Sunday, May 23, 2010

Camping at Big Bear

The journey begins. We filled our "new to us" xterra with our survival gear and made our way up the mountain.
We opted for the roomy 4-man tent my dad gave to us. We slept in car camping style- air mattress, three quilts, a double sleeping bag and real bed sheets. We were roughin' it!We all know by now what a wonderful cook Katie is. And when she teams up with Jody and Rae great things happen. Dinner friday night- tri tip and meatball skewers with peppers, onions, pineapple and mushrooms over a bed of some kind of awesome rice.

Meal time is a group event.
Below, Brian makes sure the morning coffee is up to par while Jeff cuts the onions, Rae manages the eggs and Katie makes sure everyone is doing what they should. Haha
Our hammock square was not only a great resting spot but also gave us an idea as to which way the wind was blowing. It blew the whole weekend!
Breakfast Saturday- Egg, sausage, bacon burritos with guacamole, shredded cheese, green peppers, onions, and fresh pico de gallo.
After breakfast we hiked 3+ miles up to a summit for a nice view and lunch.

I was amused when I saw this rock formation. We called it "Butt Crack" Rock.
At the summit. A clear day!
We stopped for lunch on our way back down the mountain. A downed tree and minimal wind made for a good spot.

With no one to take the photo we ended up with this crooked pic. That's ok. I kinda like it.
Our last gourmet meal consisted of chicken sausages covered in Katie's homemade chili, topped with shredded cheddar/pepperjack cheese all held together by a whole wheat hogie bun.
I never thought I would be in southern california at the end of May standing in snow. This is what we woke up to Sunday morning. Our gear was tossed quickly and carelessly into our trucks with numb hands. It was the perfect excuse for a Starbucks hot spiced apple cider before heading to breakfast two hours earlier than planned.

We ate at Old Mountain Inn. We approached our table and I made eye contact with some of the victims that had to sit next to us. They were about to experience a loud group.
Breakfast was great but the extra time we spent chatting meant extra snow on the roads. Our waitress warned that we should leave soon cause they could close the mountain.(I'm sure she wanted us to go.) I had already forgot my homework on the trip so I was the first one out of my chair.
Kate and I saw the humor in the sign that flashed: "Warning! Chains Required." As if the two inches of snow that did fall was going to do a lot of damage. We blew by the sign and smiled when we saw people pulled to the side of the road staring at their chains without a clue where to start. As you can see the roads were clear.

Sunday, May 16, 2010

Topanga Banjo/Fiddle Contest & Folk Festival

So remember the show Dr Quinn Medicine Woman? Well, i guess it was suppose to take place in Colorado Springs, CO, but they filmed it right around the corner from Hollywood in Topanga, CA. The set was nestled amidst the rolling hills of Topanga State Park at Paramount Ranch, just West of LA-- where we just happen to spend the majority of our day. What brought us there was not the fact that Jane Seymour herself walked those dusty roads, but the 50th Annual Topanga Banjo/Fiddle Contest and Folk Festival. oh! It was great. My favorite show was a band called Molly's Revenge with Moira Smiley -- acoustic Celtic bluegrass band. Anyway, here are some highlights:


It was nice to be in a different kind of crowd from the typical LA scene. Lots of families and folks that just loved bluegrass. We got there early enough to walk around and enjoy the scenery without the crowds...and catch the musicians tuning their instruments.

Only a few moments were there crowds of people hovering around mini "jam" sessions under this huge oak tree.... if you look closely, there is a girl my age warming up on her accordion. It was lovely.

One of the many "Jam" sessions...people would just walk up and join them, either in song or with their own instrument.

The banjo and fiddle contest part included beginner, intermediate, and advanced levels.


Lunch...

This was our spot... some friends and their friends joined us.


Another huge oak tree... provided great shade!