Alex’s adventures – Page 4 – Wandervogel with the McElvains

June 23, 2016 – Westport Union Landing State Beach

Route: US-101S

CARoute05 We did not do this drive in one day. It actually took us two. We stopped and stayed at Mad River Rapids RV Park (clean, nice bathrooms, laundry, just a little too developed for our preferences) in McKinleyville, CA the night of June 21st. Cell reception was critical for the morning of the 22nd because Jess had a phone interview for a job. The saving grace of this stop was Six Rivers Brewery, just 5 minutes away from our campground. We enjoyed their beers.

Just south of Eureka, we debated on taking Mattole road along the lost coast. It is a beautiful drive; we have done it before in a rental car and motorcycle. However, it is twisty with lots of up and downs. We decided not to abuse Abby that badly a few weeks before our move to Colorado. We decided to enjoy the drive along Avenue of the Giants for the scenic portion of our drive.

History: Westport and Union Landing were towns supported by the lumber industry. A complex wharf and chute system was used to load the schooners anchored beyond the dangerous rocks with lumber, tanbark, shingles, wool, oats and railroad ties from the bluffs. The town struggled through boom and bust cycles, and the Great Depression diminished Westport further. The town survives today, unlike other lumber towns along the coast.

Campgrounds:

With our late start on the 22nd, we started to look for camping in Humboldt Redwoods State Park. We were shut out the previous night at Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park; this park is very popular and after hiking to Patrick’s Point, it was clear why. Make a reservation, it will be worth it. We were cautiously optimistic about finding a spot in Humboldt Redwoods. The Burlington campground, where we (minus Alex) camped in 2010 was full, and the park staff recommended Hidden Springs. This was a fantastic recommendation. We selected site 9, which was level and had a nice area for Alex and the dogs. There was some road noise, but the number of cars traveling on the road decreased significantly after dusk.

We got off to an early start on Thursday and as we drove by Westport Union Landing State Beach we saw campsites set up. We stopped to investigate and discovered that this is a first come, first serve campground. We snagged a spot for two nights. Initially, there looked to be a limited number of spots, but there are three camping areas.

Activities:

View from Patrick's Point towards Wedding Rock. — View from Patrick’s Point towards Wedding Rock.

Various hiking trails are available at Humboldt Redwoods State Park and Prairie Creek. Prairie Creek will have ocean view trails. At the Eel River swimming hole in Humboldt Redwoods State Park, Alex took great joy in throwing rocks into the river. It is an activity he enjoys.

Alex waiting for a wave to come in so he can throw a rock into the ocean.

2016_Coast05 Westport Union Landing State Beach has, well, the beach. This can be walked to and at low tide you can find sand crabs, crabs, giant anemones, and mussels. Alex took a little bit to warm up to the beach and preferred to walk on the harder sand exposed during low tide. Once he discovered this surface, he was eager to run up and down the beach. The dogs were excited to frolic in the surf.

Fort Bragg is about 15 miles down the road. Fort Bragg is the home of North Coast Brewing Company and their very tasty beers. There is a tourist train, called the Skunk Train, that takes riders on a forty mile tour through redwoods and mountain meadows. We missed an opportunity to take Alex on a train ride that he would have loved. There is also Glass Beach, where beauty has resulted from a former city dump.

Overall: Fantastic camping spot. Need to be quick to grab a site. The proximity to Fort Bragg provides extra activities. We could have spend our entire trip camped out on the bluffs.

June 20, 2016 – Crescent City, Mill Creek

Route: CA-96W, Indian Creek Road, US-199S

We got off to a relatively early start because the day’s activities included grocery shopping and laundry! We were westward bound on CA-96W until Happy Camp. We stopped at the Frontier Saloon and Cafe for second breakfast; Dave finally staged his uprising against granola and yogurt and insisted we stop. Portions were generous, food was good. Bacon was amazing – thick cut, not overly salted. Stop in if you are in town.

Our route took us through a remote area; the steep mountain slopes are not conducive to building. The road was twisty and when we crossed into Oregon, Abby earned another state badge. We debated on detouring to the Oregon Caves National Monument and Preserve, but it was 45 minutes out of our way and we needed clean undies. We turned south to Crescent City. We arrived and wanted to stop and Port O’Pints, but they didn’t open until 2. And there was no food as far as we could tell. Pre-made salad from Safeway for the lunch win!

Dave standing by the stump of a redwood.

History: Redwood logging began in 1851, as the gold rush waned. Technological advances made it easier and faster to harvest the large trees. In 1920, key groves were preserved by the State of California. In 1968, Congress created Redwood National Park, protecting the world’s tallest trees and Redwood Creek’s salmon fishery.

