Lake Arrowhead Area, CA, USA - Sept 2-5, 2011

Note:  Pictures Available!  RMC on the title and open in a new window . . . and just added the coyote movie!  Click here to view.


Our third morning into the trip and it was our first morning that we felt like we really didn't have anything to do.  What a joy to wake up without a list!  Even while camping in Laguna, we woke up with a list - Bark Park, Zinc, Brussels, Main Beach, but here, nothing.  It's wonderful and I hope it lasts forever.


But that doesn't mean we don't have more lessons to learn!  Like--hello?-- research the area you are heading to before you get there.  Who knew that Lake Arrowhead was private?  So much for bringing down our blow-up boats and floating along catching fish!  The next nearest lake, Lake Gregory, doesn't even take dogs.  So we are up at Dogwood Campground (NFS) about 3 miles from Lake Arrowhead, utilizing the great solar (it's over 80 every day), hiking and enjoying our campfires.  


The campground is crowded - we realized that this is the first time we have camped in the summer and on the busiest weekend no less.  Thank god I had thought ahead to find us something for this Labor Day Weekend, as it was no small task finding an open spot anywhere in Southern California.  Our site, #71, looked to be (as Alan indelicately put it), "the worst site here."  Could this be the start of our first Road Fight?  I thought, "He should be thanking me for finding us a spot at all!"  


But I held my tongue (for one night--and Alan would say, "for once") he had a rough driving day -- only about 80 miles but it took us 5.5 hours!  That L.A. traffic man, it was grueling.  So I let the comment go right on by.  As our luck would have it, all the other sites filled up with the exception of the one right next to us (the pitch was literally 20' away) so our enjoyment of the previously-thought worst site increased dramatically.


Plus, how can you not enjoy a place where you are greeted at the front gate by a roaming coyote?  Enjoy the short film here.  We are doing our best to use Bloggie (the wonderful HD camera that is lighter than my phone), but get caught up in the fact that it records voice as well--so much pressure!  Especially when you can't even remember the date.  I'm sure we'll get the hang of it soon, or we'll have the best looking silent film ever.


We stayed until Tuesday and what a difference a day makes!  Wow, we were one of only a few people left and it became so quiet and lovely.  Clearly, traveling on busy weekends will be a challenge.  I think we might have a revelation here:  If we are going to be crammed right next to people on busy weekends, why not stay at the RV Resort types and at least have cable hook-up?  


I had my first "miss":  I miss my televised sports!  And it's the US Open!  We might have to find a cable spot for this weekend's finals.


-K


PS:  On the Calendar to the left of the postings, I will put "GP - xxx" entries for the General Plan.  Right now a lot is up in the air due to Alan's surgery, but at least you will know as much as we do!