#32: Lassen Volcanic National Park

When I think of “Northern California,” I mostly think of the San Francisco Bay area. At least I used to. I guess that’s correct, but there is so much more to California north of the Bay area. And I made sure to explore it.

The drive from Truckee to Lassen Volcanic National Park is about three hours. Because I didn’t leave Truckee until the afternoon, I decided to break up the drive by stopping at Hallsted Campground in the Plumas National Forest. Here, I met Joe and Steve. Joe was the camp host, and Steve was camping there for a few nights. I got to chatting with them in the morning, and they helped me a little bit with my trailer. Steve introduced me to using a drill to lower the stabilizers on the Basecamp (which is so much easier than using the manual tool), and Joe provided comic relief. It’s just so fun - and helpful - to meet people on the road.

Steve on the left, and Joe on the right.

After a campground shower, I said good-bye to my new friends and hit the road for Lassen Volcanic. The drive was beautiful.

I snagged a two-night reservation at Manzanita Lake Campground - and thank God I did. It was crowded. With COVID, more people were out camping, not to mention July is peak season. After locating our campsite, Addie and I drove some of the park and stopped by the visitor center to figure out our plan to explore.

The following day, our first stop was to the Devastated Area, damaged by the last eruption of Lassen Peak in 1915. This interpretive trail showcased the hurt caused and featured different types of rock formations as a result. I nerded out a bit here.

We continued our drive, passing Summit Lake (beautiful alpine lake), with an area called Sulphur Works as our destination. This is where things began to heat up, literally. They say that if you’ve been to Yellowstone, these particular hydrothermal natural wonders are not too impressive, but I beg to differ. I was very impressed and found myself just staring at them until Addie barked at me out of boredom. It’s tough to capture the experience in photos - you will have to check it out for yourself!

Driving to Sulphur Works, I noted a few shorter hikes that I wanted to take. After lunch, I headed back out. Addie was okay in the trailer as the temperature wasn’t too high. A trail called Bumpass Hell was the first on my list.

This 2.6-mile moderate hike is named after Kendall Bumpass (pronounced “Bump-iss,” but I like to say “Bump-ass” - hehe). Upon arriving at this area, he fell into a thin boiling crust and severely burned his leg. The hydrothermal area on this hike is the largest in the area; therefore, I didn’t want to miss it. As you can see in the photos, an extensive boardwalk allows visitors to get an up-close view of the boiling mud pots and steaming pools - without getting dangerously close.

I explored one more area of the park and made my way to a lake called Cold Boiling Lake. I expected something much more impactful than what I found, but the hike was still beautiful.

The following morning I enjoyed coffee with some campsite neighbors - two older female friends who occasionally meet up at parks. One of the women was 75-years old and regularly traveled solo in her 1980’s VW Westfalia. I was amazed. Life on the road is challenging, and doing it single at 75-years old is (as I can imagine) is likely even more so. Props to her! She was so inspiring.

After coffee, Addie and I were on the road again to Mount Shasta.

#29: Monterey and Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks

Before taking the weekend to camp and visit Sequoia and Kings Canyon National parks, I spent about a week with my friends Chris and Allison and their family in Sunnyvale, CA. Chris and I met in business school (pretty much day 1) in Ohio, but he now has a killer job at Google. I may have mentioned this before, but getting the chance to spend time with my friends and their kids is remarkable. I got the opportunity to fold into their lives, spend some QT with Allison, and get to know their children. And the kids LOVE Addie, so it was a win-win.

We had a lovely day in Monterey (hey, that rhymes!). We drove the famous 17-mile drive through Pebble Beach and had lunch in Carmel-by-the-Sea. We stopped in the afternoon for a little beach time for the kids. I loved Carmel-by-the-Sea.

Visiting Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks was a treat; for a few different reasons:

1) My friend Chris joined me visiting these two sister parks.

2) I didn’t do any research on these parks (Chris did…), so I had no expectations going in.

In short, often, low expectations equals pleasant surprises.

Because campgrounds are few and far between (see my previous post), we made campground reservations in the Sequoia National Forest, but each night at a different campground, due to availability - one night at Upper Stoney Creek Campground, and the other at Princess Campground. Not staying in the same campground meant we were towing the Airstream around with us for most of the weekend.