Coast redwoods have been recorded at 370 feet, almost 70 feet taller than the giant sequoia. There are no known killing diseases and are resistant to insects, believed to be the result of high tannin concentrations, which also provides the red hue to the wood. Fog, created by the hot air of the central valley pulling moisture laden ocean air towards the interior of CA, is key to the survival of the coastal redwood.

Redwood National and State Parks are a cooperative management effort between the National Park Service and the California Department of Parks and Recreation. Redwood National Park, Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park, Del Norte Coast Redwoods State Park, and Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park are part of the cooperative effort and form a World Heritage Site and International Biosphere Reserve.

Campground: We stayed at Mill Creek campground in Del Norte Coast Redwoods State Park. We were lucky to get a walk-up site, number 41. Sites 40 through 42 are spaced the closest and receive the most sunlight. The sites are level and have easy access to Mill Creek. Sites 39 and 55 are prime sites, spacious and well separated from neighboring campsites. Overall, most sites in the camp well spaced. There are some tent only sites that are extremely secluded – you hike to the tent platform through a tunnel in the foliage.

Activities: Fishing in the park tributaries of the Smith River for cutthroat trout and hatchery steelhead is permitted. Mill Creek is closed to fishing part of the year. A license is required.

Alex enjoying the hike along Trestle Trail on his pack mule.

There are a variety of trails for hiking in the park. The Trestle Trail Loop circumvents sites 1 – 74. Off of this trail, one can access the Adler Basin, Saddler Skyline, and Hobbs Wall (via Saddler Skyline) trails. The California Coastal Trail, which is 1200 miles long, runs through the park. Also in the park is the Damnation Trail, which was used by the Tolowa Indians to reach the ocean to gather shellfish and seaweed. This trail drops 1,000 feet over two miles through old-growth redwoods and Sitka spruce. We thought about attempting this hike, but wisely did the math in advance. The average grade on the trail is 10%. We opted for the Trestle Loop Trail instead. This trail was a combination of a relatively flat and wide path (good for Alex to walk a bit) and some narrow, steep hillside hiking (good time to contain Alex in the pack).

Overall: This was a fantastic campground and would be a fantastic place to set up home base for a couple of weeks and explore the coast. There are endless day trip possibilities. Also, the proximity to Crescent City means it is easy to restock food and clean clothes.

June 19, 2016 – State of Jefferson

Route for Lassen Volcanic National Park to Sarah Totten Campground.

Route: CA-44W, I-5N, CA-96W

We got off to a late start. Our route decision was strategic because it would take us through Redding around lunch time and we had a brewery recommendation. Alas, the recommended brewery did not have food, so we stopped at Woody’s Brewing Company. We posted about our experience here, but the quick summary is good food and good beer. Worth a visit. Stomachs filled, we continued our journey.

History: We have been commenting that the farther we drive north, the less the California feels like, well, California. The area’s residents agree based on the number of ‘State of Jefferson‘ flags we observed. The proposed state spans contiguous, primarily rural, counties of southern Oregon and Northern California. There is a separate independence movement called Cascadia.

In the early 20th century the State of Jefferson felt that it was being left behind as the rest of California thrived. In 1941 local leaders worked to establish the State of Jefferson. However, with the bombing of Pearl Harbor, the secession plans were abandoned. The movement still continues today as a criticism to the growing role the federal and state government and how decisions made by these governing bodies negatively impact the region. Check out the segment on the State of Jefferson on the show How the States Got Their Shapes.

We also saw numerous ‘No Monument‘ signs. Curious, we Googled the issue. The Siskiyou Crest runs east-west and links the Siskiyou Mountains to the Cascades. The area has high biological diversity, believed to have resulted from the fact it was unglaciated during the last Ice Age and served as a refuge for plants and animals. The creation of the monument, out of land already managed by the U.S. Forest Service, aims to protect and revive the land. The classification as a monument would restrict grazing, logging, and mining inside the boundaries. Those in opposition fear worsening economic stagnation and that private property would be taken away from citizens. Supporters believe that the new designation would bring tourism and outdoor recreation dollars. The monument is supported by the Klamath-Siskiyou Wildlands Center and opposed by the American Land Rights Association.

Abby in site 8 at the Sarah Totten Campground.

Campground: The Sarah Totten Campground in the Klamath National Forest is a small campground along the Klamath River and has two group sites and nine individual sites. The campground has an upstream and downstream loop, with river access at the upstream loop. We camped in site 8 in the upstream loop which is next to the river access. No one was using the river access, but this campsite would be less than ideal if there was a high demand to access the river.

