Random PTR: Camping trip

[RaptorBoyASU]

I found this post in my blog, and realized I never shared it here. So I thought I'd repost it. It's not coaster related, but isn't that what this forum is?

 

Well, the whole camping idea came around quite a while ago. My friend, Jim, had been wanting to go camping for a while. I originally wanted to go beach camping, but there was a whole lot of nothing available for the weekends we had in mind. Jim though usually goes to this campground up by Ojai. They don't require reservations; it's first come, first serve. So we set a weekend, and Jim planned out the trip for us (making sure to get there early in the day so he could grab a camping spot).

 

Jim did a great job planning everything, even down to the meals. All we showed up with was our tent, sleeping gear, clothes, drinks, and some grill stuff (spatula, tongs, basket).

 

Jim and Eric arrived mid afternoon on Friday. They grabbed a spot for us, and a spot for themselves near the front of the campground. The grounds themselves had 9 camping spots each with a picnic table and firepit, and a pit latrine. Very simple, but all we really needed. They also set up our tent for us since we wouldn't get there during daylight.

 

Jeff, got up to my place around 6:30pm, and we took off. I gave myself 3 hours to get up there because of traffic I was sure to hit on the 405 and 101. Surprisingly though, once we got on the 101, we sailed along at 75-80mph the whole way. We got to Ventura around 7:40pm, so we stopped for dinner at Arby's. Mmmmmm.....roast beef and curly fries, and their 3-pepper sauce is like a party in my mouth.

 

We told Jim and Eric we'd be getting to Ojai around 9 or 9:30. Well, since we hit no traffic, we were arriving into town around 8:30. As luck would have it though, they had already come down the mountain to find some food (they had taken food up, but didnt' grab firewood). So we met up with them at Von's, got some last minute supplies (beer, water, snacks, and firewood), and then headed up the very winding road to the campsite.

 

We unpacked the car, got a fire started in our fire pit, and then started the drinking and bullshitting around the fire. It was relaxing, peaceful, and COLD. Luckily I had packed warm. Jim made us some bananas stuffed with chocolate chips and marshmallows while we sat around the fire (just wrap in tin foil and throw into the fire pit). About 6-7 beers later, we all started to get a bit sleepy, and turned in for the night (around 2am). It was freezing in the tent, but I had a body next to me to help keep me warm.

 

I woke up the next morning around 6:30am, and we finally rolled out of the tent a little after 7. The sun was up already, but it was still a bit chilly, so we got the breakfast fire ready. While everything got started, I decided to grab my camera and start documenting the trip, especially with the way the early morning sun was illuminating the mountains.

 

Our campsite and the mountains behind it.

 

Eric getting up for the morning

 

The road leading up to the campground.

 

Jim saying good morning to the camera

 

Our tent sat along this little creek that ran along one side of the campground, the sound of it in the morning really made me have to pee.

 

Jeff says, Why are you taking my picture this early?

 

More of the campground (taken standing to the left of the latrine that didn't stink too bad)

 

Getting the morning coffee started

 

Somehow I failed to get any cooking pictures all weekend. Jim brought his cast iron skillets, and we made garbage(bacon, onions, peppers, and eggs all mixed together) and hash browns that morning, with a side of store-bought chocolate chip scones. I did manage to get a picture of the aftermath though.

 

Ok, I'm full, what should we do now?

 

Let's go play in the stream.

 

Jeff decided to start climbing around.

 

Until he fell. Somehow this didn't surprise me, he's not exactly graceful on his feet.

 

Our tent. It was a good tent, though if I were going camping somewhere cold, I'd take along a blanket to throw over the venting up top, even with the canvas covering it, we still got a bit of a draft coming in.

 

Well, after a little vegging around, we decided to pack some lunches, and go for a hike to the waterfall nearby. We each made a few sandwiches, and brought some soda/water, and Jim had even brought along a picnic blanket.

 

Hiking along the trail

 

The first waterfall (I was really disappointed until I realized this wasn't the one they were talking about)

 

I love running water, even if it does give me the urge to urinate

 

Oh, here's the one they were talking about (see the man in the lower left for an idea of scale)

 

Of course since it had been really dry, there wasn't a whole lot of water flowing, but it was still very pretty. We spent the next hour or so, climing around on the rocks and goofing off for pictures.

 

The boys

 

Jim posing with the majestic waterfall

 

Jim almost falling on his ass climbing back down

 

LOOK AT ME! LOOK WHAT I CAN DO!

 

Jeff likes riding wood

 

Artsy shot up the waterfall

 

Pose for a picture please

 

Jeff decided that this piece of wood he found would make a great Ewok gun

 

GOT ONE (does this picture remind anyone else of Elian Gonzalez?)

 

Oh, yah, I forgot to snap some pictures of me, so time to ham it up.

 

 

Jeff dreams of someday being Pochanatas (or is it Pokeahotass?)

