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Camping at Mt. Charleston July 2006

I was just reading on Ern’s World a recap he did of a camping trip we took to Mt. Charleston back in July of 2006. He wrote a really good story that I’m going to reprint here. That weekend was so fun!

THE BAD

So it all started with a road trip. Me and Mike and Quinn headed out to the mountain. We had to stop for gas and Coronas because no one had Coronas between the office and going to pick up Mike. We stopped at 7-11 and found out an interesting fact, at 7-11 its cheaper to buy 6 four packs of Red Bull then it is to buy a case. How is that possible? Ok, so gassed up and ready to go.

We all decided that we wanted to stay on Hill Top because of the awesome views so that was our first stop. There are only a few spots at Hill Top that have the best of everything and those spots where taken already. We figured a drive through would be a good idea to see if there where any others that where on the list and available. No chance.

Now we where under strict orders to find the spots on the list so maybe the next set of choices would have what we needed. And off to McWilliams we went in hopes that they would have one that was on the list. Now keep in mind that time is running out and we are losing daylight fast.

When we arrived at McWilliams Camp Grounds, the camp coordinator informed us that there are not that many sites left but that if we could find one that was not reserved that we could have the spot. Quickly we drove around the whole area looking for some that where on the list with no luck. The only spot that was open and could house our tent village was a double spot right in the front of the camp ground. Back to the coordinator we went with the information that we where going to take that site, #9, and she agreed that we could have it since there was NO reservation for that one. Fifty dollars later we are setting up camp.

The girls and Johnathan arrived just in time to see that everything was already set up and that all they needed to do was sit back and enjoy the night air. It is a very cool night air too let me tell you. At Mt. Charleston it almost never gets over 88 degrees. WOW! And at night it’s just perfect for camping and sitting around the camp fire telling stories and whatnot.

A few minutes after it starts to get dark we can see the camp coordinator pointing our way and talking with some people that are also looking for a site. That’s when the fun begins for our little camping adventure.

I’m going to have to give this lady a name since we couldn’t get her real name. How about “the Wicked Witch of McWilliams, WWM for short.”

WWM came up to our site and tried to tell us that the site we are in was reserved for someone else. Uhm, WHAT? When did this change from the time we paid for the site and got the ok to now? Now, the reservation plaques are very easy to see, they are about 5X7 plastic cards that are placed on poles at the parking spots of all the sites that are held for someone. There was no plaque on our site and we DID get an OK before we set up camp. Maybe we should have got video of her telling us it was ok. WWM then has the grueling task of telling the other campers that she thought had reserved OUR site that they could park their hippo asses across from out site in #8, which by the way IS reserved already. All is still ok with the world so far.

About 9pm rolls around and the people that actually did reserve #8 showed up with their trailer and loud ass generator. Again, here comes WWM trying to tell us that we need to move out so that she can fix her screw up. Not going to happen since you already told us we where ok TWICE. I think somehow she made us look like the bad guys in all this, but everyone seemed to be ok with the new arrangement. Except for WWM.

The next day went pretty smooth until me and Mike had to poop. Most of the toilets in the campgrounds are ok to go poop in, but not at McWilliams. I don’t know who keeps those bathrooms up but they sure do stink to high heavens of chemicals. It’s very hard to relax and poo when it smells like that. I knew of a close toilet that was clean and had RUNNING WATER, WOO WHOO!! So off we go to pinch a loaf.

On the way back I thought it would be a good idea to stop at WWM’s trailer and pick up some more firewood. Maybe we should have sent the girls because WWM must really have it in for me and Mike. All we wanted is some firewood and she had to start her madness again. Now she is telling us that we only paid $25 for one night and that she wrote that down in her log so we need to be out today. WTF? Somehow magically she went to the pay box, removed our envelope, and there was only $25 in there? That’s not right and she knows. So we go the site to tell the girls what’s about to happen and Julie and Chelle are going to cut a bitch.

Now WWM is headed for the pay box. I thought she already checked and logged our payment? Sure enough she didn’t and Julie wanted to go count our money with the WWM but Mike being the kind soul that he is didn’t want to start any trouble. I think there would have been more trouble though if she would have counted only $25 so Chelle went to help WWM figure out that two $20’s, one $5 and five $1’s equals $50. Yeah, the $50 was in fact there and all accounted for.

WWM was right about one thing the whole weekend. She said “This will never happen again” and she’s right, it will never happen again. Somehow some way we are going to find out who she is and if you see her RUN or call someone or something. BEWARE of the WWM.

THE GOOD

The new tent we got is the BIGGEST kid’s fort EVER. When I was a kid I LOVED going into the woods behind our house and building forts that had all kids of rooms and tunnels connecting them. So the new tent was such a cool blast from the past. If you check out some of the pictures you will see what I mean. This thing has three rooms, One 59″ tall room in the middle and its five sided, and two smaller tents connected by tunnels, on each side. There is not much room in the small tents for more than your area needed to lay down and sleep, but it was cool having the rain tent in the middle to keep all our stuff in if the rain came. I personally didn’t get to see any rain until we left for the ride home. Julie, Chelle and Johnathan said it rained three drops while me and Mike where going poop on the second day.

