2019 - Trip Report - Central California Misadventure

Central California Misadventure

by Marian Johns

Recently I’ve been getting cabin fever and just needed to get away, so I’ve been dragging Neal on some trips by ourselves. Just returned from a four days jaunt in central California. Nothing went as planned. First we went up to re-visit Big Falls near Lopez Lake (near Santa Maria) – arrived at dusk.

Unfortunately it was cold and rainy in the morning; the rocks were slippery and I would have had to wade across the creek which was quite full and cold – so I chickened out.

Then we went on up to revisit another place called “The Indians” up west of Paso Robles. Found a beautiful campsite and... the truck died right there. Luckily there was a nice couple camped there too and they gave us a jump in the morning; I headed for home. Stopped for gas in Santa Maria and forgot to leave the truck running and had to call AAA for a jump. Bought a new battery. But now there’s no power in the camper. Jeeze Louise! I guess I’ll have to replace that battery too.

With a good battery in the truck I canceled going home and drove down to Caliente Canyon (west of Tehachapi) to look for a waterfall that we saw about twenty years ago; found it – and another we hadn’t seen before. Continued up and over Piute Mountain where it had snowed the day before. Fortunately the snow wasn’t too deep but still there were a few dicey spots. Arrived home tired but in one piece.

~ Marian