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04-14-2006, 08:27 PM
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#1
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Senior Member
Trailer: Former Burro owner and fan!
Posts: 9,015
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I have a 3 day this weekend, and knowing not many others do, and the weather is drizzly and cold, I thought it a good time to hitch up and head out.
I went to one of my favorite places, Bonita Ranch in Lytle Creek, but it is SOGGY.. No paved spots, only grass...and the ground is saturated to the point of fear of not getting out after sinking in. The owner was very nice and refunded my fees and I left.
Darn, as I hadn't really planned on no hook ups, but I went down the road to Applewhite Campground, a newly renovated Forest Service camp.
Now, I had driven thru here before in mid summer before the reno.. and it wasn't all that special.. not horrible, but typical. BUT.. they have recently upgraded the loop I am in, and made things clean and pleasant. I am in a paved spot, under some trees, sharing the whole campground with a pop up, an old motorhome and the Host. Some tenters were packing it up as I came in.. it was dumping pretty hard.
It's QUIET!!!! How pleasant! It's pouring rain, but it's that 2 weeks in the year when so. cal is lush green, so it is very nice.
The Easter bunny, or I should say, a couple dozen of them, is visiting. Talk about fun for two Beagles! I step out of the trailer with them, and all you see is Hippity Hoppity and scattering of little fuzzy tails into the hills directly across from me! It's so cute, and the pups just quiver. (Ain't nature grand? I have never hunted them, but they know anyway!)
I don't expect that in the summer it will be this pleasant, but it is open all year round, so I have yet another spot to go in winter now!
I am taking this unexpected opportunity to test out all my new "Green" items.. LED fixtures, a couple new solar panels and a smaller invertor for my comp so I don't drain my gel cells as fast.
I didn't bring my generator.. oh well.. the car can be hooked up in a pinch.
I'll tell you more when the weekenders get here.
Here is a picture:
Applewhite CG, San Bernardino Nat. Forest .. Lytle Creek area
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04-14-2006, 08:39 PM
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#2
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Senior Member
Trailer: 2002 17 ft Casita Liberty Deluxe
Posts: 901
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Looks nice Gina... Is it good for a rally sometime?
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04-15-2006, 05:17 AM
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#3
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Senior Member
Trailer: 2002 Casita Freedom Deluxe / 2007 Nissan Frontier King Cab
Posts: 733
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Nice report.
I love National Forest campgrounds. They're the best!
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04-15-2006, 07:50 AM
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#4
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Senior Member
Trailer: 2007 Casita Liberty Deluxe 17 ft / Honda Odyssey
Posts: 705
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and the map
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04-15-2006, 09:40 AM
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#5
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Senior Member
Trailer: Outfitter Caribou 6.5 ft Truck Camper
Posts: 212
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Thanks for the info Gina, and thanks for the map, Patrick.
Some times on our way home from a longer trip we are really tired by the time we hit the Cajon Pass, but usually push on to San Diego---maybe next time we will stop.
Off Topic---- Patrick I love your signature!
Diane
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04-15-2006, 10:48 AM
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#6
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Senior Member
Trailer: 2007 Casita Liberty Deluxe 17 ft / Honda Odyssey
Posts: 705
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Quote:
Off Topic---- Patrick I love your signature!
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I stole it from a smarter person.
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04-15-2006, 12:39 PM
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#7
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Senior Member
Trailer: Former Burro owner and fan!
Posts: 9,015
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and I know where he stole it from Patrick, this would be a good stop for you on your upcoming trip. only 10 mins or so off the 15 south, or if you are on the 10, maybe 1/2 hour UP the 15 to the Lytle Creek exit, then north to here.
Yes, it would be great for a rally for those set up to quazi Boondock. There is water, but no dump station, and there are toilets. I use my own, so I don't know if they are pit or not.
There is a picnic area across the way right on Lytle Creek. I am going to walk the pups over later.
The sites on this loop are spaced nicely, and there are quite a few that are set up for trailers proper. (Side access etc.) The "older" run down loop (Trashed is a better way of putting it) has a couple pull thrus too.
If we want to set up a rally, we can start on it. It's first come, first served tho. And when I have wandered thru here before, it is usually full on summer weekends.
Right now, the pop up has left, and there is no one here but a big old motorhome that pulled in last nite sometime. Rain is amazing to keep folks away.
Had a minor crisis.. I ran out of propane AGAIN...didn't even think about it. I am still on the same tank I went to Oregon with. I guess it was about time, eh?
A run down to the Lowes.. (20 miles away!) fixed the problem.
So far, my solar is keeping me going nicely. I have my work comp with me tho, and it has a less efficient display than my personal one, so I can't run off my little batteries and 70w invertor as normal. The PS for this comp is 65w!!!!! I have to plug into the Element and run off the charge line and my 400w invertor. Oh Boy!
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04-15-2006, 01:10 PM
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#8
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Senior Member
Trailer: 19 ft Scamp 19 ft 5th Wheel Dlx / 2001 Ford Ranger 4x4
Posts: 1,125
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Nice site.. and look at that Calif sunshine!! Is there a problem with rattlesnakes in that area??
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04-15-2006, 02:49 PM
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#9
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Senior Member
Trailer: 2002 Casita Freedom Deluxe / 2007 Nissan Frontier King Cab
Posts: 733
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I used to go to San Diego every year on business. One year we drove up to Mount Palomar to see the Observatory and walk around the state park up there. I was utterly amazed and more than a little horrified at the number of rattlesnakes I saw. They were everywhere.