Julie said if it rained on her this weekend that she was going to cut me … I didn’t get cut so she must have been in the tent when the three drops fell.

Quinn loved camping. This was his first real whole weekend in the woods and he had a blast. Running and jumping and playing with the bugs. A little boys playground. He kept insisting that Johnathan take him on walks around the site to see the BIG rocks. Quinn doesn’t get a ton of interaction with other kids yet so he takes anyone that will follow. Someday he is going to lead something somewhere. Chelle took Quinn out for a little nature hike on the last day there so that he could better appreciate the hugeness of where he was sleeping for the past two nights. My little man is getting so big.

Johnathan took to the hammock pretty much and the camp fire. We always have such cool camp fires but this one was a little lacking. I told Johnathan all about my time in the Army because he’s thinking about joining the military after High School. I think he’s excited to learn how to blow stuff up. I know I was when I learned how. I hope I didn’t ramble too much about military life. Good times!

I really like camping with our friends Julie and Mike. We always have such a good time with them. Someday I want to take them to take them to Upstate New York where I camped and hiked as a kid. Maybe a hike up Algonquin will be in order. Bring your show shoes and cramp-ons.

Mt. Charleston camping, nevada campsites

Gold Strike Hot Springs

It’s been almost a year since we went to the Gold Strike Hot Springs here in Nevada. I really liked that place, but it would have been much better as a couple than with teenage boyz. Here is the story I wrote soon after we got home.

Michael found this book at REI about a month ago, Touring California and Nevada Hot Springs by Matt C. Bischoff. After looking through it we decided that we must visit the Gold Strike Hot Springs that is only about 5 miles from our house.

After the long, and sometimes treacherous, hike we made it to the hot springs. We set up camp while the boyz immediately jumped in and enjoyed the hot water. Soon after they came back with the look of shock in their faces. Apparently the older couple that was setting up camp next to us had gotten completely naked and got into the hot springs. Their two young children, in swimming suits I might add, soon followed.

It was just too much for three pubescent boyz to grasp so they spent the rest of the trip basically hanging around our camp site which was blocked from the main pool by a large boulder.

Michael and I got in the springs, with swimsuits thankyouverymuch, and really did enjoy being in the middle of this canyon, with jetting rocks reaching hundreds of feet in the air surrounding us. The family was very nice and we soon forgot they were naked underneath the water.

We spent a good portion of the night in the hot springs and eventually decided to try it sans swimming suits after everyone was out of the pool and sound asleep in their tents. We put tea lights all around the rocky edge and it was very beautiful with the flickering candles and the moon above.

I didn’t sleep very good at all, and I have no idea why. The weather was perfect and all, but I just kept waking up all night long about every 30-40 minutes. The sun came up around 6:30 AM and we decided to just get up and stop fighting it. We were all sitting around our camp site eating bagels and cream cheese when this older man came running down the trail all smiling and happy. The other family was already enjoying the pool and he asked them if he could join them. They said sure, hop in! He stripped down naked and got in the water. Not to soon after that the hot springs was filled with naked people.

I looked at Micheal, he looked at me, and we looked at the boyz. All three of them said, it’s time to go mom. We packed up and hiked the two miles back to the car.

I bought a pedometer at Walmart on Friday night before our trip that I wore for the whole trip. According to it I made 18,210 steps that equaled out to 8.60 miles. It was set at a 30 inch stride, so I’m not sure how accurate that is for me. I didn’t notice I could change that until right now when I was searching for it so I could link it. My quads are really feeling it. The walking part of the trail was fine. It was the rock climbing that did my legs in.

Overall I had a really good time, I just wish the boyz would have enjoyed it more.

nevada hot springs, gold strike hot springs

Two Dog Zoo

I want to tell you about my friend Deb’s new blog called TwoDogZoo. It’s all about the travel and leisure things she finds around the internet. She did a really nice review of my site, so I really want to return the favor.

Deb is from the Northeast and she reminisces about the times her father took her crabbing. She even includes links to crabbing pictures, and recipes, yummy! She also writes about Washington state and all the great things to do while you are there including the hot springs.

travel sites, leisure sites

Undiscovered Death Valley

I was looking through the trips at REI Adventures and I came across this Death Valley trip that I would absolutely love to do. It’s coming up on April 16th through the 21st, lasting 6 days, exploring Death Valley National Park. The guide, Steve Kasper, takes you off the beaten path to see the unspoiled beauty of Death Valley. It sounds amazing to me!

Join top guide Steve Kasper on an unforgettable exploration of some of the most spectacular and remote backcountry in the contiguous United States during this one-of-a-kind hiking adventure in Death Valley National Park. From our tented basecamp high in the Funeral Mountains (a 3-hour drive from Las Vegas), we’ll begin a series of awe-inspiring dayhikes chosen by Steve specifically for their unspoiled beauty, unique geology and off-the-beaten-path locations. Dramatic slot canyons, mysterious prehistoric rock art and expansive views across this magnificent landscape await as we walk where few others have passed before. After each day’s hike, we’ll return to our comfortable camp and enjoy Steve’s renowned backcountry cooking under a sparkling canopy of desert stars.

Death Valley National Park, guided hiking tours