Alex looking for rocks to toss into the river.

Activities: If we had a tow vehicle and kayaks, this campground is ideal. Drive the tow vehicle to the put out point, bring the RV and kayaks back to the campground. A recipe for an enjoyable time on the river. There were also multiple trail heads accessible from CA-96W, but we did not go hiking. There is a nice selection of rocks for throwing in the river.

Overall: A very isolated campground. Use does not seem to be heavy. A gorgeous area to camp. Site signage could be improved.

June 17, 2016 – Lassen Volcanic National Park

CARoute02 — The route traveled to Lassen Volcanic National Park.

Route: CA-89N

As we drove, Dave commented that the landscape was feeling less like California (grey, rocky mountains) and more like the Pacific Northwest (thick pine forests, lots of logging trucks). A quick consult with the map showed that Lassen National Forest straddles the Sierra and Cascade ranges, which are quintessential California and Pacific Northwest, respectively. The drive was picturesque, with twisty roads following creeks and cutting along the mountain. All the plants were freshly green, having recently shaken off winter’s chill.

Abby parked at the Lassen Peak trail head.

We were expecting to see much more snow during the drive, since CA-89, the Lassen Volcanic National Park through road, had only recently been cleared of snow and opened. However, we only saw occasional patches of snow. Then we started to climb as we entered the park and the odds were in our favor (and Penny’s) significant snow. It did not take long after entering the park before there was snow, and significant quantities. The drive was a bit harrowing with the thick fog, but the positive side was we could not see the steep drop offs along the road. If you feel that the government is over protecting you, drive the road through Lassen. There isn’t much government protection standing between you and the drop off.

2016_Lassen04 — 300 ton rock landed 3 miles from Mount Lassen after the 1915 eruption.

History: Designated a National park on August 9, 1916, in part due to the continuing volcanic activity after the 1915 eruption. President Theodore Roosevelt initially protected the area with the formation of Cinder Cone National Monument and Lassen Peak National Monument in 1905.

Native Americans inhabited the area and believed that Lassen would one day blow itself apart. Lassen Peak was used as a landmark for immigrants on their way to the fertile Sacramento Valley.

Campground: We stayed at the Manzanita Lake campground, in the Northwest corner of the park; this was the only campground open. The other campgrounds were still being cleared of winter related damage. This campground has four loops. Sites can be reserved on loops A and C, loops B and D are first come, first served. Loop D is for tent camping only. There are multiple trail heads in or close to the campground (Manzanita Creek, Crags Lake, Manzanita Lake, Lily Pond Nature Trail, Reflection Lake, Nobles Emigrant). We were in site C44, which was spacious with and felt secluded. Other prime sites in the C loop include C22, C24, C25, and C26. There is no cell service.

2016_Lassen06 — Alex sleeping during the hike to Crags Lake.

Activities: Kayaks can be rented from the camp store for use on Manzanita Lake. We decided to hike the Chaos Crags trail. The sign at the trail head, which was a solid 0.5 miles away from our campsite, indicated a 2 mile walk with approximately 825 feet of elevation increase. Simple math, done at leisure after the hike, determined that the average grade of the trail was 8%. Math, it rocks. There were sections that were rather flat, and sections that were very steep. The 4 mile round trip took us about 3.5 hours. This time includes the 30 minutes we spent at Crags Lake watching Alex throw rocks into the water and laugh at the ‘bloops’. The hike offered amazing views and took us throw an area that had been affected by fire. The hike was sunnier than expected due to reduced tree cover. And there is cell service! We definitely were sore after this hike.

2016_Lassen09 — Snow field along a creek. Penny is clearly happy.

Skiing and snowboarding are also options for activities! In June! Our first night camping, it rained at the campground, but higher elevations received approximately six inches of snow. The through road was closed again to allow for plowing.

Ski and snowboarders at the Lassen trail head.

The Kohm Yah-mah-nee Visitor Center has great interactive displays. There is a description of the different types of volcanoes (cinder cone, composite, plug flow) and an interactive map that will light up the type examples with in the park with the push of a button (Alex loved this). Another interactive exhibit had a tunnel that was perfect for a toddler to run through; a light lit up as Alex ran through the tunnel. This was also a great source of joy. Two gift shops, an area with children’s toys, a cafe, and theater round out the offerings at the visitor center.

Overall: This is a beautiful park with hiking options that we did not even scratch the surface of in regards to activities and hikes. Note that if you are interested in the Lave Tube caves, which are located in Lassen National Forest, about 45 minutes north on CA-44/CA-89. As our usual, we wish we were spending more time here.

