November 2016 – Greg & Amelia's Airstream Adventures

Forest Home Christian Camp

This might leave a few mouths agape. I was working at a Christian camp this past weekend. And I’m pretty sure I didn’t even cuss! It’s just a quick consulting job evaluating their food operation that came about via my old business partner. I was actually up there a couple of weeks ago for the day. That first trip I was in awe of the beauty. And I knew Amelia would also really enjoy it. They have a few full hook up sites for trailers, so why not bring the Airstream and the wife. I could work multiple days while only commuting once. The nice folks at Forest Home were totally agreeable to the idea. It would be a role reversal. Amelia would be out playing and I would be working.

Forest Home is located in Forest Falls. It’s about two hours from our house, above Redlands in the San Bernardino Mountains. And the big plus, the area has amazing mountain biking and we’ve never done any of it. Hell, I haven’t even been to the San Bernardino Mountains/ Big Bear area in 40 years. I guess I was too busy driving back and forth to Mammoth.

Pretty sweet gig when you can bring the family to this beautiful spot and work.

Amelia was stoked because her friend Katie was up in Big Bear for the weekend. Katie’s friend Walt gets credited for taking the pics of the girls. Role reversal, I was working.

All smiles, and why not, beautiful day, new dirt, and riding with friends.

Happy girls.

Mill Creek. Forest Home is a huge property and the creek runs down the middle of it.

Queen of the Airstream. It’s awful nice of her to share her expensive dog house with us.

I don’t know about you, but we never get tired of sunsets.

After work on Sunday we finally rode a piece of the Santa Ana River Trail (SART). It lived up to the hype. Next time we will do the entire SART.

The Red Rocket resting in a bed of leaves on the SART.

When most folks think of Southern California they do not think of mountains. Both the San Bernardino and San Gabriel Mountains are actually really rugged and steep. Slides are a common occurrence.

No caption needed.

Ain’t nature grand?

The next cover of Airstream Life?

Unfortunately the threat of snow made us bail a day early. Come springtime we will be back.

Finally, the long nightmare called presidential election is over. If it seemed like it went on forever, it’s because it did, 597 days by most counts. They say hope springs eternal, however a leopard can’t change its spots. So the real nightmare may just be beginning.

That’s enough political stuff. San Diego County is amazing! Crowded, yet not. I can go on a great bike ride, midday midweek and not see a soul. We have the ocean, beaches, breweries, canyons, valleys, rolling hills, mountains, and desert. All within the boundaries of the county.

The last two days we were in Agua Caliente. 85 miles and less than two hours from home. We didn’t even have to get on a freeway. It’s a fabulous quick escape. As I wrote about on our last visit, it’s refreshing in this constantly plugged in world to spend a few days at a place without any cell reception.

Kudos to County of San Diego Parks and Recreation for the fine job of running and maintaining Agua Caliente Campground.

Getting ready to enjoy the last light of the day.

Serene beautiful morning.

California quail.

White-winged dove.

“It’s 8:30am, but there’s two of us, we’ll be alright.”

This is the “we are lost” look. And yes we were. The directions always sound easy when reading the book. .7 miles on Moonlight Canyon Trail, then go right up a small canyon, then left in .1 mile, then left again, through a sandy wash, and then through a boulder field, keep going, and you’ll see the Inner Pasture. Once we got off Moonlight Canyon trail there was no trail. So we started following the occasional footprint where there was sand. Whomever’s footprints we were following, were also lost! We finally corrected course. Total mileage 5.3 miles, almost 1,200 ft elevation gain, and 3 hours wandering around.