Things I learned about camping.
1. SoCal campsites are apparently a hot commodity. I.E., don't attempt to book Joshua Tree sites 5 days out. Nor any other site.
2. If you DO wait until 2 days before camping to actually book a site, you must stalk the ReserveAmerica website until you find something. Do not hesitate. It will be booked while you check with your people. As soon as you see something come available, TAKE.IT. If you luck out, like I did, you might get a rad spot like Carpinteria State Beach.
2a. Take it so long as it meets your basic requirements of (a) a bathroom, and (b) no bears.
3. If you're new to camping, and just testing the waters, REI rents tents, sleeping bags, and other camping gear. And, when I wasn't really sure I NEEDED a 6 person tent, my friend Brian was kind enough to set one up for me. Right there, in the store. Which further cemented my love for REI.
4. Weather forecasters in SoCal are liars.
4a. On the off chance that they DO get something right, like, say, a gale-force wind storm on the beach, it's probably best you check the forecast, just in case.
5. The beach sounds like a steallar idea until a freak windstorm turns sand into weaponry.
5a. Wind also makes it REALLY tough to pitch a damn tent.
5b. Wind is now considered our Least Favorite Element.
6. Giovanni's on the corner of Carpinteria Ave and Linden Ave has pretty decent pizza. We settled on lunch here after walking the enirety of the "downtown" area, and my request for Mexican being denied. Hmph. They also have this super rad soda that I want to marry.
7. Candy stores make Baby hyped.
8. The pretty, pretty sunset makes beach camping, wind and all, worth it.
8a. So do headlamps.
9. S'Mores are a very exact science.
10. When I grow up, I want to live here.
Teehee. You also learned that a tent loaded with 80 lbs of rock and shopping bags full of sand and tied off to a picnic table won't go anywhere. And I learned that children are instrumental in fetching big rocks. Teeeheeee!!!
ReplyDeleteI love camping, but NOT beach camping. The kids and I had a very memorable few nights on Mustang Island with gale-force winds and sand that managed to get through the tent walls and invade every single crack and crevice. Never again.
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately it's too freakin hot here to camp in the summer; we're waiting for the fall, when it cools down a bit ... but it looks like you found an awesome place for future trips!
have I mentioned how when I'm out that way I'm soooooo bringing A to camp with you guys?
ReplyDeleteHeee!! Jen, yes, we should. Beach camping seems just perfect for kidlets, when there's not a dust storm happening!
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