I left my trailer in a Campground

[Gina D.]

OK, so I did something wierd.

Went camping THIS weekend knowing it would not be crowded because everyone was going NEXT weekend.

Went to a favorite spot near Big Bear. I got the best site in the place, with a killer view of a huge meadow that the bears like to saunter across. I only saw 3 little ones, and they were not in the meadow, but in the campground last nite BUT, the view is so nice, I wasn't disappointed at the bear misplacement.

Anyway, the spot I am in is unreservable. I thoughts to myself "This is such a lovely view, I hate to leave. Sure would be great to have it for the 4 days I have off NEXT weekend".. so...

I paid for the whole week (Not much I have a golden access pass.. cost me 67 bones) and left my trailer THERE. Will simply drive back up next Friday when I get off work.

The site I am in is directly across from the camphost and they know what I am doing. My solar is plugged in and locked to my bumper. (Kryptonite U lock) My Denver boot is on, and my screen room is up. I left my chairs out and the dogs toys and *Clean* dishes out.. and a couple of my LED lights on, they will be no challange for my solar panels. The bears will not find much of interest, unless they can get in my fridge to enjoy a warm Dr Pepper. All the food is back at home with me.

I figure it's actualy safer THERE than in my driveway.

I paid a little extra than it would cost to, tow home and then do a return trip NEXT weekend, but not by much, and I have a guarranteed spot.. the extra is worth it to not have to do all the work again. I will also be away from the big festival they have in my little burg every year for the 4th. Down side is risk, and the fridge will need some cooling time before it's usable. (I have used ice before.. can do it again)

Am I smart, brave or stupid?

And if anyone would like to join, PM me and I will tell you where. You would need to get up there early.. it's the biggest weekend of the year.. but they usually ALWAYS have sites in the unreservables. I have NEVER seen the place full. It's HUGE.

[jdtrotter]

Went to a favorite spot near Big Bear. I got the best site in the place, with a killer view of a huge meadow that the bears like to saunter across. I only saw 3 little ones, and they were not in the meadow, but in the campground last nite BUT, the view is so nice, I wasn't disappointed at the bear misplacement.

And where were the Mamas?

Think you have a great idea---it will be so easy to be all set-up. I have found that some of those blue ice things work well to help cool the refer.

Have fun
Diane

[Chris B]

Gina - Are you at "The Place?" My three day weekend was this one, so we can't make it up and I have to work on Monday :-( . But, we made it up to Sequoia National Forest and it was nice! Sequoias out of the park and away from the crowds! It was beautiful.

Have fun and you are being smart. What a great idea!

Chris

[Gina D.]

Chris, yes.. I am at "The Place" but in another loop. I am on the backside, the loop across the main road from where we were.

I have always wanted to get in this site and was very happy it was empty when I got there Friday nite.

It's a LOT cooler over there too, but the compromise is that there are lots of double sites in the loop.. big groups!

You can hike down into the meadow and to the river that runs on the far side.. no trails tho, and LOTS of foxtails this time of year. It's still green and yellow and lush tho! Still snow on the opposite side, up higher.

BTW, left at home:

Camera, binoculars, charger for the comp and all my clothes. I stink! (Nothing like wearing the same black shirt for 3 days..yick.)

[David & Leslie]

Well, Gina, I think you made the smartest arrangement for the holiday weekend!
Hope you & the pups enjoy a wonderful stay in that special site - take care & Happy 4th! - LdB

[Frederick L. Simson]

Am I [b]smart, brave or stupid?

smart:
brave:
stupid:

You took all the precautions that I think you possibly could. Sometimes ya gotta reach for that brass ring.

Like Chris said:

we can't make it up and I have to work on Monday :-(

I had to get my dispatcher to reschedule an overtime Saturday, cause he said "yes" to the weekend before my vacation Monday, a Saturday on which we were planning to leave for Oregon!

