Camping West Coast 2005

Unlimited access to the National Parks for a year. I've gotten my money's worth on this trip.

travel.davychen.com

September 20, 21

September 22

September 23, 24

September 25

September 26

September 27

September 28

September 29

September 30

October 1

October 2, 3

October 4

October 5

Sketch Book

blog.davychen.com

emphasize violet tones; darken foreground column; add yellow hightlight

Honda Element Tailgate Cabana

adjust color and contrast; enhance fence shadow detail

September 21 9:53am

Altadena

Preparations. Testing out the tailgate cabana thing-a-ma-jiggy. Fun fun fun. This trip will be good for me. Quit my job. Aimless. And now I'm going to see the country. Clear the head a little. Maybe figure things out some more. Maybe not. But adventures await!

Altadena

Staging area. Or I like to call it the entire discount area of REI. I was trying to figure out how much gear I can cram into the car. Turns out that the Honda can hold a surprising amount of crap inside.

Altadena

Rain delay. Prospects of a wet campground not too appealing. Besides, I should really do some trip planning. I still had no clue where I was going, or how to get there. Head north and go far.

adjust brightness; darken foreground columns; add blue glow to lighting

September 20 9:28am

bring out color detail and brightness; darken ceiling, right wall; emphasize yellow highlights to balance left and right sides; add fake lighting to center grate for focus; reduce overblown lighting on right

September 20 4:53pm

Altadena

Dry storage. Two weeks worth of food. Hopefully. Though, I can't be sure. I do eat a lot.

brighten wall, darken shadow detail in terra cotta for shape emphasis; add turquoise highlights to spout

September 20 7:54pm

Altadena

Semi-cold storage. This plugs into the car in the back. The little fan does get a bit noisy sometimes though.

Altadena

Very cooperative weather. Clear sunny skies, warm breezes. Perfect traveling weather. Good that I had a rain delay. Decompress a bit before I head out. And enjoy sitting at home a bit.

enhance blue sky and clouds; bring out green foliage color; darken forground column and building wall; adjust yellow sunlight on buildings; fade out distant buildings

September 21 9:53am

match red hat to napkin holder; for a fee, I can digitally add or colorize hair, remove wrinkles

September 21 10:32am

Altadena

Seats removed, gear all packed in securely. Ready to go!

remove extraneous building in background; reduce unimportant colors

September 21 10:32am

Altadena

Eye on the gas! The sticker came from a Mini ad in Maxim magazine. I like the eyeball.

emphasize blue and red colors; brighten lighting in forground; paint in blue, desaturate, darken background elements for more depth

September 21 11:24am

emphasize red, white, and blue colors- silly Americani tourists

September 21 12:39pm

Interstate 5

Possibly the most insanely boring highway on the face of the earth.

Bakersfield: camping world

Must be kismet. I saw a Camping World sign next to the freeway. How did they know I was going camping?

Lunch Trays

Lunch trays

A little lighter in the wallet and a set of plastic lunch trays richer. Dishwasher safe!

Springville: ranger station

A nice leisurely trip so far. I stopped by the ranger station to ask about Yogi and Boo Boo. I think I watched way too many cartoons as a kid. Heck, I watch too many cartoons as an adult too.

adjust contrast to bring out relief detail and shape; add fake stone coloration; remove window in background; darken background elements

September 21 2:05pm

crop out hand, distracting glass reflection; emphasize pink and green color

September 21 2:05pm

Springville: ranger station

Anyway, the rangers were happy to have a visitor and shoot the breeze for a bit. They don't get very many visitors. The park ranger that talked like chain smoking Patty and Selma from the Simpsons gave me a smokey the bear magnet. I like to think it's because she thought I was cute.

Smokey Bear Magnet

Springville: ranger station

Upon closer inspection, this refrigerator magnet is a bit disturbing, in a bad 70's porno kind of way. This hirsuite bear wearing nothing but jeans and a hat, clutching cubs and a spade. I mean, look at Smokey's package! So very wrong.

September 21 2:28pm

Route 190: random staircase

I saw a some stair railings on the side of the road. So what the heck, let's go see where it leads. I have no schedule or plan, just a mandate to explore and have adventures.

bright blazing sunlight; additional warm glow to buildings in background

September 21 2:33pm

scrunched up edge to show inside color; new balcony floor tile makes good photography background

September 21 3:06pm

Route 190: random staircase

And after what seemed like an enternity climbing down, we find a pretty river. Though, lots of panting and wheezing going back up the stairs. Must be the altitude.

Sequoia National Forest: nelson road

The barely there road on the way to the campground. Just in time for sunset.

September 21 4:48pm

Sequoia National Forest: belknap campground

Nestled under the sequoia trees. 5000ft elevation. Pit toilets and my mosquito repelling bandana. DEET'd so much that I can be my own superfund cleanup site.

September 22 10:24am

September 21 4:41pm

Sequoia National Forest: belknap campground

Next to the babbling brook. The initial idea of sleeping under the trees next to a brook was quite romantical. However, the reality is that the babbling brook wouldn't shut up and kept me up most of the night. Boy, nature sure is loud.

Sequoia National Forest: belknap campground

But it sure is beautiful up here. Quiet, not another human being in sight for miles.

September 22 8:51am

Chicken Pasta with Avocado

Sequoia National Forest: belknap campground

Jury rigged mosquito net setup for sleeping inside the car.

Sequoia National Forest: belknap campground

Chicken pasta with avocado.

Cinnamon Spiced Hot Chocolate

Sequoia National Forest: belknap campground

Cinnamon spiced hot chocolate.

Next Day