USA LA! Home Sweet Home : Camping!

April 7-8, 2013

Camping! Windy and I went to Point Mugu, Big Sycamore Campground for some fun in nature.

We brought picnic food and planned to walk and talk and enjoy .. nature.

The campground is nestled down there among the trees.

Right across the highway from the campground we found the sea. It's a high school composition but who can resist? Not me. And so nature.

Nature has been kind. We enjoyed a couple of hours of campfire, eating and visiting...

...and amazing at the stars. You can't see them here because it isn't dark yet but when darkness came we could see many even down to the sword on Orion's belt and Google Sky revealed the details of everything in view including the glowing orb of Jupiter.

Here's what we looked like when we set-up. The picnic table and fire pit were on the other side of the van.

And then, just as was predicted by the weather report but which I thought must be the computer reporting the wrong location, Gale Force Winds. Our tent was unable to protect us in the face of Gale Force Winds.

But we hung in there until morning, threw everything in the back of Lona and Hartley's mini-van and headed out to a restaurant for a warm, clean, and wind-free breakfast.

It was nature. It was fun. It's a story.

October 8-12, 2009

Camping! That's Nancy A, me, and Liz in one of the outdoor mirrors at our Campsite in Big Sycamore Canyon just up the road a bit, a few miles north of Malibu.

Setting the scene, the campsites are under the trees that you can just see below and a quick dash across Highway 1 from the Sycamore Cove beach.

Here's our set-up, ours in the sense that we are using it but actually it all belongs to Liz. Thank you Liz!

Our first night, Thursday, was as peaceful as you could ever hope to find a campsite. Friday night the place was chock-o-block full and particularly agitato as the crowds settled themselves. And then by Saturday night some people had left and those who remained were into the flow of things and all our new best friends.

Doing our highway dash...

...to enjoy this wonderful beach.

It's got a lot of day-use facilities including bbqs, picnic benches, toilets and showers...

...and trees for shade! I love this beach.

Mine...Mine...

Lovely, isn't it.

Changing with the tides.

We came over here a few times. It is such a delightful place.

Back at camp.

Taking turns with the chores.

We were each in charge of one dinner - Liz: bbq fish and fire-baked veg; Nancy: roasted sausage and veg; me: Frito pie. Liz brought breakfasts, I brought lunches, Nancy brought snacks and beverages. We ate like Queens!

On a training mission coming down from the fire trail.

In the campsite - you can pick out the dozen or so parrots that make up part of the flock that lives here.

A close-up. It was fun to have them around despite the noise.

Nancy made us a lovely fall centerpiece for our table.

On a mountain hike.

We also went in search of the migrating Monarch Butterflies and we think we found a few. How exciting!

More.

Nancy's vegetables.

And the last version of our centerpiece.

My view every night and every morning from inside the tent.

The weather was absolutley perfect, high of 70 low of 50. Perfect.

And every night and every morning we made a great fire. We looved the fire!

Good night ladies!

By Sunday mid-morning the campground had returned to total peace. I'm sure in the summer it's packed every day but this shoulder season is Perfect. Let's go again!