 

Jim becomes Monkey Mountain Man

 

Who's grabbing Jeff's stick?

 

A vista on the way back

 

Eric's glad he found a walking stick, he had already fallen twice

 

I love lizards

 

Jeff, you're not supposed to show everyone what you wiped.

 

So after we got back, Eric and Jim headed down the mountain so that Eric could take care of some work calls. No cell phone reception until you were about 20 minutes down the mountain. That's what I call roughing it. They also needed to pick up the campsite day passes, since the ranger station was closed on Friday afternoon when they stopped by.

 

While they were gone, Jeff and I read, napped, and played some gin rummy. It was very relaxing and just what I needed. My weekends have been so non-stop recently, that it was so perfect to have a day to just lay around and veg.

 

When Jim and Eric returned, we played 4 or 5 rousing games of Apples to Apples, and then decided to get our cinco de mayo dinner going. Jim had brought chicken and beef that had been sitting in a fajita marinade for days. We got the fire going, fried up the fajita meat and veggies, sat the tortillas in foil in the fire to warm, and snacked on chips and salsa. All of it was super tasty.

 

The pans all ready to get started

 

The veggies ready in the grill basket, and the meat sitting in the marinade

 

After dinner, we played a few games of Catchphrase while sitting around the fire, and eventually began cracking open the beer again (though I didn't drink nearly as much on Sat night)

 

Sunset

 

Jeff says hi

 

Look at that sexy vehicle

 

Campfire bullshitting commences (Laugh at those ridiculous head lanterns......we sure did)

 

 

Until we all got too tired

 

Last picture from the trip

 

We headed to bed, and quickly fell asleep. That was until midnight, when the loner guy that came with no tent and just his car started blaring his music, yelling, and making off-the-wall rants. He was yelling about the geological society going to f*** themselves, and other bizarre stuff. He was also being confrontational with the others that had approached him. Jeff and I, knowing we hadn't seen a ranger all weekend, knowing that there was no way to contact authorities in case he went off the rocker, and knowing our tent was less than 20 feet from him, decided to pack up.

 

Jim and Eric came over and helped us take down the tent and pack up the car. They stayed, though their campsite was probably 130 feet away, so a little less intimidating. We left around 12:45am. After detouring around the 405 being closed at Santa Monica Blvd. We eventually got home at 2:30am, and crashed hard. Showering and unpacking would have to wait until morning.

 

Overall, it was a great trip. We had a lot of fun, and it's sad it ended on a less than positive note, since up to that point, I was having a blast. We will definitely be doing another camping trip, except somewhere with a ranger next time.

[Moose]

Until he fell. Somehow this didn't surprise me, he's not exactly graceful on his feet.

 

Is he graceful on other things?

 

 

 

 

Looks like a good time. I still have never been camping.

[RaptorBoyASU]

^LOL, no.......... dirty bird

[RCFreak]

Great, now I want to go hiking. I'm not to big of a fan on the whole roughing it thing, I like running water out of faucets and flushable toilets. Looks like you all had a greta time though.

[Ed]

I love camping... Except my idea of camping is a place with power showers and somewhere to plug my straighteners in.. I'm not sure how I could cope with the wild!

[piers]

Wow, that looks like so much fun. I also come from the ed school of camping. I have never been and dont know if I really could. Please bear in mind where I live it doesnt get warm and doesnt stay dry!

That waterfall looked pretty intense, the first one is more my style though.

[niiicolaaah]

WOW I'm jealous! I LOVE camping and hiking and climbing on stuff... bring me next time?

[piers]

climbing on stuff...

 

 

Loves it!

[Jayjay719]

^ I love to camp as well. Even though I just got into camping this year when we camped in Hershey. It's a lot of fun though, sleeping in tents are fun to. Just as long as you have an air matress.

[spaceace12]

I actually just bought a new tent this year for Holliwood Nights, I camped at Lake Rudolph 100 feet away from the lake and could wake up and hear raven running. I planned on going camping more, but didn't make it.

[RaptorBoyASU]

Brits above,

 

This was my first time camping "in the wild". The times before had all been with showers/plumbing and somewhere to buy supplies within 10 minutes. It was cool though, and we'll probably go again this winter.

 

The only other time recently I had gone camping was at Knoebel's.

[disneyfan1313]

As someone who does not enjoy camping - it was fun to see the TR to remind me what nature looks like..

[ebl]

"I'm not too big of a fan on the whole roughing it thing, I like running water out of faucets and flushable toilets." (RCFreak)

 

Ditto for me. I do like the outdoors, but I'd rather have a nice trailer or cabin to sleep in. My wife is an avid camper and goes camping with friends even more often than I visit theme parks!

 

BTW, I live not too far from Ojai, so you guys drove past my house on your way up (I'm in Camarillo). There is some pretty country up this way. I'm glad you guys had fun and enjoyed yourselves.

 

Eric