Prepping Camping Foods

We are heading out to the High Sierra Music Festival for 4 days of hippie heaven--peace, love, and music. We don't want to mess with food too much while we are out there, so I pre-made a lot of it yesterday morning. Because I wanted to be done before it got hot, I started the oven the minute I got out of bed.

First order of business--quiche. In the mixer, blend ricotta cheese, 7 eggs, fresh thyme, bacon, spinach, lots of bits of cheese. Pour into a pie dish. Cook in 350 degree oven for about 50 minutes.

Next, sundried tomato pasta salad from Pioneer Woman. Try it, amazingly delicious. I added prosciutto and left out the fresh tomatoes because we are traveling and will probably eat it over several days.

Also, Stuffed Bell Peppers. I just steamed two bell peppers and then packed them with cooked hamburger, sauteed onion, pasta sauce, Worcester sauce. Topped with smoky Gouda cheese and wrapped in foil, we can just pop them in the solar oven.

Then, these Energy Bars that are simply over-the-top rice crispy treats, and the perfect camping food.

Energy Bars

1. Warm the following in 250 degrees oven

2.5 cups of Rice Krispies
2 cups of instant oatmeal
1/2 cup to 1 cup of raisins
1/2 cup chopped unsalted peanuts
1 package of sesame seeds


2. While the above is being heated, melt the following:

1/2 cup butter
1/2 to 3/4 cups peanut butter
2 packages of 10 oz marshmallows (I just buy 2 bags as they don't come in 10 oz size anyway)
Add: 1 cup coconut to melted mixture and stir.

3. Combine the heated ingredients to melted mixture.

4. Butter or Pam spray a 9 x 13" pan. Put 1/2 of the mixture into bottom of pan and press down. Sprinkle 1 cup of chocolate chips and press down. Then spoon the rest of the mixture on chocolate chips, spread and press.

HINT: Whatever tool you're using to spread the heated mixture, dip it in water before spreading each time as it's sticky as heck. Even a rice paddle is totally the bomb to do this.

Since the hot stuff was done, I could now cut up a pineapple, and a jicama to go with the fresh berries, watermelon, and cherries. We will also bring Smoked Chicken, Apple, and Chardonnay sausages and Mango Passion Granola from Trader Joe's. Sun Tea, Beer, Wine, Chai and Limoncello to drink.

Had everything done, dishes cleaned, and kitchen in order before noon. I didn't feel guilty about laying around in the hammock all afternoon at all.

Camp Food

Yes, we are camping again. I thought I'd talk about some of the things we like to eat when we are camping. The criteria is that they must be easy to cook and easy to clean up too.

First, Brad pre-makes a few meals. These can be things like lasagna or enchiladas that can be cooked in the solar oven. He put them in disposable pans, so the mess was all in our home kitchen, where the dishwasher is.

I tend to make the dessert items. This time I baked a batch of homemade oatmeal/raisin cookies. I also pre-made the crumble for the Cherry Crumble recipe and put it in a ziplock bag. I will layer it later and pop it in the solar oven too.

Sometimes we make dishes like a pasta salad or a Mexican corn salad. It's wonderful to just spoon it right out when you want something delicious to eat.

At Trader Joe's I bought a package of sliced salami and cheeses, a little container of marinated mozzarella, and another one with mixed olives. Along with a baguette and some fresh tomatoes, this will make a delicious antipasto for cocktail hour.

Other than that, we BBQ a lot. Eat cereal and fresh fruit for breakfast, sandwiches or quesidillas for lunch. We clear out our frig and bring almost everything with us. No point in having it rot while we're gone.

Sea Glass

I knew there would be much sea glass to be found at low tide after the big storm last weekend. My husband is excellent at spotting the little gleaming pieces, twinkling in the sunlight. He hands his discovers to me and I edit out the ones that are too big, or too small, or not polished enough. We are so pleased when we find a soft green or teal blue.

I have a large clear vase that I keep them in at home. I bring it out in the summer. Inside the vase I have a clear drinking glass with a candle inside. The sea glass fills the space between the two. When the candle is lit, the glass glows very cheerfully.

