Travels With Susan

These are pictures from Yosemite Pines RV Resort a private campground about 15 miles from an entrance to Yosemite and of Yosemite. Yosemite Pines has a pool, yurts, cabins and rv and tent sites with full hookups

Pictures of flowers and lakes and trees in the Rock Creek Canyon off of Highway 395 between Bishop, California and Mammoth.

Mc Grath State Beach is located next to the Santa Clarita river where it meets the ocean. The result -- an estuary teaming with birds and small animals next to the pounding surf. The campground is well laid out with most campsites being surrounded by tall bushes and trees. If you get up early in the morning you will be rewarded with the view of thousands of birds having their early morning repast in the lagoons formed by the surf and the river.

These pictures were taken on the utility road behind my cabin in Bouquet Canyon on Mother's day-- May 11, 2008.

Pictures of poppies in and around Antelope Valley in 2008

Pictures from Death Valley on February 23, 24 2008. My cousin John Ray and his wife Anita and I travelled to Death Valley just to take pictures and enjoy that little window of time when it is not too cold and not too hot and the flowers are in bloom. It is many photographers favorite place. The light changes the mountains in spectacular ways. If you look carefully there are two shots of the same view of Zabriskie point-- one before the sun came up and one just afer. The difference in the colors is really astounding.

My son decided he wanted to spend Thanksgiving at a mountain cabin. We were able to find one through the U. S. Forest Service-www.reserveamerica.com This one is in Sequoia National Forest. The USFS have about 10 or 12 old ranger cabins and lookouts which have been refurbished and electrified. The price is reasonable and the wilderness experience is a throwback to 50 years ago. We were able to rent Poso Station cabin near the town of Posey, California. Here are pictures of the cabin. It sits atop a knoll and has a spectacular view out the back. Pix by Susan and Sara

A short visit to Pismo Beach in California's Central Coast. The campground is Oceano Memorial Campground-- owned by San Luis Obispo County-- no reservations, it is first come first served. Near the beach, but not right on it-- full hookups, clean restrooms nice campsites. There are some pictures of Pismo State Beach Campground as well. For the price (ranging from 23 dollars a night to 29 dollars a night) it's a bargain hard to beat.

A pictorial record of my exciting adventure on the dirt roads that run between Highway 178 near Lake Isabella and Kennedy Meadows. This is very high desert, Southern Sierra back country just three and half hours from Los Angeles.You can reach it via Nine Mile Canyon Road off of Highway 395. You can also reach it from Highway 178 It is not well signed, but look for a big sign off the highway that says Chimney Peak Recreation area about 20 miles east of Lake Isabella. Chimney Peak Campground is about 10 miles up that dirt road. Another 10 miles or so and you will reach the Kennedy Meadows Road, (asphalt) which will take you to Kennedy Meadows campground, the Kern River, The Dome Wilderness, and the Kennedy Meadows General Store.

We had a family camping trip at Lopez Lake, a reservoir about 10 miles outside of Arroyo Grande off the 101. These coastal mountains are beautifully green this time of year. These pictures are the scenic ones. The family is under the family pix page.

Pix from a March 2006 weekend at Thornhill Broome State Beach about 10 miles northwest of Malibu on Highway 1

A group of Chalet owners decided to get together and talk trailers. So we met at Cachuma Lake about 20 miles east of and above Santa Barbara. These are pictures of the Park. Pictures of the people and the trailers are in the Chalet PiX Section

Pictures from my first trip to the Slabs.

Mammoth Lakes is the other place I grew up. My grandfather, a Physical Education professor from September to June, would pack up his 1946 Chevy Pickup the day after school was out and head for the Sierras to run a pack station. Sometimes I got to go with him. The Town of Mammoth has changed enormously since then but the Mountains and the waterfalls last forever.

The Grapevine is an infamous pass over the Tehachapi Mountains which separate Los Angeles from Bakersfield. Back in the day the long steep grades caused trucks to lose their brakes and run away but brakes have gotten better and truckers use low gear. Because of the higher altitude the wildflowers bloom a little later there and there are some different varieties.

This park is almost in the middle of Idyllwild, a charming mountain community that has changed little in the 50 years I have been visiting there. My niece Sara and I camped in the park and rate it a-1. These are pictures taken by both of us with my new Canon Digital Rebel

My son, daughter-in-law and the cutest baby in the world went with me to Death Valley April 15. The pix are in two galleries-- one for Chalet RV People and the other for people who just like to see travel pictures

Pictures from my daytrip to the Carrizo plain including a few from the grapevine. The Carrizo plain is located a little north and west of Bakersfield, Calfornia.

Wildflower pictures