June 15, 2016 – Plumas Eureka State Park

Route: I-80E, CA-49N, CA-89N, A414

Google estimated travel time was approximately 3 hours if we used I-80E for the majority of the trip. On the advice from a friend, we overruled Google Maps and took CA-49N, which would add an estimated 30 minutes to the trip. In Abby, the extra time was closer to an hour. Include the road construction, it was an additional 90 minutes.

CA-49N is a twisty, scenic drive through Tahoe and Plumas National Forests. The road follows various branches of the Yuba River at different points. The river looks to be a kayaker’s and fisherman’s paradise with boulders, fast flowing sections, and large pools. There are multiple opportunities to camp in Sierra County at National Forest campgrounds adjacent to CA-49N. We also saw a number of signs indicating boat launches down lake access roads.

Yes, the route we took came close to forming a circle at the end.

Abby in campsite 36 at Plumas Eureka State Park.

History: The Plumas Eureka State Park region was originally inhabited by the Northern Maidu, who lived along valley edges and hunted in the mountains during the warm seasons. They were known for their coiled and twined baskets and intricate bead-work.

In 1851, the isolation of the Maidu ended when gold was discovered on an exposed quartz ledge of Eureka Peak. The influx of European settlers brought disease, destroyed native food and plant resources, and inflicted violence that was catastrophic to the Maidu population.

Jamison City and Johnsville were established for the miners. Smaller mining companies closed as surface deposits diminished. A British company purchased and consolidated the mines in 1872. The mines operated profitable until 1890 and were sold in 1904. Operations tapered off until they were ended during World War II by the War Production Board Limitation Order. The mines’ 65 miles of tunnels generated more than $8 million in gold, which was processed by the Mohawk Stamp Mill.

To entertain themselves, miners held snowshoe and ski races. In the ski races, competitors could reach speeds of more than 80 miles per hour. It is believed that the mine tramways may have served as the world’s first ski lifts.

Campground: We weren’t sure what to expect with the Plumas Eureka campground. Experience with CA state parks is approximately 66% positive (Morro Bay, New Brighton State Beach, Half Moon Bay) and we were hoping that after this stay, 3 out of 4 parks would have exceeded expectations. We weren’t disappointed.

The park rangers are VERY serious about protecting bears from habituation to humans. You must read a statement upon check in regarding proper storage of food and trash at your site and the dangers to you and the bear if you do not follow the regulations; there is a $1000 fine if you are found to be in violation of the rules. Your signature on the registration receipt is required to acknowledge the information.

The campground is approximately a mile down the road from the mining museum, located at the base of Mount Eureka, that has the registration window. There is a mix of walk-in only and RV/trailer sites. all sites have a picnic table, fire pit, metal food storage box, and a large level area for tent set up. Despite the scale on the map, all sites are spacious and wooded with various types of trees (white fir, Douglas fir, ponderosa, sugar, Jeffrey, lodge-pole, incense cedar). There are even some giant sequoias and a creek running through the campground. Our spot number was 36, which was a little uneven, but was fixed with blocks under the front tires. Sites 9 – 14, and 19 – 20 are secluded and within easy walking distance to the showers.

The shower facilities were clean, and as of June 2016, free. We did not try them out. California was experiencing unseasonable cold weather and we saw snow flurries our first night. We’re not walking around wet, in the cold, while Abby had a functional shower. The toilet facilities have flush toilets, but no hot water.

Activities: There is a trail from the campground to the museum. The museum is located in the historic miners’ bunkhouse and has natural history exhibits, archaeological finds, mining artifacts, a working scale model of the stamp mill, and hands on exhibits for kids. You can even pan for gold. Some buildings are open in the mining complex, but check with the museum to confirm days and times.

The campground also provides access to the Talking Forest Nature Trail and Grass and Smith Lakes Trail. These trails to exit the state park and enter national forest land. Within the park, there are also trail heads to Eureka Peak, Madora Lake, and others into national forest land.

Fishing along Jamison Creek in the park is not always rewarding, but there are other streams and lakes in the area that offer better odds.

Check out The Brewing Lair. It is about a 10 minute drive from the campground at Plumas Eureka State Park. We loved their phenomenal setting and enjoyed their beer. Well done.

Overall: We enjoyed this park. We didn’t hike as much as we would have liked; we are always trying to hit a moving target as Alex abilities and nap schedule change as he grows. A positive experience.

Western Trip: Campground Summary

Favorites

Campsite at Sylvan Lake

Sylvan Lake Campground at Custer State Park, SD: Sites were well spaced, secluded, grounds were well taken care of. Site was level. Our campsite was tucked away among trees. The campground was not on the lake, but was a quick hike to the lake and there was access several trail heads. Scenery was gorgeous.