Junga Game of the Gods

It is astounding that most Americans don't even know Chiricahua National Monument exists. It is more visually stunning than the Grand Canyon. You can walk down around the spires to be awed by their size and shapes, wondering at how they defy gravity and stay in place. I kept thinking how much my dad would love this place.

Cave Kissed

So far, the best experience of this trip has been the Kartchner Caverns, outside of Benson, AZ. Discovered in 1974 by two cavers, they kept it secret for 14 years. In 1999, it was opened to the public.

They have two different tours of the two biggest areas of the caverns. Of course, since we don't know if we'll ever be back, we had to do both. They last about an hour and a half each. The first one was called "The Big Room." We learned so much about how they are formed by hard water (calcite) at the rate of 1/400 of an inch every 500 years! The bacon formations were fascinating. No photos are allowed, so I can't show you pictures (the photo above is from their website). But we felt the second tour, "The Rotunda Room and the Throne Room" was even more thrilling. It is here that the massive 58ft tall Kubla Khan column is. They do a lovely light and music show that really makes you stop in wonder.

Female bats roost in the Big Room from Oct to April, so it is closed. The bat only weighs half an ounce and her one pup is half the weight. There were bones from a 86,000 year old sloth found here--think about that.

We camped at there campground for two days while we explored the area. We were told that usually you need reservations to get in, but tourism is down by 50% here. That's pretty scary.

Yes, I was "Cave Kissed," meaning that a drop of water fell from the ceiling and kissed me.

Organ Pipe Cactus Monument

Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument is a fascinating adventure. We were lucky enough to be there while a storm was brewing up from Mexico, giving us cool temps for walking and brilliant skies for dramatic scenery. The highlight of the park is the 20 mile circular drive to the Ajo Mountains, where there are two arches. The views were so spectacular that we wanted to do it again & again.

One day we did a 4 mile hike to an old silver mine, abandoned in 1977. The trail wound around up over hills and down through washes. The next day, we did the 3 mile Desert View to the top of a hill, overlooking big wide Sonoran Desert valleys into Mexico.

Organ Pipe cactus have many upright branches grouped close together. I had never seen one before; they are very rare in the US. The terrain is also covered in ocotillo, saguaro, cholla and barrel cactus, making it appear to be a fantasyland.

Slab City

OK, now that we've been here for awhile and I have a feel for the place, I will try and describe some of the most interesting aspects of Slab City. Everyone says that the population is way down this year; there used to be around 5000 RV's here at one time. Now there's maybe 500. Apparently everyone now goes to Quartzite where there is a massive flea market with over 250,000 vendors.
There are definitely neighborhoods here, the locals, the snowbirds, the hippies, the single old broads. (Sorry, I apologize, but they were pretty rude to us). So where do we fit? Well, really we don't. We ended up with the snowbirds, who are all at least 10-20 years older than us, but very welcoming and friendly. They love to talk. We've met people who have been coming here for 8, 10, or even 25 years. We went to dinner at the Oasis Club: taco dinner $3 each and also the Travel'n Pals Club: pot roast dinner $7 each. These affairs are BYOB and a plate, they provide the food. You can join the clubs for an annual membership fee and they have lots of activities, movies, libraries, tools to share.

We are bordered on the east by the Chocolate Mountain Gunnery Range, which means that at any time of the night or day, missiles and bombs can go off with no warning at all. Just KABOOM! Quite exciting. The locals say that they don't even notice any more.

One of the things we liked the best is the Gopher Flats Golf Course. It reminds me of the one in MASH--18 holes in gravel and bushes. Brad played a few holes and I just laughed.
The library was established many years ago. People keep bringing more books than they take away, so it keeps growing. It is a cool oasis of shade, clean & organized. I found three books I will definitely read.


Brad and I get up pretty early and have our tea in the refreshing cool morning light. Sometimes I climb up to the roof of the RV to survey the landscape. Then we head out for a walk before it gets too hot. We wander through the streets, into the desert, weaving whichever way we want to go. Then it's time to read or socialize or head into town for supplies. Evenings are very relaxing with an early dinner and watching the stars. Some nights we stay at camp and others we are invited to join other campers at their campfire. It's a relaxing way to spend some time.

