Sinkyone/Richardson Grove (Aug. 9 -- Aug. 12 2007)

We decided that the best way to while away the few days waiting for the results of my state board nursing exam was to go camping. This was brilliant! Nothing but trees and fresh air to take my mind off the "Did I? Didn't I?" anxiety.

We were originally going to try for Sinkyone State Park (rated at 10 out of 10 in my camping book and featured on the "Bay Area Back Roads" show) but after calling, we decided we didn't like their restrictive dog policies (there are only two campsites at which dogs are allowed...one at the entrance of the park, and one at the other end of the rough (4-wheel drive needed) road, but NOT at any of the hike-in sites that are the reason it's rated 10/10 (where there are clear views to the ocean and black sands beach below. BREATHTAKING so I'm told.)

We went to Richardson Grove for a few days. I had been there as a kid, but didn't remember much of it. From what I remember, it was a place that was popular with families with kids. It still is.

On Friday night, the campsite across from us was inhabited by two men and five boys all under the age of 7. It soon turned into "Lord of the Flies" and as soon as they could pull their shirts off and smear mud on their faces, and fashion spears, they were terrorizing the campground.

Ok, maybe I'm exaggerating.

They seemed to settle down once a lady (I presume to be their mother) showed up and they got to roast hotdogs on a stick.

But the next morning at 06:00 they were tearing around and yelling and wrestling like mad inside their 4 person tent, (it was like wrestle mania in there!) so much so, that we thought for sure the adults had abandoned them there as some form of karmic retribution; payback for something horrible we'd done in a past life.

To our surprise, the bleary eyed adults (husband and wife, third guy now gone, or eaten by the children) emerged from the tent. At this point, we decided that maybe Sinkyone would be worth checking out. We couldn't fathom how in the world they had managed to sleep through the ransacking in the tent for two hours until they got up.

We headed for Garberville for supplies (our nifty second battery installed for the fridge let us down and most of our food wasn't safe to eat.) As we were filling the propane tank to run the fridge, I looked across the gas station and see another VW camper...then I notice the 4WD on the door and said "IT'S ANOTHER SYNCRO!!"



Turns out, Bill and Ted (a couple of awesome dudes) were headed up to Mog fest after hooking up in Bend (was it Bend?) with a bunch of other Syncro owners. We must have stayed an hour or so in the gas station, ooh-ing and ah-ing over each other's vehicles. Bill's done an awesome job of outfitting his syncro into a camper (even had an on-demand water heater for the shower! Niiiiice!)



We found out we had some mutual friends (Ben T) and snapped a few pics, exchanged contact info and they were off for Mog fest, and we were off for Sinkyone.

We drove about 4 hours west to the coast, and were pleasantly surprized by the campsite at the end of the rough road. It was so quiet and peaceful.

I said I'd love to go back there, but George said he'd explore some new site before going back.