Sylvan Lake at Custer State Park.
Red Canyon Campground at Flaming Gorge National Recreation Area, UT:
Abby in our campsite at Red Canyon.

This campground has sites that are a stone’s throw away from the rim of the gorge. Visitors center is a short hike away. Some hiking trails along the gorge rim. Gorgeous scenery. Sites are well spaced and level. We wouldn’t camp here again until Alex is older and listens better. Jess would become instantaneously grey making sure Alex didn’t fall into the gorge. Or he will need one of those child leashes.

View from the Red Canyon Campground in Flaming Gorge National Recreation Area.
Mueller State Park, CO: This campground had nicely spaced, wooded sites. Some sites had a view of Pike’s Peak, but these go quickly on the reservations page. Great laundry facility and playgroud for Alex. Alex’s wagon came into play as our laundry mobile when walking up the hill to the laundromat. Park is well cared for and the staff is friendly. Group sites also available.
View of Pike’s Peak, obscured by cloud cover.

Least Favorites

Mormon Island State Recreation Area, NE: Campground is next to a lake, on an island, in the middle of the Platte River. The lake is part of Nebraska’s Chain of Lakes; these lakes are water filled excavation pits from I-80’s construction and converted to recreation areas.. We stayed here because it was easy access to I-80, had full hook-ups (needed to run the A/C due to the heat and humidity), and it was approximately the target distance we wanted to drive in a day upon leaving Colorado. The lake’s aroma left a bit to be desired. Campground served its purpose, but it was cruel switch from the Rockies.
Starved Rock State Park, IL: The park website looks amazing! Don’t be fooled, the campground is definitely not amazing. If the campground is in the park, it is on the border. You do drive past the beautiful area to the campground, which is mosquito infested to the point you can’t be outside. We would have rather stayed in a commercial campground.

Biggest Pleasant Surprise

View from the bluff at Great River Bluffs State Park, MN.

Great River Bluffs State Park, MN: The geological features of this park are the result of minimal glacial drift from any of the four major glaciers. Sites were well spaced and wooded. Some are not level, so check the reservation site, it should provide information. Nice hiking trails with views of the Mississippi River Valley. And there were little chipmunks for Penny to watch from Abby’s window.

Penny watching chipmunks at Great River Bluffs State Park, MN.

Biggest Disappointment

Yellowstone, WY: It was Fourth of July weekend. There were hordes of people and we were lucky to get a spot. Campsites were crowded. People were oblivious to etiquette. The bathrooms were not clean. Dave said he would rather take one of the poop bags for the dogs out to the woods rather than use the bathroom. Jess was too scared to see the horrors of the women’s bathroom. There will be a separate Yellowstone post to discuss why this was our least favorite park of the entire trip. I’m sure Yellowstone is much nicer when it isn’t the peak travel season.

Western Trip Summary

We started our first long RV adventure on June 27, 2015. We had made the decision just three weeks prior to move to California so Jess could enroll in the UC Davis Extension Master Brewers Program; we knew that when we returned we would have to kick things into high gear to prepare the house for sale (we had our floors refinished while we were gone). Looking back, it is hard to believe we got it all done. And it is still rather surreal that a year later we are packing up our California rental to move to Colorado.

Since it has been so long since our trip, the format for posts will be different from our California move. This summary post will be followed by posts focusing on our favorite/least favorite campgrounds, side trips made along the way, and anything else that may require a stand alone post. These stand alone posts will likely be due excessive length as a result of our poor self-editing skills. Some of our notes (including total gallons of diesel and mileage) have been misplaced in a cross-country move.

The trip was approximately 5200 miles, including side trips. We used about 345 gallons of diesel, averaging right around 15 miles per gallon.

We started our trip on June 27, 2015 and were back July 16, 2015. Just shy of 3 full weeks and resulting in an average of 273 miles traveled per day.

Family selfie just before leaving the driveway.

The trip started out on a rainy, mechanical break down note with Abby’s turbo resonator failing, but after our first day hiccup, it was smooth sailing. We had a great time visiting family and friends along our route. And they were always very kind in giving us a place to park, do laundry, and shower in a full size bathroom!

The whirlwind trip took us to four national parks, a national monument, a national recreation area, two national forests, and seven state parks. We definitely erred in wedged too many sights into our trip schedule; we learned from our errors on this trip and corrected them for future trips.

