Author: KathyDraz
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The Isolated Lost Coast of California
In my last post I said that we went back to our squatter’s site in Jackson State Forest, just east of Fort Bragg, CA. We were smarter about our second night of “guerrilla camping.” We still got up early and packed up before anything else, but this time we drove straight to the Fort Bragg…
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Back To The Coast
We spent just one night in Truckee, California, before moving on. It seemed like a cool town and all, with lots of trails nearby, but we had a valley to cross. During a hot summer. My first idea was to cross the valley at night, to avoid the heat. We simply could not drive with…
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Loving Lake Tahoe
As we headed into South Lake Tahoe on Saturday, June 17th, we passed a giant sign advertising for a giant flea market – that day! So we checked it out. It cost us $1 each to get in, but we went ahead and splurged. The flea market itself was a bit of a bust –…
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Adventures in Roof Top Tents
When we left our nameless little campsite next to Mono Lake, Highway 395 immediately began to climb. And up at the top of the climb we found a little pulloff. With this view: Wow! Of course, I was also intrigued by something else: bumper stickers. They were all over the barrier of this parking lot.…
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Sunset at Mono Lake
In my last post, I explained how the wind died down for a day at the Buttermilk Boulders, and Michael was able to make some delicious Cholaca Camp Chili. It turned out to be a good thing we made the chili that day. Because that night – it was as if, just after dark, someone…
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Recipe: Grass Fed Beef & Cholaca Camp Chili
I would not have thought it possible when I started this project. But this is blog post number 101! We caught a lucky break on Saturday, June 10th. In spite of what the Weather Channel predicted, the wind died off overnight and stayed that way throughout the day. After coffee and a wonderful oatmeal breakfast,…
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There And Back Again
The views at our Coyote Trail campsite were pretty nice. It’s too bad that there weren’t any hiking trails or anything to do along this road – we were fully stocked and would have stayed for a few days. But after a nice, leisurely morning we packed up and headed in to Bishop. Since it…
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The Eastern Sierras
So, I mentioned in my last post that we got Elvis’s ashes back. Here’s what we carry with us: This lovely oak box is completely sealed and has Elvis’s name on the bottom. Pretty cool, huh? Although – it’s actually been a little tough to find a spot for Elvis. I don’t want him to…
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Time To Move On (For Real This Time)
We returned to San Luis Obispo from the Yosemite area right before Memorial Day weekend. I feel the need to mention we found a great little taco place in Paso Robles, called Tortilla Town. The menu is a little small – kind of like the place itself, which has maybe 4 booths inside. But the…
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Yosemite With A Plan
Tuesday afternoon’s traffic jam made Chicago’s rush hour look tame. We did not want to replicate that experience, so for our return on Wednesday we went with a very simple plan: 1) Get there early. 2) Park in the shade. 3) Walk everywhere. Now, I understand that “early” is a relative term, but we were…
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Yosemite National Park
First, I want to thank all of you for the kind words, both here on the blog and on Facebook, for the tribute to Elvis on my last post. You’re all so thoughtful and your comments mean the world to me and to Michael. With Michael’s parents in a bit of a holding pattern, we…
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This Too Shall Pass
Last week was a bit tough. It didn’t start out that way, and so the eventual roller-coaster made for a rough ride. And I found that even when something is expected that doesn’t necessarily make it easy to deal with. We headed out of Sequoia National Park on Mother’s Day. There is no cell reception…