[Roger H]

Gina... saving the spot was smart. Going camping next weekend is stupid! Why in the world would ANYONE want to be camping on the Fourth of July weekend? For crying out loud, it's the only time that it's quiet in the suburbs 'cause everyone is out CAMPING!!!!

Actually folks do that all of the time around here. Very few (like none?) of the campgrounds are reservable, so everyone heads out on Monday or Tuesday with their campers to secure their spots for the holiday weekend.

Roger

[Gina D.]

Roger, I would rather be with noisey campers than rude Flatlanders.

Here in Hooterville, which is a small mountain "resort" town with a big lake, on the weekend of the 4th, they have Jamboree Days. It's the biggest revenue grabber for the township all year.

The main street thru town (And we don't even have a stoplight on that street!) gets shut down for a parade, stages, food fairs, shopping stands and ... ugh! ... Fireworks on the lake. It's noise 24/7 for 4 days solid!

Most of the houses on my street are owned by "weekenders" that you rarely see except at holidays. They come up, park in front of your house.. in YOUR driveway (I have had folks towed) drink to excess and in general take it as a weekend to be obnoxious. Kind of like campers LOL!

On no holiday weekends, one or two flatlanders on the street is barable, but when they ALL come up, it's intolerable. They bring thier dogs and let them run, thier stereos are at full tilt trying to compete with the bands on the streets, and traffic is diverted.. most cut down MY street. At not nice speeds.

I have had folks wander into my yard, look in my windows, and I even had one guy yell at ME when I asked him to remove his car from MY driveway. "I paid 500 dollars for this cabin for the weekend and there is no parking?" Not my problem dude.. move it or see the backend of it go behind a tow truck.

It really is indescribable how misbehaved folks get.. it's really wierd. They somehow think it is appropraite to engage in behavior and rudeness that would normally get them shot "down the hill". It makes no sense, and it really IS that bad. I shudder at this weekend. Best to get out and keep my nerve.

I would rather put up with the campground! They are reasonably well patrolled, and being right across from the host makes it unlikely that any misbehavior will go un noticed for long. At least there is a chance to relax, where if I stayed here, I know I wouldn't get ANY rest.

No fireworks allowed either. My pups are "that kind" and need doggie downers. Hopefully, I won't have to give them any this year.

Having a trailer is grand!

[jdtrotter]

No fireworks allowed either. My pups are "that kind" and need doggie downers. Hopefully, I won't have to give them any this year.

It is why we may head out to where ALL fireworks are banned. I really understand why you want to leave for the weekend.

It is like when they have Sandcastle weekend in our town----it is awful. We secure the house, and get out of Dodge.

Have not been to Big Bear in many years---always loved it.

Diane

P.S. Bet your trailer will be all safe and sound.

[Chris B]

"Camera, binoculars, charger for the comp and all my clothes. I stink! (Nothing like wearing the same black shirt for 3 days..yick.)"

You,what? No pics, seeing bears through binoculars at a distance, computer charging and you smell like sweaty Europeans?
Did you have a senior moment?

[Gina D.]

at least I didn't forget the beer! wait.. I rarely drink the stuff...

It was all in a bag.. I forgot the danged bag!

At least I always have socks and undies in the trailer for just such occasions. The bears didn't seem to mind, but maybe that was what attracted them to the campground. I am just glad I have my shower rigged.

This is a typical forest service site, no electric, but water bibs everywhere. I was close enough to one so I could fill my tank and not rely on the pump bottle! Showering would have been reduced to spit baths if that was the case!

We'll see how my screen room holds up in the rain.. there is a big ole thunder and lightning storm here now, with hail. I staked and ran the guy lines. Should be OK

[Kurt & Ann K.]