Per Chris’s park research, I learned that Sequoia trees are the largest (by volume) globally. With a depth of 8,200 feet, Kings Canyon is one of the deepest canyons in the United States. These parks also host two of the largest (by volume) trees in the world: General Sherman and General Lee. The General Sherman Tree IS the largest in the world (275 feet tall and over 36 feet in diameter at the base), and the General Lee Tree is the second largest of the Sequoias in the Grant Grove section of the park, and 11th largest in the world.

We started by visiting Grant Grove, which is home to the General Lee Tree. We were blown away not only by the size of that tree, but also by all the other trees in the area. The bases of these trees were massive!

The trees were enormous - but the views driving through the park were equally as impressive. Chris and I took turns driving. I have to say; it was nice to be in the passenger seat for a change. I got to look out the window at the sights without having to pay attention to the road.

Chris and I did the perfect nine-mile hike. I hate to admit it, but we took Addie with us, despite it being against the rules. The path seemed “less traveled,” so I took the risk. The trail was called Mist Falls, and it snaked through lush greenery, riverbanks, and at the end was a beautiful waterfall. 

The last day in the parks, we hiked up Moro Rock. From the top, our vantage point afforded us views of both parks - nearly in entirety. We also couldn’t leave without driving through the tunnel log.

Lastly, here are a few shots of us with the National Park signs. After Addie and I got a photo next to the Sequoia sign, she insisted on being in Chris’s picture as well. She ran up to him as he was standing next to it!

These sister parks were stunning and although I had now expectation for them, they blew me away.

It’s funny. Many people I meet ask me what my favorite park is so far. It’s not a simple answer. Being a favorite depends on so many factors: the weather, where I’m camping, if Addie is with me or not, if I have a special treat like a friend joining me, how crowded the park is, the ease on navigating the park, etc. It’s way more about the experience in its entirety that makes it a favorite or not. I’d say these parks were definitely a favorite.

#28: Truckin' Up the California Coast (& Pinnacles National Park)

Leaving Ventura, the only plan I had was to camp at Pinnacles National Park that very night. I had made a reservation for two nights at the Pinnacles campground, but one night was forfeited since I extended my time in Ventura by a day when I found out Channel Islands National Park was open (see previous post #27). Unfortunately, this happens sometimes, and I do a quick cost-benefit analysis in my mind to decide what to do. In this case, I was more than willing to sacrifice a night at Pinnacles to visit Channel Islands.

It was going to be a long day of driving up the coast - not only was it nearly a four-hour drive to my next destination but also there were a lot of little places I wanted to check out along the way. You may be thinking, “Why did she only give herself a day to go from Ventura to Pinnacles?” (see map below), but I had a tough time finding camping spots along the coast.

I want to note: from here on out on my journey, there are a few things to keep in mind to understand some of the decisions I make:

1) It’s summer, so it’s busy everywhere. You need to take what you can get if you don’t want to plan too far in advance.

2) COVID thing #1. More people are embracing this “nomad” lifestyle and/or choosing to vacation via RV (no one wants to stay in a hotel) to do “outdoor” stuff (outdoor activity is the only option).

3) COVID thing #2: Fewer places/campgrounds are open. I’ve seen parks that have closed every other site to practice social distancing. Some parks have closed entire campgrounds and/or don’t offer camping at all.

4) COVID thing #3: Tours, buses, and organized activities are either not running or not running at full capacity.

More people are out there, and fewer things are open/running. So, if this adventure wasn’t challenging enough, it’s even way more challenging now. But, I keep my head up and put things in perspective: I’m out here doing this, and I’m healthy.

My first stop on this route was Pismo Beach. And by stop, I mean merely a halt. A couple I had met a few weeks earlier had mentioned a cinnamon roll place that I couldn’t resist.

It. Was. Delicious. The next two photos were taken about 2 minutes apart. The gooey deliciousness did not last long.

After a gluttonous five minutes, I hit the road for San Luis Obispo (“SLO” as Californians call it). I couldn’t tell you what, exactly, there was to see in this little town, but since I had heard about it and was going to be close to it, I wanted to check it out.

I was able to park the car and Airstream easily, and Addie and I walked around. I don’t have anything crazy to report on this town. It was quaint, the people were friendly, and the weather was fantastic. There is an array of different types of shops and lots of touristy things to buy. Maybe it’s the retail ingrained in me, but I love exploring different kinds of shops and seeing all of the creativity people put into their small businesses.

The next place I wanted to see was Big Sur. But first, some roadside stops along the way. Around every corner, I wanted to stop as the views were so breathtaking. I think my favorite part was the elephant seals, though. Hehe.

