In California it is also nearly impossible to get out of L.A. in less than 3 hours. Traffic was pretty ugly but for the most part we were unshaken- just happy to have the day...and then a few extra...off of work. Strangely, once the road cleared, Emerson's stomach began to churn and by the end of the next 2 hours he had thrown up twice and peed once in his little bed. With our own personal histories of car sickness we couldn't honestly be angry but I did not think it was an unreasonable suggestion that we stop off at the next car dealership and trade in the Jeep for something less defiled. A couple of road shoulders and a carton of antibacterial wipes later though, we managed to make it to our campground after a whopping 7.5 hours in the car! (Chris was a champ driver!) As is typical on our first night of camping anywhere, Emerson spent the post-sunset hours trying to figure out why we weren't back in the car, headed to the safety and cleanliness of home. Not wanting to sit in the dirt, he insisted on getting inside the tent and calling it a night while Chris & I enjoyed hot chocolate by the fire.
On Saturday, after a masterful camping breakfast of eggs, bacon, hash browns, toast & coffee (thank you, my husband!), we followed the strict directions of our campground host to a dog-friendly beach.
Chris & Emer ran through the waves, played fetch and explored the rocky hillside with me. Emerson dug in the sand as if some innate digging force had taken over his body and was powering his paws. Ears straight back in terror, he dug fiercely in circles, finally darting away from the created holes and onto the safe family beach towel (not that he was really invited on the towel). We could almost hear him thinking as he dug, "I don't know what I'm doing but I can't stop! I'm getting out of here!!" *Insert Mommy & Daddy head shaking*
After learning that there were not many dog-friendly hiking trails in the area, we got an early start on Sunday to hit the one trail we'd be able to tackle with the baby. It was a beautiful day- warmer than the day before but not so hot that hiking would be unbearable. Should dogs (or anyone) drink water from the river & creeks? We're not sure but Emerson could not be stopped on some occasions and would have followed the water sources all the way to the ocean if we hadn't insisted that he "leave it." After 2.5 miles, we found ourselves in the Ventana Wilderness- a scenic stopping point before heading into back-country camping spots.
Knowing that we'd have to repeat the 2.5 miles and sensing that Emerson was just about done for the day, we turned around and beat the noon sun back to the car. Emerson did, in fact, sleep for the rest of the day and when he finally arose in the early evening to eat & drink, his legs wobbled as though he were 10 years old and arthritic. Nature kicked his wrinkled little butt! One other thing worth noting about the trip was the late-night/early morning chilly temperatures. Armed with cold-defying mummy bags, Chris & I were set. Emerson on the other hand, woke up freezing to death every night and immediately took shelter inside Chris's sleeping bag. This resulted in half-asleep wars between the two of them over the warmth of the bag, nails scratching skin, etc. Not pretty. On the last night, we got smart and decided to have an extra sleeping bag ready. Here's what the last night/morning looked like (as predicted): 
What can one do, other than sigh and be thankful for warmth and protection? Good thing he is loved so very, very much.
Our drive home was cleaner than the ride up, however, no shorter (unfortunately). We did make a stop along the coast to see the beached Elephant Seals.
Emerson was so overcome with excitement that he pooped in the viewing area, sending me sprinting to the car in search of a poop bag (also winning us Citizenship accolades from the Elephant Seal Tour Guides). Oh brother. In case you haven't ever heard the horrendous noises that Elephant Seals make, Chris & I have decided that their yell sounds like the loud, horrible gurgling you hear when you're unclogging a drain and the last bits of blockage are sucked down the pipe. The fellow in the middle picture was particularly feisty and ill-tempered. The others mostly just plopped themselves on the sand, rolled into a comfortable position and, from time to time, splashed sand up onto themselves for warmth. Very funny creatures.
All in all, we had a fantastic weekend getaway! When we weren't beaching, hiking or driving, we enjoyed yummy campfire food (hot breakfast every morning, steak, bratwurst, chili, s'mores), had plenty of time to read, nap and sloooooow down. If you haven't recently spent time in nature, away from technology, media and "to-do's," we suggest you do! (call us, we'll join you!) Happy Summer!
I love this blog post. I am happy that you guys had such a great time and can totally see where the exhaustion came from. The picture of Emerson in his sleeping bag is hilarious. Oh and I am pretty sure that I have been to the place where you saw the Elephant Seals and certainly agree with the noise description.
ReplyDeleteSee you soon!