We will leave tomorrow, after being here for a week. I have spent the time wondering what it would be like to live like this permanently. Certainly there are some wonderful people making a very happy life for themselves here. But really, we are simply not ready to just come and sit in the sun for months at a time. We are not old enough for this life yet--maybe someday.

Slab City

Just a few miles east of the Salton Sea, Slab City was an old Marine Base used for artillery training. They took the base away and now only the foundation slabs remain--hence, the name. It is literally shrub desert with about 300 various "homes," mostly RVs. I would guess that 90% are snowbirds, enjoying the warmth for free. Yes, FREE. No one claims jurisdiction over this area and so they call it the Last Free Place in America.

Southwest

After spending the first eight days of our vacation on the California coast, we decided we’d better turn east, or we’d never get to see the Southwest at all. We had so many places on our list of possibilities, but we had to make some severe cuts if we wanted to get where we intended. It was a daily process of “we are here, where do we want to go now?”

Joshua Tree National Park

Empty landscape with distant mountain ranges, oases, incredible boulders jutting out of the ground. I learned about different types of cactus: cholla, ocotillo, saguro, barrel, and prickly pear. They had informative short nature trails that Brad could handle with his new hip. Definitely stay in the Jumbo Rocks campground. Watching two brilliant blue lizards fighting (mating?) was a thrill.

Sedona

No matter what, plan your trip around being out at sunset, whatever the consequences (no dinner), it’s worth it. The beauty of this place is stunning, whenever you see it, but at sunset it comes alive with color. Since downtown Sedona is a tourist mecca and a traffic nightmare, it’s better to stay a little out of town. We chose Dead Horse State Park, close to Jerome, an old copper mining town that almost died until the artsy people reclaimed it. Now it is full of galleries and is quite enjoyable to cruise around. Also close by are Tuzigoot and Montezuma Castle, dwellings of the Sinagua tribe, who lived there for over 300 years and suddenly disappeared with no trace around 1400.

Grand Canyon

If possible, get reservations to the campground inside the park. We didn’t know when we’d be there, when we tried to get in it was Easter weekend, so we had to drive back outside to a dumpy little RV park for $47/night. Not cool. If you go in at the South Gate, make sure that you drive to the right (east), to avoid the crowds. The Mather Point is crazy. Grandview was much more comfortable. We stayed for about 3 hours to watch the sunset. We couldn’t go down the canyon and I think it would be a whole different experience. Although the steep walk would kill me, and I wouldn’t ride mules, but I would love to do the raft trip sometime.

Death Valley

We stayed across the street from Furnace Creek, in a flat gravel parking lot, surrounded by RV’s with their generators running. Not pleasant. BUT… the stars, satellites, and Milky Way were so spectacular that it made up for it. I honestly expected lots of cactus with blooms, and was disappointed that there were none to be seen.

Surreal Landscape

Watching the moon rise in the east and the sun set in the west, at the same time, over such vivid terrain, makes your head spin. These gigantic rock formations, jumbo rocks, stand out against the deep blue sky. The unusual Joshua Trees, yuccas, and Chollo cactus are enough to convince you that you have left Earth for another planet.

Santa Cruz Christmas

Santa Cruz Christmas, originally uploaded by c8mills.

Camping for Christmas is a brilliant way to spend the holiday. So much fun and a feeling of complete freedom. 

Campfires & Christmas Lights

What an unusual way to spend Christmas. Brad has been saying for the last few years, “Let’s go to the coast for Christmas.” But I couldn’t see the point, Christmas is for family, the coast will be there all the time. But since we had Christmas early, with more to come later, it seems good to be here.

And the campground is full; we are not the only ones with this idea. Walking past the line of RV’s, everyone has Christmas decorations, little parties happening around campfires. Life on the beach is just different. Casual, fun, relaxed. No media pressure for a “perfect” Christmas. No demands. No shopping til you drop. Just a simple meal and a campfire.

As I told a friend, society’s psychological expectations have messed up our ability to find joy in the holidays. Let go of those burdens and just let the celebration unfold and you’ll find more happiness.

I wish you much peace in your heart, whatever your celebrations are.

Donner Lake Camping

Donner Lake, originally uploaded by c8mills.