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04-15-2006, 03:52 PM
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#10
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Senior Member
Trailer: Former Burro owner and fan!
Posts: 9,015
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Rattlers are just a part of So. Cal life. They are pretty much everywhere.
With the abundant qty. of bunnies here, I am sure there are a bunch staring at me at this very moment.
I am having a hard time keeping my male pups nose out of the holes.
You just learn where to be cautious at is all.
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04-15-2006, 04:21 PM
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#11
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Senior Member
Trailer: 19 ft Scamp 19 ft 5th Wheel Dlx / 2001 Ford Ranger 4x4
Posts: 1,125
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Gina.. yes you must keep those furkids safe.. nothing like a Beagle with his nose in stuff...LOL
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04-15-2006, 06:01 PM
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#12
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Senior Member
Trailer: Former Burro owner and fan!
Posts: 9,015
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It's rather odd that in a campground so close to the largest metro area in the country, that folks are just NOW (5pm saturday nite) starting to roll in here.
There are 3 tents, another motorhome and a van conversion that was here yesterday, but left and came back.
Of course there is a double sapce filled and the smoke plume can be seen for miles. They are smart enough to keep the radio down.
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04-15-2006, 09:29 PM
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#13
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Senior Member
Trailer: Former Burro owner and fan!
Posts: 9,015
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It is almost full now, but everyone is behaved.
I had fun watching everyone set up the walmart special 3 dome tents.
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04-15-2006, 10:10 PM
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#14
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Senior Member
Trailer: 1979 13 ft Boler and 1987 Bigfoot 5th Wheel
Posts: 2,025
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Lotsa schools are off next week for spring break.
Lucky you out camping and on the net at the same time!
__________________
1979 Boler B1300 | 1987 Bigfoot 5th Wheel | 1988 Bigfoot 5th Wheel | We officially have a collection!
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04-16-2006, 10:50 AM
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#15
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Senior Member
Trailer: Former Burro owner and fan!
Posts: 9,015
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Verizon is your friend
I had a mamma coyote right under my window.. literally, at about 3 am last nite. She was teaching the pups how to steal my dogs water and sniff for dropped kibbles. Then.. the howling... I was only a Burro wall away from it.. so neat. The pups would try.. then the mamma would wail, then the pups would squeek. My dogs didn't budge. but they were aware.
What is wierd.. is that the water dish was not depleted completely, there was several drinks left in it, but notably went down. My dogs won't go near it! Had to set up another dish inside.
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04-16-2006, 05:18 PM
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#16
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Senior Member
Trailer: 2002 Casita Freedom Deluxe / 2007 Nissan Frontier King Cab
Posts: 733
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A couple of years ago I went backpacking into the Panthertown Valley wilderness here in NC. I camped at one spot for two nights, and each night a pack of coyotes would come right to the edge of camp and sing from about 7:30 until 8:15. Then they would just become quiet and I wouldn't hear them again.
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04-16-2006, 05:30 PM
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#17
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Senior Member
Trailer: Outfitter Caribou 6.5 ft Truck Camper
Posts: 212
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Quote:
Verizon is your friend
I had a mamma coyote right under my window.. literally, at about 3 am last nite. She was teaching the pups how to steal my dogs water and sniff for dropped kibbles. Then.. the howling... I was only a Burro wall away from it.. so neat. The pups would try.. then the mamma would wail, then the pups would squeek. My dogs didn't budge. but they were aware.
What is wierd.. is that the water dish was not depleted completely, there was several drinks left in it, but notably went down. My dogs won't go near it! Had to set up another dish inside.
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Before the infamous hijack, I wrote about the Coyotes in Joshua Tree that invaded our camp and tore apart our dog's leashes and pulled the tether poles out of the ground. They also were very noisy.
What I found strange was that our two dogs never made a sound, and they announce the arrival of everyone and anything----now you say your dogs also didn't budge. I guess none of them want to mess with coyotes!
Diane
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04-16-2006, 05:35 PM
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#18
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Senior Member
Trailer: Former Burro owner and fan!
Posts: 9,015
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I have been told, by a couple folks, but I have never verified..
that Howling is not an inherant, but a learned behavior. Mamma teaches pups (Or is it cubs?) to howl.
Judging from the times of year I have heard it in my nieghborhood, I can kind of see that. My nieghborhood is flush with coyotes. They are a daily sight here.
This time of year is ripe with howling, tho I hear it at all times of year.
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04-16-2006, 05:40 PM
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#19
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Senior Member
Trailer: 2002 Casita Freedom Deluxe / 2007 Nissan Frontier King Cab
Posts: 733
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I grew up reading the works of Ernest Thompson Seton. He used to refer to coyotes as the "little prairie wolves". An apt description. A few years ago when the National Park Service tried to reintroduce the red wolf to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, the effort failed. Almost exclusively because coyotes have entered the park in large numbers and have now filled the ecological niche that the red wolf once held. And the coyotes are much more successful and numerous. So the red wolves were all recaptured and taken to a wildlife refuge in eastern NC where they have done phenomenally well.
For all intents and purposes, Mr. Seton was right. Coyotes really are "little wolves".
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04-16-2006, 05:47 PM
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#20
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Senior Member
Trailer: Former Burro owner and fan!
Posts: 9,015
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Diane,
I am positive that "domestic" dogs are a lot smarter than what the term "Domesticated" would imply.
Mine know when to keep quiet. I have seen them freeze for bear, cougar, and coyote.
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