When I got to Big Sur, I admit I was somewhat confused. I noticed how the forest butted right up to the coastal cliffs, but I didn’t know what, specifically, to look for. According to the Big Sur Chamber of Commerce, “Big Sur refers to that 90-mile stretch of rugged and awesomely beautiful coastline between Carmel to the north and San Simeon (Hearst Castle) to the south.” Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park is a beautiful park in this area, but I couldn’t camp there due to limited availability. So, technically I went to Big Sur, but I didn’t explore Big Sur. Next time.

And speaking of Hearst Castle, it was closed due to COVID. Once again, next time.

I arrived to Pinnacles National Park around sundown. There is one campground at this park, and it’s accessible only from the east side of the park. There is no through road in this park, meaning you can’t get through the park by driving. Given that I had never heard of this park, and my long day, I neglected to do any research on this park beforehand. If I did, I would have known to enter from the east side of the park. However, I pulled up to the west entrance. I had no service and couldn’t figure out where to go. So, I drove back out where I had service (about 25 minutes), googled the park map, and came to the realization that the campground is on the other side.  

I drove about an hour around the park to the east entrance, and by the time I arrived at the campground, it was dark. Backing into my spot in the pitch black was, well, interesting, but I got it done.

I was disappointed when I went to explore Pinnacles the following morning. The road in the park next to the campground was closed off to vehicles. Many people biked to trailheads, but A) I don’t have a bike with me, and B) I have Addie. We decided to walk on the road, and we “hiked” for about five miles. Addie wasn’t allowed on any of the hiking trails, so we turned around and went back to the campground. Although I spoke to a ranger that morning, I’m still not entirely sure what the park is known for. Alas, we went.

We packed up and headed north to visit friends in Silicon Valley. On the way, I couldn’t resist stopping in Gilroy - known as the Garlic Capital of the World - at “The Garlic Shoppe.” I love garlic and spent way too much money in there to admit. With garlic breath, we got back in the car for the last stretch to Sunnyvale.

#25: Heading East in California

Before this year, the only places I’d been in California were places on the coast - LA, Santa Barbara, San Francisco, etc. I had no idea what I was about to embark on when I decided to go east from the California coastline. Ironically enough, the places I never knew existed became my favorite spots in the state. That’s the thing, though. We all do it - we generalize. We think “California,” and we think the coast because that is what we see in movies or have visited. But like everything else, there is so much more than what is initially perceived. I digress. So, ANYWAY…

Because I was so close to San Diego, I headed down there for one night. I managed to secure a campsite at a San Diego county park. This way, I was close to the city, but not dealing with an RV park (I usually avoid RV parks if I can help it. Not only are they pricier because they include amenities such as playgrounds, game rooms, community areas, etc., but they also tend to have more families and parties staying for more extended periods - not campers. It’s more enjoyable for me to stay with like-minded folks.). 

An old friend from my hometown with whom I had reconnected recently had settled in San Diego, and he recommended I check out Sunset Cliffs. Here, I took in a short walk with Addie along the cliffs and watched surfers catch some waves (although, it appeared they were mostly hanging out in the water - I didn’t see many waves “caught”…). It was gorgeous, and it was here where I really felt I was in Southern California - surfboards on top of cars, people in wetsuits walking around, beach towns, and the sound of waves crashing.

As thrilled as I was to be near the ocean, I was anxious to hit the road for the San Bernadino Forest the next day. The same friend I mentioned earlier, Jared, was coming up to meet me the following day, so it was my job to scope out a campsite before him arriving. This camping trip was the first time I was camping in California, on forest service land. It’s not a state park, but it’s US-owned forest land. You can make reservations, but I hadn’t. I was wingin’ it.

I arrived around 2 pm on a Friday (as I write this months later, I now understand the downfall of that), and I was relying on snagging a first-come, first-served (abbreviated as “FF”) spot. I drove around and around. Although I saw open sites, I also saw “reserved” tags on each of them. I was confused because if some sites were FF, they shouldn’t be reserved. With the mentality of “you never know if you don’t ask,” I knocked on the camp host’s door to find out if I had any options. As luck would have it, there was one available site left. One of the people who had reserved a spot moved to a more desirable, FF spot. So, that reserved spot was now open for me. Close call, though. From then on, I learned to always get there early in the morning and preferably mid-week if I’m relying on snagging a FF site.

My spot overlooked the bathrooms, but I wasn’t complaining. I was thrilled to be there and have a place to camp. The trees were tall, the sky was blue, and I was breathing the fresh mountain air. I was in my happy place, and even the pit toilets couldn’t bring me down.

