work at Amazon in a few weeks, Brian and I sit back and reflect on our California trip and it’s hard to believe end of the trail is here for this summer.
I have always dreamed of California and wonder what it really was like. When one thinks of California the first thing they think about is all the big cities like Los Angeles, San Francisco, San Diego just to name a few. And what about earthquakes or California falling off into the ocean?
What amazed us the most is all the beauty that California does have to offer. If there truly is a God’s county-well California sure has to have a part-that’s for sure! Where else can one go and get desert, ocean, mountains, forest with largest trees-or that big city? California has it all.
As we started out on our journey back in early April, our first stop was Slab City. Now, one cannot be THAT close and at least spend a short time there –just to see what it really was all about. All that you have read or heard about Slab City on the internet or news-is mostly true.
There was plenty of homeless (but happy) folks, lots, and lots of garbage, interesting art, and although we didn’t witness any-we were sure of drug activity…But for the most-everyone left us alone.
Next on the CA Trail was Joshua Tree, where I continue to heal with my foot and was able to finally do a little more walking and short hikes. Here we were in high desert country with large boulders and mountains surrounding us, not to mention those unique Joshua Trees.
Down the road next was Sequoia National Monument. We thought when we made our reservation that we would be in the “middle” of the Sequoia, but once we got to our destination-we learned we were not. Wishon campground is in the middle of the National Monument, but the big trees were located mostly in the National park instead.
Although driving to this particular campground was a challenge in itself, not to mention the campground really couldn’t accommodate our travel trailer, I still wouldn’t trade what we did. We had the most peaceful and beautiful park that one could even ask for.
Would we have seen a mountain lion or have her baby cub wake us up with an eerie cry in the middle of the night if we had stayed anywhere else? Maybe-maybe not. Or what about the bear that try to get into our trash can? Oh and let’s not forget this is also the same place that we had a momma bear first huff and then growled twice at us! Yep, here we heard and seen more nature than we ever had!
Oh, and we still took adventures to see those big giant of trees.
Next on the trail was Yosemite National Park. As much as we did try, here we could NOT get reservations inside the park. They were booked up solid. Closes we could get was at the North end at Dimond O’ Campground. Although we were only a short distant from the entrance, it was still a long ways down into Yosemite Valley-where majority of the attractions was.
So again trips were planned. After a few trips in, and soon not liking the crowd, we both were very thankful NOT to be camped inside the park itself!
We did several hikes, a few of them having to struggle with other tourist, soon was not becoming a fun thing for neither of us.
Next down the road was Bass Lake. How we picked this particular place-I’m not really sure. One thing is that I’m glad that we did! We called it our “Hidden Gem”. It seems only the locals knew about this little lake.
Here we got to hike (a very long hike) to a fire tower not to mention taking other walks as well.
Now it was time for some minor RV repairs and a short stop near Sacramento. While the rig was in getting repaired we took this time to take a quick drive over to San Francisco to see the Golden Gate Bridge.
To continue on our trail in California, the next stop would be spending some time along the Pacific coast. So Westport-Union State Beach would be our spot for a few weeks.
Spending time here, meant much cooler weather and dealing with fog. I think out of 12 days we had 5 of those days that were clear of fog by mid morning.
We did enjoy daily walks on the ridge of what use to be part of Hwy One and going to sleep at night with the waves crashing in the rocks below us.
Let’s not forget the most beautiful sunsets that one could ask for!
While here, we learned that if Central California was heating up into the upper 90’s to the triple digit, it was a given that the coast would be completely fogged in for the most. Daily normal highs were only in the 60’s. Summertime is notorious for fog while winters are not.
Hoping to enjoy the coast a little more, we soon learned that our next destination would not accommodate our size of rig. We had planned on heading to Kings Range, but had to make different plans.
Looking at our map we came across Six Rivers National Forest. We found a campground that fit us nicely.
Aikens Creek Campground allowed us to have a little corner to ourselves and was only disturbed by a skunk letting us know he was still the ruler of the area.
There was yet another campground (E-Nu-Nuck) just across the road from us and we soon became fast friends with the camp host over there. We enjoy many meals and a few marguerita's with him. Let’s just say we got our fill of fresh Salmon!
Liking the Six Rivers National Forest, we found yet another campground that would fit us. Here we had a fast moving creek right at our campsite!
It was so peaceful to fall asleep at night listening to the babbling of the creek.
It was finally time for us to move on and head to our next reservation into the Redwoods National Park. We had reservations one week at Del Norte, and one week at Prairie Creek.
Upon arrival at Del Norte, once again we learned that our reservation would not fit our needs-again. But we manage to find a site that would work very nicely for us.
We enjoyed hikes and exploring all the tall, tall trees of California and more of the coast.
Once again we were socked in with fog nearly every day. That was getting hard for us to get use to….
By the time we were to move and head over to Prairie Creek, once again we ran into a problem with our reservation. This time it just wasn’t going to work and there was no place to actually put us.
Upon making our reservation, it clearly stated that the site would fit our size of rig. The site did fit our rig, but the problem was getting to that campsite. As you enter the park itself, it clearly is posted that two of the loops would NOT fit RV’s over 24 feet in length-but this was NOT posted on the reserved web page! So now we are in the process of fighting to get our money back…but that’s another story for another time.
We were finally getting tired of the fog day after day, and decided to head into Redding. We found an RV park with full hook-up and a swimming pool. It was nice to take a week and actually watch a little TV, enjoy shopping and of course-swimming.
Our first original plan was to spend time at Whiskeytown-Shasta National Forest, but with the temps reaching triple digit every day and nights not cooling down-this wasn’t going to work-specially without electric.
Our last National Park to visit here in California would be Lassen National Park. I have to say I think this has become our most favorite so far. Knowing that the mountains surrounding you are actually volcano's, was amazing alone. But to know that there is still activity going on below is another thing!
Here there was plenty to hike and explore and really one can never say they could get bored. Although the campground prove to be busy with many travelers, no one was ever out of control or noisy at night.
So here we are now spending our last few weeks in the Plumas National Forest at Lake Almanor Reservoir, just outside of Lassen NP. We have a great site with sunshine to power our solar panel, great view (not of lake) and plenty to walk and hike each day.
We sit and look back at our adventure. We notice that we nearly saw no rain at all this summer. California temps can vary so much, more than any other place than we have seen or visited. If you want cool weather-head to the coast-anywhere from San Francisco on north. If you want dry hot days, head to central California. Right now, we have very cool mornings, with days reaching into the mid 80’s-perfect weather!
I don’t think we have been on so many windy, twisty, curvy roads as we have been on here in California. You know the saying “What Goes Up Must Come Down”? Well all summer I have repeatedly told Brian: “What Goes Down, Must Go Back Up”! That goes for both roads and hiking trails!
I don’t think we have been anywhere where Marijuana is so openly smoked. We saw it at about every turn we took, there would be someone smoking or sharing that “stuff”….just not use to that….
We have lived majority of the summer without TV, Cell Phone reception, not to mention Internet. Only power we had was what sunlight we had for our solar or the generator. We have enjoyed many nights having campfires.
We found California interesting and now I can check mark that off my bucket list and move onto the next thing….
(It’s a secret for now).
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