While staying at The Pines Campground we wanted to take some time and explore back up in the hills behind the campground itself. Since there was zero AT&T signal in the campground we hoped we might find a spot up at a higher elevation that would get us some sort of signal, any signal so …
Month: April 2016
After our aborted attempt to camp at Anerson Flats because of the wannabe militia types we needed a new place to stay. Coming back up out of the valley we ended up at the Groveland District Office of the Stanislaus National Forest. Right up the road from the office, all of an 1/10th of a …
When we stopped of at the Groveland Forest Service office to ask about free camping opportunities we were lucky enough to be attended to by a Forest Service Ranger. Sidearm in holster, green Forest Service approved ballistic vest on, he knew the area like the back of his hand and was happy to share his time …
We have three weeks to kill before needing to be back in the San Francisco Bay Area for a family function and have zero desire to spend it in Snivilization and so decided to head East towards the first large hunk of green we see on a map. That happens to be the Stanislaus National …
While staying in the Stanislaus National Forest one cannot help but to be reminded how close you are to one of the most magnificent jewels in our National Parks system, Yosemite. Our second camping spot in the Forest was close to Hwy 120 and 24 miles from the National Park Entrance. Willow was not alive …
Not really. Just changed a few words on a classic Beach Boys tune. This is just one of the songs I sing to Willow (Brown-Eyed Girl by Van Morrison is another) when I am being a dork and out in the wilderness where nobody might possibly hear me. Sung to the tune Surfer Girl by …
Willow is a weirdo. It is obscene how many dog beds I have bought and how much money I have spent over the years on beds that she might very well never use. Everything from Costco $30 beds to $100, waterproof liner covered, memory foam beds from Orvis. If given the choice (and she alway does …
Another one of our standard places to romp when we are in the San Francisco East Bay Area is the Oyster Bay Regional Shoreline (716 KB pdf park brochure). Along with Point Isabel and the Albany Bulb this makes up our tried and true triad of quick, easy, fun and quality places to tire out your pooch and …
For some background on our MSR DragonFly stove and the reason for a device such as this you might want to read our review of the QuietStove damper first. Just a suggestion. TL;DR: Works amazing. Approximately 10dB quieter than the stock stove which is substantial. Boils water much faster as well. No moving parts=nothing to break. …
TL;DR: Nice, oak-shaded campground. Free. No water. Vault toilet. Picnic tables and fire rings. Usually empty or not crowded during the week. Some nice hiking options out the back side of the campground. 4 out of 5. Would stay here again. After our time in the San Bernardino National Forest at the Clark’s Ranch site …