How to avoid screaming kids in the condo pool
Nothing ventured, nothing gained.
I needed to get away from all the noise outside of my home, and the bouncing kids and barking dog in the unit upstairs. Resort condo living is a challenge during peak vacation months.
I really wanted to spend the weekend down in the Devil's Postpile area, but was apprehensive. Town was very crowded and the shuttle parking overflowing. I was prepared to be turned away
but I had nothing to lose except a little time and a bit of gas. Worse case scenario: I'd find another campground. Still, I felt strangely stressed.
At the guard station, the told me there were a few spots open at Agnew Meadows, a few at Red's Meadow and at least one at "Upper Soda." Yippee! I bumped into Carol from Reds Meadow Services as I was taking the dirt road into Agnew and she assured me there were some nice spots available.
I chose campsite #21, which seemed decent, but as I walked to the pay station I noticed #1 was empty. A slightly hidden, spacious site, ringed by tall firs with a small creek meandering alongside. The Valhalla of the camping world! I ran back to Virginella and slammed it into reverse to relocate ASAP. Perhaps the best spot I've ever snagged.
I set up the tent, ate a turkey sandwich along with celery sticks and homemade pepper dip and washed it down with some watered down iced Arrowwood Cabernet. (Sounds weird I know, but pretty tasty!)
By 4:00 p.m. I was headed out on the Shadow Lake trail. It was a gorgeous August afternoon, the trail was uncrowded and I found a great sense of ease and peace. Very welcome, after the last two weeks of inner turmoil during the production of SCT's "As You Like It" I swear, if one more person asked me if I was in the play, I was going to lose it!
I reached the bottom of the "up" to Shadow at 5:30 and realized that since my intended turn around time was 6:00 pm, the minute I made it up there, I'd have to turn back. Instead, I slung my hammock along the headwaters of the San Joaquin River and read "Island of the Blue Dolphins."
Returning to camp at 7:30, I prepped the campfire, made a dinner of bratwurst and rice salad, finished off the Cab (straight up, as nature intended) and toasted marshmallows while listening to "Rumpole of the Bailey" on my Walkman. I kept scanning the star-strewn skies for meteors as the Perseid shower was peaking over the weekend. I didn't spot one, but didn't feel like I needed a lucky wish. It had been a great day.
I was comfy in my tiny tent but woke frequently with strange dreams. I greeted the day at about 8:30 a.m., strolling to the waterfall I had heard throughout the night. I came back to coffee, the LA Times and the Blitzkuchen I had made the previous morning. What a nice treat. There was time for another walk around the glorious wildflower filled campground, a little clean up and the chance to linger in the beach chair gazing at three juncos hopping around the tent in search of seeds. One caught a flying insect mid-air!
The loudmouth in the site next to mine turned out to be a really nice local who offered me firewood as he prepared to leave. I now had total quiet and solitude for a spell while packing the car, reading and snacking some more before returning to the choruses of Marco Polo back home.
I don't think the kids will bother me as much when I get back.
I needed to get away from all the noise outside of my home, and the bouncing kids and barking dog in the unit upstairs. Resort condo living is a challenge during peak vacation months.
I really wanted to spend the weekend down in the Devil's Postpile area, but was apprehensive. Town was very crowded and the shuttle parking overflowing. I was prepared to be turned away
but I had nothing to lose except a little time and a bit of gas. Worse case scenario: I'd find another campground. Still, I felt strangely stressed.
At the guard station, the told me there were a few spots open at Agnew Meadows, a few at Red's Meadow and at least one at "Upper Soda." Yippee! I bumped into Carol from Reds Meadow Services as I was taking the dirt road into Agnew and she assured me there were some nice spots available.
I chose campsite #21, which seemed decent, but as I walked to the pay station I noticed #1 was empty. A slightly hidden, spacious site, ringed by tall firs with a small creek meandering alongside. The Valhalla of the camping world! I ran back to Virginella and slammed it into reverse to relocate ASAP. Perhaps the best spot I've ever snagged.
I set up the tent, ate a turkey sandwich along with celery sticks and homemade pepper dip and washed it down with some watered down iced Arrowwood Cabernet. (Sounds weird I know, but pretty tasty!)
By 4:00 p.m. I was headed out on the Shadow Lake trail. It was a gorgeous August afternoon, the trail was uncrowded and I found a great sense of ease and peace. Very welcome, after the last two weeks of inner turmoil during the production of SCT's "As You Like It" I swear, if one more person asked me if I was in the play, I was going to lose it!
I reached the bottom of the "up" to Shadow at 5:30 and realized that since my intended turn around time was 6:00 pm, the minute I made it up there, I'd have to turn back. Instead, I slung my hammock along the headwaters of the San Joaquin River and read "Island of the Blue Dolphins."
Returning to camp at 7:30, I prepped the campfire, made a dinner of bratwurst and rice salad, finished off the Cab (straight up, as nature intended) and toasted marshmallows while listening to "Rumpole of the Bailey" on my Walkman. I kept scanning the star-strewn skies for meteors as the Perseid shower was peaking over the weekend. I didn't spot one, but didn't feel like I needed a lucky wish. It had been a great day.
I was comfy in my tiny tent but woke frequently with strange dreams. I greeted the day at about 8:30 a.m., strolling to the waterfall I had heard throughout the night. I came back to coffee, the LA Times and the Blitzkuchen I had made the previous morning. What a nice treat. There was time for another walk around the glorious wildflower filled campground, a little clean up and the chance to linger in the beach chair gazing at three juncos hopping around the tent in search of seeds. One caught a flying insect mid-air!
The loudmouth in the site next to mine turned out to be a really nice local who offered me firewood as he prepared to leave. I now had total quiet and solitude for a spell while packing the car, reading and snacking some more before returning to the choruses of Marco Polo back home.
I don't think the kids will bother me as much when I get back.
posted by Lesley at
6:42 PM
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