Campgrounds:

Great River Bluffs State Park, MN – overnight rest stop only
Palisades State Park, SD – 2 night stop, rest day
Palisades State Park in South Dakota
Custer State Park, SD – 2 night stop (Grace Coolidge, Sylvan Lake)
Yellowstone National Park, WY – overnight (Fishing Creek)
Grand Teton National Park, WY – overnight (Lizard Creek)
Bridger-Teton National Forest, WY – overnight (East Table)
Flaming Gorge National Recreation Area, UT – overnight
San Juan National Forest, CO – 2 night stop (Junction Creek)
Mueller State Park, CO – overnight
View of Pike’s Peak (under cloud cover) from Mueller State Park.
Rocky Mountain National Park, CO – 2 night stop (Olive Ridge – technically just outside the park)
Mormon Island State Recreation Area, NE – overnight
Starved Rock State Park, IL – overnight
West Branch State Park, OH – overnight
View for our campsite in West Branch State Park, OH. Our last night on the road.

Muir Woods

Redwood Creek, taken from a foot bridge.

Sadly, this is a non-Abby post because we decided to take a day trip to Muir Woods National Monument. We have been around Muir Woods on previous trips, but never managed to visit. The land that became Muir Woods was purchased by William Kent, a local businessman, and his wife Elizabeth Thatcher Kent in 1905. This land included one of the last uncut stands of redwoods and was donated to the federal government. In 1908, President Theodore Roosevelt proclaimed the area a national monument under the power of the 1906 Antiquities Act, and was named to honor John Muir, conservationist. Flora includes coast redwoods; shade-loving undergrowth, such as sword ferns, mosses, redwood sorrell; and wildflowers – trillium, clintonia, and redwood violet. Fauna include spotted owls, bats, raccoons, deer, birds (warblers, thrushes, Pacific wrens, Stellar’s jays), banana slugs, Sonoma chipmunks, and western gray squirrels.

Muir_Parking — Our parking spot in Muir Woods. Normally, we wouldn’t park next to this guy, but spots were at a premium. Car on the other side didn’t actual encroach into our space, but was parked on the line. Jess let Dave and Alex out of the car, parked, and then climbed out the rear hatch.

Our initial plan was to drive down after lunch so the trip would coincide with Alex’s nap. After reading the National Park Service’s tips for a visit, we decided to get on the road around 8. We pulled in at 10:15 and were extremely fortunate to get a parking space in the overflow lot at the Visitor’s Center. And that spot was wedged between the second place finishers in the asshole parking competition (we had to pull the mirrors in on the car). The first place finishers were parked so badly that you couldn’t squeeze into the spot between them. When we left at 12:30, it was absolute chaos in the parking lot and the overflow lot was also full. So, last minute plan changes work out.

With Alex in tow, we opted to stay on the trails close to the visitors center – mostly paved or board walk and smooth. Great surface for a little boy to walk/run/jump and burn off some serious energy. Jess and Alex abandoned Dave at the gift shop and took off across Bridge 1. Without cell service, Jess had to corral a very unhappy boy, find Dave, and then the journey could begin again. Alex ran along the trail until we reached the Hillside trail head and Alex chose to head up this path.

Muir_family — Hiking on the Hillside Trail in Muir Woods.

The beginning of the Hillside Trail after the Bohemian Grove was quite reasonable – rather wide and smooth, but with a rather steep drop off. Soon it became very narrow and rough, completely inappropriate to have an energetic two year-old free roaming. We packed Alex up in the Osprey child carrier and carried him until we crossed Bridge 4 and returned to the paved path. Along the Hillside Trail we encountered an 8 inch banana slug and Alex had fun cawing at a bird high up in the trees. Alex enjoyed touching a pair of trees we had to walk between on the trail and cried when we kept on walking. He is a curious kid and doesn’t like to leave his interests before he is done checking everything out.

Alex inspecting the signs in Muir Woods.

Alex also really liked the signs instructing us to stay on the board walk. He inspected them closely trying to figure out how they were constructed and picked out the letter ‘A’ and ‘T’ in each sign. Whenever he saw the ‘T’ he said ‘choo choo’ for train.

Alex checking out a hollow in a tree. — Alex checking out a hollow in a tree on the marked trail.

Overall, we had a great time. The paths near the visitors center are packed, and if we had some more time and were more familiar with the trails that would be better for Alex, we would have ventured farther away from the Visitor’s Center. It took us about 2 hours to walk a 1.5 mile loop, which can be completed more quickly if a toddler isn’t setting your pace. Getting there early is key for securing a parking spot.

