Sweet Memories...

Lake Cuyamaca ~ San Diego, California ~ September, 1986

A small swarm of honeybees were furiously buzzing around the head and face of our six-month old daughter, Erin. Blissfully unaware and calmly ensconced in the Snugli baby carrier on my chest, Erin was impatiently awaiting her next tiny bite of strained peaches. As she opened her tiny mouth, several bees furiously fought each other for a shared bit of lunch. My own sandwich fell from my left hand, while my sticky right hand flailed about to eliminate the little pest and his siblings.  Under attack from all angles, I quickly raced from the wooden picnic bench where we were seated to the enclosed front seat of our El Camino. Safely tucked inside the air-tight cab we continued our lunch. But I was literally shaking my head, wondering again, “Why oh WHY am I camping with a baby?”  

Understand me when I tell you that this was by no means our first camping trip.  My husband, Jeff and I had been tent camping together for several years, and we both camped as children with our own parents and siblings. As a newly married couple, we had already learned (the hard way) about making camping reservations ahead of time. Just a year before this trip we had impulsively decided to go camping late on a Friday afternoon. The night ended with us sleeping uncomfortably in the back of our El Camino in a county park because there were absolutely no open sites at any campground along the California coast from Huntington Beach to San Diego. Believe me when I tell you that we checked campground after campground after campground to no avail. All that checking left us without any time to stop into a market for breakfast supplies or additional beverages. After that crazy little mishap, reservations became a big part of our camping lifestyle. If we didn’t have a reservation ahead of time, we didn’t go camping. For this particular weekend we made our reservations ahead of time, packed all our camping gear and baby gear, and attempted our first overnight camping trip with Erin.

Thinking back on that trip now, I believe I was utterly exhausted and just a teeny bit grumpy from lack of sleep. There is truly nothing that can compare with attempting to sleep on the pebbly ground of a gently sloping hill. Waking up all night long with a baby bed sliding into your backside is just this side of extremely uncomfortable. It had seemed an ideal place to set up our small tent the previous day, as on first glance it appeared to be smooth, flat, and rock-free. Only later did we realize that we had hastily and distractedly chosen this site while our hungry infant lay screaming in her car seat. Erin had missed her nap, was late getting her lunch, and was not shy about sharing her discomfort. Erin was not really all that happy about our sleeping arrangements either. Babies sometimes find it difficult to sleep in something other than their own familiar bed at home, and our daughter was no exception. Our firstborn was a beautiful, smiling cherub by day and a colicky little sprite by night. The little playpen bed was not Erin’s own bed and there was no rocking chair to help her get comfortable.

Anecdotes aside, please don’t get the idea right away that camping is not for you.  It is definitely for some of you.  Knowing your children’s personality and penchant for travel is vitally important. We loved camping with our children. (Zachary would come along soon enough.) It was an easy and affordable way to see some of the most beautiful, unspoiled places in our country. Remember however, that every single trip you take is a learning experience. There are things that you will definitely want to do again, and there are other things that you will NEVER, EVER do again.

We had a pleasant time at Cuyamaca, and considering this was our first camping trip with Erin we fared very well. Lake Cuyamaca is located in Cuyamaca Rancho State Park near the town of Julian in San Diego County. It is a premier site for bird watching in Southern California, and you can find good trout fishing here as well. There are plenty of activities for families, and the weather near San Diego is always absolutely gorgeous.  This is a smaller campground with just 40 RV sites, 14 tent sites, and two cabins are available if you’re not equipped with your own tent or RV. The state park, however, has an additional 160 sites close to the lake, including 16 sites for horses and their people. Information for these campgrounds can be found online at http://www.lakecuyamaca.org/ or by calling toll-free at 1-877-581-9904. The historic town of Julian is nearby and their website information can be found at http://www.julianca.com. 

Keep in Mind …        

Keep your children on a schedule that is similar to the one you have in place at home, especially if they are babies.  Try to eat at the same time, play at the same time, and sleep at the same time. This will keep everyone in good humor, especially mom and dad.

Do not be hasty when choosing the perfect spot.  Find a clean and FLAT place to pitch your tent; preferably a site devoid of rocks, debris, and ants, but with shade whenever possible. You will probably be spending a few days and nights in this space, and you’ll want it to be as relaxing and trouble free as possible.  If you find a spot you like, jot down the number and save it for future reservations.  

Remember that bugs and insects are a part of nature.  Bring plenty of insect repellent, or citronella candles to keep most of them away from your family.  You may also want to invest in some type of screened tent if bugs are a serious problem for any family members.  I have always been highly allergic to mosquito and other insect bites, and carrying an Epi-Pen has brought peace of mind (though we have thankfully never had to use it.)

Until Next Time... Deb :)

Planning Ahead...

