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| Second time is a charm |
| Tuesday, August 12, 2014 |
Last year the most expected camping trip was the last one we had planned for in Big Basin. And it was most disappointing too. Because DH had booked an Access campsite and we had to cut short our weekend. The one night we had was beautiful, nestled amidst tall trees, beautiful weather, racoons spotting, excellent hiking trails which we never got to explore.
So this year DH booked the camp site way back in March. Big Basin camping was this elusive destination hard to get spots in the summer.
After the last camping trip in Dell Valle, dont remember if I wrote about it or not, this one was much much nicer and better, erm, in some aspects. It was my parents first time camping. And my dad who says Fremont is cold in summer, Big Basin in August under the thick canopy of trees with the tent top only separating us from the cold was a scary scenario. I prepared them well for it, two jackets, socks, shoes, good sleeping bags, and a lot of warning. The warning helped. "Oh it is not as bad as we thought it would be" Phew!
Friday evening we left around 5PM to head towards Big Basin. We stopped to get dinner at Chipotle, realized we forgot BSK's water bottle, went back home to pick it up and it was 5:45 by the time we were really off. A little bit of traffic and some very windy roads later we were inside the park.
Surprise number 1 - The camp site allowed for only one car to be parked near the camp site, the other car should be parked at the park head quarters! It was some 2-3miles from the campsite.
Another family joined us and it was their first time camping. Lot of first timers. DH, myself and BSK were the veterans. :--P
Surprise number 2 - The site was a walk in site! Which meant even the one car that can be parked close to the site was a good 200-300ft away at the parking lot. And we had to walk into the campsite.
This translated to hauling all the luggage from the car to the campsite, which is what we did the first thing when we reached the site. Tents were put up in a hurry and everything was setup just as the sun set. We had our dinner in the dark with the lantern light.
BSK got hyper, just as she gets hyper for everything nowadays and was screaming and shouting and generally goofing around. She just wouldnt go to sleep, it was almost 11 when she slept. We spent sometime chatting around the fire and retired around midnight.
I had a disturbed sleep that night. Folks wanted to go to the restroom, BSK woke up a little bit cranky, my back ache etc. BSK woke up at 6:30, and when she realized she was in the tent, immediately she wanted to get up. How can she waste precious time camping, sleeping?
Morning a ranger visited us and told us we were a tad bit noisy and that we should keep it down. I knew it was only BSK because the other kiddo was a sweet and quiet fella. And we also knew no one complained because there were only 4 sites close by and one of them we spoke to and were nice and the others were noisy themselves, and third one was empty.
Morning duties, breakfast of bread and eggs later we decided to hit the trail that was just behind our site. How sweeet! Finding parking in the HQ and then starting hiking would have wasted precious time. We noticed hikers in the morning on the trail and decided to just hike. By 10:30 we set off, the whole clan. It took a while to find our way across campsites to the trail but Sequoia Trail it was, to Sempervine Falls, we skipped the Falls and went on Shadowbrook Trail. Our agenda was simple, in order to make it back on time for lunch, walk until 11:30 turn back to make it back to the camp by 12:30. Two hour hike. But of course we changed plans mid way and ended up making a loop we reached our site close to 1.
A's brother who is not married yet also had joined us. Initially he was like " why do you need 3 hours to do a 3mi hike?" and we said try walking with 2-3 yr olds :--P the kiddos had a water break 10mins into the hike and A's brother was amused. We stopped here and there, under huge trees, taking pictures, letting the kids explore. BSK walked the whole way. 2.8mi or so. No GPS or cellphone but my Fitbit worked. We crossed bridges, we saw streams, it was a pretty hike. We stopped by a fallen tree for a snack break at the midway point. Had Thattai and apple. Couldnt stop admiring the scenary. So close to home and so pretty. We decided to come here more often.
Lunch was burgers and chips and fruits, watermelong, strawberries and blueberries. Everyone was in a hike and food induced stupor after. Put the kids to sleep. We all were half asleep until 4:30. We decided to take a shower at this point, well some of us :--P Had coffee, tea. BSK was so filthy, as always.
Near the showers only some insects or mosquitos bit me on my forehead. Slowly my forhead started swelling.
That night we had veg rotis and tomato thokku for dinner. Along with chicken.
The nearby campsite had a new occupant. A SINGLE guy. We were all coming up with possible explanations on what a single guy could be doing camping alone. Theories - may be he fought with his wife and hence left her alone and came camping by himself. May be his friends were supposed to come and ditched him last minute. May be he does do this from time to time to get away from people and be alone? My theory - may be he was a serial killer killing all the campers? :--P You never know.
Surprise number 3 - A who got the grill for the chicken realized propane was low for the grill. ;--P
We decided to make the chicken right on the camp fire. A quick trip was made to the store to get some real wood, since we were sure how the chicken would taste on artificial fast wood. How many people does it take to make grilled chicken? Turns out three. DH was the 'fire manager' making sure the fire was not smoking, and the flame was well lit and the woods were well placed. A was the one making the actual chicken, turning it at the right time etc. S, well, S tasted the chicken to confirm if it was done or not. Not too bad for impromptu dinner planning.
Surprise number 4 - And this was when we also realized no one had brought breakfast for the next day. :--P
DH thought A would bring and A thought DH would bring. No cereal and no oatmeal. Only blueberries were there, to be eaten with the non existent oatmeal. Decided to eat left over rotis for breakfast.
The night most of us slept well, BSK was tired and slept early. We all also retired early since the fire went out and we were too lazy to light another one. BSK woke up in the middle of the night for pee pee (Yes she wakes up to do that, hallelujah!) DH and her went out to see two racoons sitting on our table, apparently looking for food! Too bad I missed it. I heard them talking but was too sleepy to get out and see.
Surprise number 5 - my left eye was swollen with the bite from the previous evening. :--P Everybody was surprised. I was thankful it was me and not my parents or BSK. It was kind of a bummer.
Surprise number 6 - We woke up at 6:30, went to the restroom to find no water. :--P
Oh man, that was a first!! DH immediately made a trip with all us ladies to the Head Quarters where thankfully the restrooms had water and we could finish our duties. In the mean time A's brother did his morning hike to the HQ and brought back the other car. The guys went in the other car for their turn.
We all had breakfast, kati roll? smeared nutella on rotis and rolled them off to eat.
BSK wanted to use the restroom and we drove her to the next campsite :--P It was a miracle she waited. She can be a doll sometimes.
Many dogs were petted in the meantime. BSK is brave enough to stop folks on the way and ask them if she can pet the dogs. Big improvement.
We started packing and taking down the tent. A good one hour of hard work later we were all packed and ready to go. Met another family who were camping first time for that previous night and it was their worst nightmare come true when there was no water the next morning. :--P That has never happened to us before too.
We had a bet going on who screwed up on the breakfast. I checked the minute I got internet, it was A. :--P and he is going to hear from us for a long time now on how he missed propane and oatmeal.
Drive back was uneventful. Stopped at Ananda Bhavan. Food was so so. No more Ananda Bhavan for me.
Surprise number 7 - BSK had a small swelling starting on her right eye!!
A doctor appointment later she is getting better on Benedryl. The doctor asked "do you have any more camping trips planned?" I said no were done for the summer. :--P BSK is so yummy all the mosquitos want a bite of her.
Overall a wonderful wonderful trip except for the bug bites. Cant do much about it it seems since bug spray cant be used near the eye too. |
posted by SK @ 10:19 AM  |
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