Firefly 2015

So what should one do one week before taking off on a 3 week RV vacation? Go to Firefly, of course! We went to the first Firefly in 2012 and really enjoyed the music and small crowd of approximately 30,000 people. We rented an RV for 2012 Firefly, and considering there seemed to be 1 toilet for every 300 people in the tent camping area, we reached the conclusion that the RV was money well spent. However, the festival was so poorly organized and run (volunteers not doing their jobs, parking rules changing constantly, water price gouging, lack of water, Jack White’s sound not working – which may have been a blessing in disguise), we were not going to come back unless there was an amazing line-up.

Then Firefly 2015 was announced. And Paul McCartney was the headliner. And we figured in 20 years Alex could say he saw Paul McCartney in concert. So, against our better judgement, we bought our tickets and reserved an RV spot and made plans to take a one year old to a music festival with a targeted ticket sales to reach 90,000.

We should have taken a closer look at Paul McCartney’s tour schedule. We would have discovered he was playing the Wells-Fargo Center in Philly the night after his Firefly appearance, it would have been a wiser use of our money. So, the good and the bad.

Alex: He had an absolute blast. Loved listening to the music and people watching. Even better, there was a 12-week old there. So just turning one was a late start for a first concert experience.

Alex at Paul McCartney. He was there. It counts.

Music: It was a fantastic line up. We were never close to the stage, but we enjoyed the acts from a distance.

Weather: Okay, we know the organizers can’t control the weather, but a little advance planning goes a long way. Delaware experienced torrential rains ahead of the festival and the RV camping areas were swampy. Fill was being brought in the day the before the gates were to open, but it wasn’t nearly enough. More rains were experienced during the festival, creating a giant mud pit where shoes were lost. To top it all off, severe storms were predicted the last night of the festival, canceling the headliner and spurring announcements to seek shelter. The poor tent campers were directed to their cars, some a 45 minute walk away from their tents. Perhaps using every available golf cart and shuttle to help concert goers seek shelter would have been wise. We left ahead of the rain. We saw people come in and attempt to park their big rigs, and knew if the grounds got much sloppier, there was a strong likelihood these folks were going to get stuck and block the only exit. No point in having to deal with that mess right before our 2015 Western Odyssey.

Organization: We had passes for the camping sites next to the entrance and had to load in by Wednesday. It seemed foolish for Jess to take an extra day off of work and sit around in an RV when there weren’t going to be any acts. So, we purchased a vehicle parking pass, and Jess and Alex drove down to Dover on Thursday. After picking up the parking pass at will call, Jess drove to the appropriate parking lot as indicated on her map. This was the incorrect thing to do. Apparently, festival organizers wanted all traffic directed to a single choke point, and then redirect people to their appropriate location once viewing the pass. This would have meant sitting in line for 45 minutes plus with an antsy 1 year old.

Upon arriving at the appropriate parking lot, Jess discovered that no one was checking for passes or even directing parking. This was also beneficial because Jess got to select her own premium parking spot, but it was clear wasted $40 to buy the pass. The lack of guidance with parking was clear when Jess picked up the car. People had played the always fun game of create your own parking space and block someone else in.

A laundry list of rules that were disregarded or sporadically enforced. Throw in the lovely gentleman who believed that the two foot strip of grass we weren’t occupying in our camping spot was his invitation to park there.

Sound: You think they would have someone in the audience, or several someones at different points in the audience listening to ensure that Paul McCartney’s sound was working just fine. His one mic was not working, but we got to see his lips move on the giant TV screens.

Kids these days: Yes, here is our inner curmudgeons. We should have stayed home right (don’t we wish). But,these are the people who will be wiping our rear ends in a nursing home later, and I am concerned that kids these days cannot even find their own rear end even using their phone GPS.

Again? Would we go again . . . would have to be a truly awesome line-up. And we would spring for the Super VIP passes. We’ve heard good things about Lollapalooza.

Alex and Abby – A history

Alex and Abby met for the first time when Alex was just shy of three months old. It was not love at first sight. Alex was tired and cranky and didn’t seem to appreciate the test drive. But good parents that we are, we overrode Alex’s objections and purchased Abby.

August 2014: Alex’s first trip in Abby was an overnight shakedown run to Pequea Creek Campground in Pennsylvania. It was on this run that future thoughts for organization started to present themselves. But nothing too disastrous and we were only an hour away from home.

Ommegang — Jess enjoying a beer, back during the days Alex would sleep at a bar.

October 2014: Alex and Abby had more time to bond on their next trip to Cooperstown, NY area over Columbus Day weekend. We dragged Alex not to the Baseball Hall of Fame, but to Brewery Ommegang. That’s just how we parent. We were fortunate because Alex was still at a stage where he slept – a lot. And wasn’t super mobile so he perfectly content to hang out in his car seat at the table while we ate and chatted. We stayed at Beaver Spring Lake Campground, which had full hook ups. This was very fortuitous because the overnight lows were high 20s. No water lines froze despite our lack of an arctic package. Alex seemed to enjoy himself on this trip and it was deemed rather successful.