So we're off on another adventure in just three short weeks. We're planning on traveling from Memphis, Tennessee to New Orleans, Louisiana by car. We'll fly into Little Rock and then get going on this "Beale Street to the End of the Line, or that Voodoo that you doo-doo" vacation. Oh-oh... what do I see in the forecast? Rain, thundershowers and ... flooding! Holy moly, what next? We've been in sticky vacation situations before (bombing on the tube in London for example) but pre-vacation we know we're getting into something strange. I gathered the family together for a chat to determine an alternate plan and they are so looking forward to this adventure. How can I let them down? I guess we'll 'wing it' as we usually do and use our friendly Lady Visa card if we need to change things up a bit. I can't wait to see Beale and Bourbon Streets and we are huge fans of music and fried food. Yum. I'll report on this trip in a few weeks and let you know how the floodwaters receded for us down Highway 61.

Wish us luck,
Deb :)

My family did not travel much when I was a child growing up in Southern California. We made a few camping trips to Bass Lake, visited Palm Springs and Lake Havasu, and occasionally stayed with relatives in the San Bernardino Mountains. The summer days of my youth were filled instead with the typical distractions of childhood in the late 1960’s and 70’s. There were long bike rides to the beach, lazy afternoons spent swimming, quiet trips to the public library, and evenings filled with neighborhood misadventures.

We waited for the Helms Bakery truck to deliver fresh bread and doughnuts in the mornings, and in the evenings we waited for an ice cream man to deliver root beer popsicles and sidewalk sundaes. My childhood experiences shaped me in ways that even I do not understand. Growing up with a set of parents who were not particularly adventurous left me with a burning desire to wander past the boundaries of my own backyard. I want to see everything there is to see in this glorious world God created for us. Luckily, I found a soul mate who feels exactly the same way.

My husband Jeff and I grew up three blocks away from each other, meeting when we were just ten years old. His childhood was somewhat different from mine in that his parents loved to travel. They made cross-country pilgrimages nearly every summer to visit relatives in Wisconsin and Illinois. They camped and fished and meandered, sometimes sleeping in their station wagon along the side of the road. They traveled by car, by rail, and even by cruise ship. My husband brought not only a love of travel to our marriage, but a good bit of experience as well.

As you read this we are happily into our twenty-seventh year of marriage and are proud of the life we’ve fashioned. Our daughter Erin is a magna cum laude graduate of the University of Arizona and a brand new high school teacher. Our son Zach is also a grad of U of A and is working at for a local university placing student teachers. Our nephew Michael, who travels with us frequently, is gainfully employed and living in Southern California. Our travels have brought us closer together over the years and we’ve created a multitude of wonderful memories.  Our friend John said I should write about our vacations, so here I go.  I hope you have a good laugh on us, and learn something along the way.

Until Later,

Deb :)

Just Back from Napa Valley

Let's start with the present and we'll wander around the world together.

We have just returned from the Napa Valley where we spent a whirlwind weekend visiting several wineries with close friends. Our stay at the Napa Valley Marriott was delightful and the service was quite good. A recent renovation has made this hotel a wonderful respite at the end of a long day of tasting. Our weekend started at Hendry Winery (www.hendrywines.com) and what a wonderful visit this was. Mr. Hendry led this intimate tour and tasting and we couldn't help but purchase a case of his delicious wine. Try some yourself and see!

Ever have a problem with wine? I have had a strange throat situation with wine for several years now. Certain wines are bitter tasting almost. Well, Mr. Hendry helped me to figure out that I have a "tannin-sensitivity." He performed a mini science experiment with me and voila... I know what I can and cannot drink happily. Thanks Mr. Hendry!!!

We stopped into Frogs Leap (www.frogsleap.com) as well, but they were so busy that our visit was marred by the crowds. Try a mid-week visit next time.

Our Saturday was planned deliciously by California Wine Tours (www.californiawinetours.com) and we traveled all around the valley sampling the delights of grapes. We absolutely fell in love with Rombauer (www.rombauer.com) and Flora Springs (www.florasprings.com) as well. Treat yourself to their Chardonnays and Zinfandels and you will see what I mean.

Dinner was an Italian success at Bistro don Giovanni - yumm yummm yummmmm. A friend pointed us to Bouchon Bakery in Yountville for Sunday breakfast and let me tell you - their pastries are to DIE for! (www.bouchonbakery.com) The donuts were unbelievable, the croissants were flaky, and the macarons were just like Paris, France.

On our way out of town we stopped into V. Sattui Winery (www.vsattui.com) which won the Winery of the Year Award in 2011. There is no shortage of wine tasting here and the deli or barbecue are both delicious. Next time I'll fly in and out of Sacramento instead of Oakland and visit the Bouchon Bakery every single morning!

Let me know what you think... I'll visit with you again soon.
Deb :)