That afternoon, Addie and I took a ride to Big Bear Lake, which was about 12 miles from our campground. The lake was remarkable, and we moseyed around the little downtown area. Surprisingly, some shops were open, regardless of COVID.

In the morning, we set off on a nearby hike (Johns Meadow Trail). The weather was very odd. It was misty and foggy, and it even rained a bit as we climbed in elevation. I was not expecting that, but it was nice to be cooled off.

Jared arrived that evening, and we (Jared) cooked a yummy dinner and enjoyed catching up on the last 20 years over the campfire. I don’t think we stopped talking. The next day, Jared was heading back to San Diego, and I was staying another few nights at the campground. Before he hit the road, we made a quick trip here (this place was literally off the side of the road):

My original plan was to head back to the coast and head north along the Pacific Coast Highway. However, after speaking with Jared and a few others at this campground, my plans shifted around. From the San Bernadino Forest, I decided to go north up 395 (see map below), the highway that runs on the eastern side of the Sierra Nevada mountains. Holy shit am I glad I did. More to come on this.

Addie and I spent our last day in the San Bernadinos taking on a highly-rated 8-mile hike. The hike was the perfect mix of moderate open trail, rock scramble, and shady forest. I felt I earned my couple glasses of wine back at the campsite before heading to bed. The next day would be spent driving up 395…which at this point, was unfamiliar territory. I had no idea what I was going to find on my way. That is a beautiful thing.

PSA: I should note something. If you haven’t noticed, I skipped Joshua Tree National Park. I will also skip Death Valley National Park. This is due to the excessive heat in these parks (desert) this time of year. Since I also skipped Arizona for the same reason, I plan to return to the Southwest in the fall when the weather will be a bit more enjoyable for this Northeastern girl.

#16: March 18

Greetings from a Target parking lot in New Mexico.

First, I realize I’m a little behind on my blog posts. I have a few entries in the works including more on West Texas, Guadalupe National Park, Carlsbad Caverns National Park and New Mexico. However, I wanted to insert a quick post regarding my thoughts and reflections on the recent Coronavirus situation and my current status.

I have been laying low in New Mexico since last week when things started getting more serious on a national level with this virus. Simultaneously, I’ve had a few mishaps with the Airstream: 1) Leak in the roof, and 2) Thermostat will not turn on (yes, the same thermostat I successfully replaced last month). These are two things that I don’t want to continue traveling with while not fully functioning.

With the help of Airstream head office, I was able to get a service appointment at Airstream of New Mexico today (typically these Airstream dealerships book out months in advance for service appointments). They are taking a look at it and I’m waiting on a call to understand whether or not they need to keep it overnight. If they need to order a part, it may take a few days to arrive from the head office. I just don’t know.

This all brings me to my current status. I am in the Target parking lot because, well, I really don’t know where else to go. I don’t want to walk around stores, and all restaurants and coffee shops are only doing take-out (plus, I have Addie with me). And my “home” is in the shop. Tonight could go a few different ways:

Pending the Airstream needs to stay overnight:

1) I could stay in a hotel (not ideal given COVID-19).

2) I could ask the Airstream dealer if I could have the trailer back until the part arrives so I can sleep in it.

Pending all is fixed today:

1) I will find a campsite for tonight and figure out tomorrow’s destination.

Regardless of when, the Airstream will get fixed. Then, I need to figure out what I’m doing, exactly. New Mexico state parks have been closed to overnight campers. However, I’ve done all I want to do in New Mexico, so that’s neither here nor there. The next stop will be Arizona.

National Parks remain open however, many visitor centers have been closed, or they are limiting the number of people allowed inside at a time. Specific restrictions vary park by park. I am fully aware that the parks - state or national - could close any day. Like everything else, we just don’t know.

Despite feeling a little unsettled about it, I will continue to camp and explore nature. I am, by default, practicing social distancing, as well as keeping my hands washed, limiting outings to only places necessary and planning to not move around as much. Hopefully, I’ll find a beautiful spot to camp in Arizona and hunker down there for a longer duration of time. If things progressively get worse and I don’t feel safe for any reason, I’ll reevaluate.

At times I feel I’ve chosen the perfect timing to embark on this adventure, but at other times, I feel it’s the worst timing. I will take it day by day, just like everyone else is doing. That’s really all we can do. Please stay safe!

By the way, if anyone has any questions/advice, please let me know!