Alex enjoying some tummy time outside on the dinette cushions.

Alex snuggled up in his Storchenwiege carrier.

Novermber 2014: Alex took his first trip to Cape Henlopen State Park. This is a beautiful campground area, with some spots very nicely shaded. Being late in the season, the campground was sparsely populated, save some tent campers who were competing in the ‘Skate the Cape’ event weekend. Looked like a fun event; everyone that we interacted with was extremely nice. A drawback at Cape Henlope is the park staff don’t want RVs parking off of the pavement; there are only a few spots that don’t resemble parallel parking. It would be nice if one could be trusted to use their own judgement and park on the hard pack sand, but I am sure experience has taught the staff that most people overestimate their or their vehicle’s abilities. Review the park map and choose wisely. While there are water hook ups, some of the spigots are at least 50′ away from the spot they are assigned to service; pack two sanitary water hoses just in case.

Alex_Hammock — Alex taking a nap in the RV campground at Firefly. Resting up for a big day of concerts and people watching.

June 2015: 2015 started out relatively quiet with a trip to Cape Henlopen and the Outer Banks as a quick weekend shake down runs ahead of a busy summer travel schedule. After that the travel season became very hectic. First, was our trip to the Firefly Music Festival in Dover, DE the weekend of June 18 – 21. We had been debating on going, but when they announced Paul McCartney was headlining, we decided to go for it. Alex seemed to have a really fun time; we introduced him to the WeeRide which he loved. He had a strong dislike for his bike helmet initially, but once he made the connection between the helmet and going for a bike ride, all was okay. Alex enjoyed snoozing in the hammock and got to “see” Paul McCartney in concert. Never fear, he had ear protection on whenever we were on the concert grounds.

IMG_20150705_195353640 — Alex enjoying dirt along the snake river in Wyoming.

June/July 2015: Less than a week after we returned from Firefly, Abby spirited all of us (including the dogs) off on a 3 week western adventure. This trip started with failed turbo resonator, but there were no more mechanical failures on the trip. Alex had a great time playing in dirt and “driving” the RV.

Alex enjoying Mama's biscuits and gravy so much he is using two spoon. — Alex enjoying Mama’s biscuits and gravy so much he is using two spoon.

September 2015: Abby took Alex on his first trip out of the country! We drove up to Saint-Alphonse-Rodriguez, in Quebec. It was a fun trip. We were only a little bit nervous at the border crossings because Alex’s favorite phrase at this time was ‘uh oh’. We didn’t think it would be wise to answer the border guard’s question with ‘uh oh’.

October 2015: Just when Alex and Abby were going to have to say good-bye to each other for a few months, we decided to throw two October trips into the mix. The first was over Columbus Day weekend to the Mansfield area of Pennsylvania. Dave rode his motorcycle up and Jess drove the RV. Alex and the dogs got a bonus visit to the farm to visit Mimi and Grandpa. We stayed at Tanglewood Campground which was very family friendly. Costume parade for the kids and what we heard was a very well done haunted trail ride.

We decided to take a trip to visit all the remaining Northeast states before we moved west. So Alex and Abby hit the road together again to Acadia National Park in Maine. This was the most dog-friendly park we have visited where dogs are allowed on most trails. Our creature triple feature had a great time. Abby was challenged with no hook-ups and short, cloudy days prevented the solar panels from recharging the batteries. We needed to run the generator to charge the batteries. Except we overestimated our propane levels and couldn’t find anywhere to fill up since it was the end of the season and most places had closed down. To add to the challenge, the coach batteries weren’t recharging from the engine. Thus, a very delicate game of cat and mouse was played between propane and battery levels. This trip happened to be the trip that the transmission failed; while Abby didn’t see Alex home to the door, she did arrange a ride for him in a big rig.

Abby being towed from the EZ-Pass administration building parking lot.

December 2015/January 2016: And we can’t forget the cross-country move! Alex and Abby had lots of quality time together as we meandered across the South and up the Pacific Coast Highway to Davis, CA. Check out our detailed blog posts chronicling this journey. There are many more than the one linked, check out the archives or the category ‘Travel Diary: 2016 DE to CA’.

One of our greatest concerns with all the traveling we do is making sure Alex is having fun. We can’t know for sure, but he always gets excited when he sees Abby and wants to climb aboard. All said and done, we let this picture speak volumes.

Alex the traveling man as Abby moves him down the road.

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