Camping Like Howard

When my wife and I met 21 years ago, one of the first trips we took was a camping trip to a place called (yes you've heard it before) Silver Fork of the American River. Because my Assistant Supervisor was being a bitch and wouldn't let me leave work early, we didn't get going until after 8:00 pm. The other error we made was camping on a 3 day holiday weekend. By the time we got up there, there wasn't a camp site to be found. We ended up pitching our tent in a little spot next to a side road, drank a bunch a wine and crashed. 5:00 am the next morning the dirt bikes started. We packed up and went home.

The next time we actually went camping was in August 2013 at Hope Valley Campground.

Hope Valley Space 9

So Much To Bring

There were two things we found about tent camping. One, somebody has to sleep against the tent and the other is crawling out in the middle of the night to take a wizz is just a pain in the ass. It was at that point we decided to look into trailers. 

Enter the Coachman Clipper. 

Note Single Axle

Short Queen Bed

No Oven

Little Table

Good little trailer, was a learning experience AND no one had to sleep against the wall.

Well, you all know the story of the blown tire on the way to Hendy Woods and subsequent purchase of the Freedom Express. Click on the "blown tire" link to see what happened. 

This morning Howard (Windknots And Tangledl Lnes) wanted to see the inside of the Freedom Express, so here you are Howard. 

TV & Stereo

Kitchen Sink

Stove & Oven

Full Sized Queen Bed

From The Other Side

Bath Room With Shower

Wrap Around Table

Here is a little explanation of why the trailer. In the picture from Hope Valley you could see all that was needed for a camping trip. Filled the bed of the truck. In between that trip and the Clipper purchase we did a trip down Highway 395 on the Eastern Side of the Sierra's staying in motels. One of the two things we didn't like moteling it was carrying in and out clothes bags every day at every stop for the 5 nights we were on the road. The second was going from one place to the next place each day. 

So when we started in the trailers, it was a necessity to stay at least two nights everywhere we went. It has progressed to every place is now at least three nights and our trip to Upper Lake this coming August will be 4 nights. 

Take it, park it, and enjoy...........     

Socks On My Ears

A few weeks ago I emailed my cousin in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. They were having temperatures in the -11 area. I asked him how they stood those kind of temps, He said it was a "little annoying". For us warm temperature Californians, -11 is WAY beyond annoying. There is more to this.

Yesterday I met Yuki out at the Trout Pond. He had mentioned in the past that on Friday he saw people catching limits left and right. OK, so yesterday was Friday. We met at the Pond. We caught ZIP. Not just us, everybody got ZIPPED. He felt that because he brought his fishing pole this time is the reason we didn't catch anything. Good logic as far as I can see.

What about the "socks on my ears". I'm getting a little annoyed with fishing. Every time I get annoyed, I'm reminded of the Domino's Pizza Noid and the socks he has on his ears.

 Make any sense? Probably not, guess you had to be there. Maybe I need a new hobby (other than searching for my ancestors). I suggested ping-pong to Yuki, but I think not. Maybe building those little metal "Fascinations"  like my son does. Don't know these? Here are pictures of a couple he's made.

Imperial Walker

Might be this one instead

Millennium Falcon

There is a Battleship, a Tank, Planes, Trains, & Automobiles. Even bugs. Hey, maybe that would catch something. 

OK, I'm done whining. Maybe next time.

Stay tuned. 

It Was A Nice Day To Read

I got out to Lake Camanche North Shore about 9:30 yesterday morning. I know that seems a little late for me, but I'm still taking my wife back and forth to work. The operation she had on her foot didn't go as well as expected. Something about the stitches inside and needing another surgery. In any event, she can't make the walk from way out in the parking lot to the office, so I drop her off at the door. 

I set up two rods with rainbow Power Bait and with coffee in hand, parked in the red camping chair to read (for Yuki's benefit) a paperback novel. He was a librarian for most of his career and using an e-reader is just not in his make-up. Obviously I didn't have any expectations since the last few times I've been out there I've been skunked. BUT it's the only place I can sit in the shade of the truck and fish or in this case, read.

Then, this guy showed up. I don't think it was the same warden in the picture, but like Larry Bird and Tweedy Bird, "they looked an awful lot alike".

California Game Warden

If you followed this blog for any length of time, you know that if I talk to a Game Warden I get skunked. It's happened every time for the last 9 or 10 years and yesterday was no exception. 

I got through 50 some pages of the book then packed up and went home. I might add that no body else caught anything either. I don't want to blame it on the presence of the Game Warden, but.......... 

Stay Tuned.