Simply, one of the most beautiful lake camping sites in California, Donner Lake Memorial Park is exceptional. You may have heard of the Donner Party, notorious for rumored cannibalism in 1847. This is the place were it happened; they were trapped by an October snowstorm, making it impossible to get over the summit.

The lake itself is about three miles long at 6000 feet in elevation. Its beauty lies in the water’s deep coloring, surrounded by pine forest and spectacular granite mountain peaks. When we had a house here, I walked in the State Park at least five days a week, three seasons out of the year. 

Today, I was looking forward to taking my favorite walk, until I realized that the temperature was dropping fast and the winds were about 40 mph. It is downright dangerous to walk alone through a pine forest in winds like that, not only do the dead trees fall over, but the five pound pinecones fly through the air like hand grenades.

So, a little change of course, I went to the east end of the lake for some dramatic photos of the whitecap waves. I tucked under the canopy where it was a little more sheltered and took some photos of things on the forest floor, like pinedrops, desiccated tree trunks, light playing in small aspen trees. I heard a funny noise, I thought possibly it was a dog yelp, and looked around the corner. A couple was swimming! It’s about 48 degrees and WINDY! The water must have been about 50 degrees. How could they stand it?

No way was I taking my usual route along the shoreline, so I went toward the campground instead. This is where the original camps were and it’s an eerie feeling to be there all alone. Followed the path along the creek to the bridge and then decided to take some pictures of the statue. I drove passed this statue everyday and I haven’t taken a photo of it in probably twenty years. It’s George Donner and his wife, Tamsen, who actually never made it this far. They both died about five miles back.

Camping at California Beaches

Ok, I'm putting on my tour guide hat now. Beach camping on the coast of California is something we’ve spent a lot of time doing. And just to clarify, never go to the beach in California in the summer, it will be foggy. Spring, fall and winter are usually beautiful. Unless there is a storm moving through, it will be mostly sunny and warm.

Starting north of San Francisco, we camp at Wright’s Beach in Bodega Bay twice a year, every April and every October. In April, the grey whales migrate through there and they are very close to the beach. You can easily spot them from the campsites. In the fall, we just have campfires and watch the waves. The picture above is our RV and Jeep; you can see what I mean about being close to the water.

We recently drove into Half Moon Bay campground and were blown away by how cool it is. Crashing surf a few steps over the dunes. They have wi-fi now, if that matters to you. We really want to stay here sometime soon.

So, next stop Santa Cruz. Our personal favorite, New Brighton. Great campground on a cliff overlooking the sea. You walk down a path/stairway to get to the beach.

If you are RV camping only, you can stay at Sea Cliff, right on the beach. You can see photos here.

Or go a little more south to Sunsets. Real nice campground, but not close enough to walk to the ocean. We go there every Memorial Day for the Santa Cruz Blues Festival. One of the nice things about this that Pebble Beach is about only 35 minutes away. And Monterey. And Carmel.

When you leave that area, make a short stop at Point Lobos. Beautiful walk along the coast. We had a blast watching the otters play. Your state park pass from the night before gets you in for free.

In Big Sur the place to stay is Pfeiffer Big Sur (not Julia Pfeiffer). No beach access. Nice campground. Wi-fi.

As you drive south, you might want to see Hearst Castle or see the elephant seals in San Simeon. This is as good as Ano Nuevo reserve and it's right next to the highway for free.

We stayed at Pismo this last summer and it was great for my nieces and nephew to play in the surf. The North Beach campground is a very easy walk to the beach. It's on a first come, first serve basis in the winter. We stayed there for ski/skate week in February once and we were the only ones in the campground, because it rained and was flooded. Wi-fi.

When I was a kid, we spent two weeks at San Celemente State Park. I remember having so much fun with my cousins, getting very sunburnt, and endless stairs to the beach. Haven't been back as an adult though. Wi-fi too.

There's the overview. All of these are California State Parks and you should book at reserveamerica.com to make sure you have a place. The rule is that you can reserve a spot on the first day of the month, six months before you want to go. That puts us into September already. As long as the weather is good, you can soak up the sun and get wet in the surf. But also be prepared if it rains too. Have fun!