Gina,
No thunder boomers, not even a drop of rain- we're on the wrong side of San G too much of the time. We'd hoped to see a little precip but not this time!
Kiddie parade,pancake breakfast, chili cook-off, hay wagon rides,local music, bikers coming to see what other folks do on the 4th when no fireworks are allowed.
Please soak up enough peace and quiet for us also. Last week-end we went to the Huck Finn Jubilee with many thousand others, this week-end our town will be kind of like yours without the fireworks and drunks. Then the next week-end we plan to finally hit the road for our extended trip. In the meantime we'll be thinking of you!!
PS, How're your pooches, all better we hope?

Fred, do I understand correctly that your departure has been delayed? We hope your plans didn't become too fouled up.
See you all when we get back!

Kurt & Ann K.

[Gina D.]

Maybe they will stay away.. the power just went out! LOL!

Better get the generator out, eh?

Happy retirement to Ann, BTW! Pouches are fine.. hope your trip goes well! Did you get a laptop to keep us all posted on your adventures?

[Kurt & Ann K.]

Gina,
A laptop would have been icing on the cake, but with gas prices we're going to be pinching pennies. The house isn't as far along as we'd hoped, but the delays meant one of those we'd hoped to see has become a memory and the memorial service is July 8th. The service is too far north to return home, so we'll just continue the trip from there.
Sorry we didn't get to see you! One of those---"If we'd known you were coming, we'd have baked a cake" occasions. Give us a call next time, we could have escorted you from the church.
Glad to hear the rest of your "household" is back to normal.
Enjoy the "seclusion"
Kurt & Ann K.

[Roger H]

Roger, I would rather be with noisey campers than rude Flatlanders.

Most of the houses on my street are owned by "weekenders" that you rarely see except at holidays. They come up, park in front of your house.. in YOUR driveway (I have had folks towed) drink to excess and in general take it as a weekend to be obnoxious. Kind of like campers LOL!

It really is indescribable how misbehaved folks get.. it's really wierd. They somehow think it is appropraite to engage in behavior and rudeness that would normally get them shot "down the hill". It makes no sense, and it really IS that bad. I shudder at this weekend. Best to get out and keep my nerve.

Having a trailer is grand!

You have described EXACTLY why we fled SoCal! We don't have beaches that everyone from all over the world flock to. We don't have mountains that the flatlanders feel the need to desecrate. We don't have a desert without solitude any more... we just have a nice, even lifestyle year round. The bad weather in the winter and summer tend to keep the riff-raff out!

You are welcome to come visit us here anytime... folks still say "excuse me" when they walk in front of you in the grocery store aisle here!

Roger

[Christi V.]

Wow.. what a great idea to do that and your favorate spot too!! you cant even get into any of the campspots around here!!
I would love to be away this time of yr.. expecailly over the 4th.. The dogs hate the fireworks and kling to me like glue....
Hopefully I will eventully find a 5er and truck combo to buy within the next yr and be back camping again!!

[Mary F]

Caveat: Some campgrounds won't allow a trailer (or tent) to be unoccupied overnight. Not in a campsite, anyways...

[Byron Kinnaman]

Caveat: Some campgrounds won't allow a trailer (or tent) to be unoccupied overnight. Not in a campsite, anyways...

I've never seen that one, but it wouldn't surprise me. Out here in most camp grounds the first night the site has to be occupied. After that it's ok to leave for a few days, you still can't occupy the site more than 14 days.

[Chris B]

"at least I didn't forget the beer! wait.. I rarely drink the stuff...

It was all in a bag.. I forgot the danged bag!"

Okay, you would be excused by Clete just knowing that you did not forget the beer! Clothes, camera, binoculars.....not important, but don't forget the beer! (or tri-tip!)

Have fun, Gina, and thanks for not sending the flying monkeys after me for my insensitive comments!

[Gina D.]

The monkeys are on holiday, but they will be back soon.

Yes, I beleive it is Forest service sites that require occupancy the first nite (did that) and then after it's up to you for up to 14 days.

I will have to look up the rules, but I think there are some limitations on things like certain STATE run facilities that limit you to 14 days per year.. in any site. Keeps folks from living in campgrounds, tho I don't know how they would ever enforce it.