Amazing weekend in Achray part of Algonquin Provincial Park in Ontario, Canada. No music, no electricity, no generators, sadly no fire due to the fire ban but LOTS of mosquitoes lol. So beautiful and peaceful.
2022 T@B 320S Boondock 2021 Toyota RAV4 TRD Off Road Ottawa, Ontario, Canada Instagram: new.t@bventure
Elephant Butte Lake State Park, New Mexico (off I-25 near Truth or Consequences, NM). Great site in Lions Beach Campground, Loop “C,” overlooking the lake.
These shots are from our recent trip to our favorite Grayson Highlands State Park in SW Virginia. It took us about 6 hours from Chester, going I-95 south to I-85, then Rte 58 west for most of the trip (the scenic route).
We got the last site available for the 3 days we wanted, and it turned out to be the same one we had a year ago when we had more of a choice. The bunnies & chipmunks were still around, and the weather was great. 72 degrees & 40% humidity the day before we left, but 85° & 90% humidity when we got home.
Above was the view looking south from Little Pinnacle peak at the top of the mountain.
The wild azaleas were still in bloom on top of the mountain. The view below is looking north from Little Pinnacle where we could see Virginia's Tallest Peaks. If you enlarge the image & look just to the right of the largest evergreen at the right, you can see the hiking trail along the top of Wilburn Ridge where the wild ponies tend to hang out & where we photographed them (below). This trail joins the Appalachian Trail along the top of the ridge. We hiked it over to the other piece of trail visible above the "y" in "Grayson", a point that is shown on a map in the next-to-last image.
The map below identifies the above view (from the red dot), & locations, plus the short distances to TN & NC. The blue dot was our campsite location while I was capturing the map location. Cell phone signal was spotty at best, even with a signal booster. More off than on.
And those beautiful wild ponies that we love to see (and Pine Mtn peak in the background)..
Another view looking south from near the top of Wilburn Ridge..
A map of the area around Pine Mtn, including the red "You Are Here" marker on the map where we hiked to along the Appalachian Trail, just a couple miles up along Wilburn Ridge.
It was a great adventure, as we hiked farther than before, & made plans to hike up to the Big Pinnacle next time, the other of the Twin Pinnacles in the park, which is more massive, but not quite as high an elevation as the smaller Little Pinnacle..
A view looking south at the Twin Pinnacles mountain, with a view of the Big Pinnacle peak. This trail comes from the parking lot on the main park road, and behind the camera it leads uphill to the Appalachian Trail along the Wilburn Ridge, on the southern side of Pine Mountain, Virginia's 2nd Tallest peak.
The fence keeps the wild ponies from wandering into the main traffic areas of the park.
-Brian in Chester, Virginia TV: 2005 Toyota Sienna LE (3.3L V6) RV: 2018 T@B 320S, >100 mods
Met up with Scott and Nixie at Letchworth State Park after he attended uCamp23.
2021 T@B320 S - 2013 Ridgeline - Ont. Can
“Life should not be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside in a cloud of smoke, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming WOW! What A RIDE!!” Dr. Hunter S. Thompson
No photos of my setup yet, but if the other two T@Bs at Petoskey State Park (320's) see this, HI from the guy with the T@B400!
---------------------------------------------------------- Jay and Kat Tow vehicle: 2022 Jeep Gladiator Sport S + tow package Camper: 2022 T@B 400 Boondock w/Norcold 3-way fridge
That's it for music festivals for the season. Final one: Grassroots Music Festival outside of Ithaca NY. I saw one other T@B and one T@G there. Now on to camping season and some peace and quite in the mountains...
2021 T@B 320 S Boondock 2023 Ford Maverick XLT The Finger Lakes of New York
Betsie River Campsite, Central Mi, couldn't get in Platte River National Park or any State Parks near by. Nice little private campsite, clean, good showers.
Deception Pass State Park, Whidbey Island Washington. Beautiful, well maintained campground. We were in the upper loop away from the generator and satellite TV crowd and it was very peaceful.
Nickerson State Park, Cape Cod, MA. Away from the summer rush of Cape Cod, large camping sites (no hook ups), close to the lakes, trails and bike paths.
2021 T@B 400 BD T@bitha with 2016 Highlander Juliet and Andy in Massachusetts
Kootenays, British Columbia 2015 Little Guy T@b, TV - 07 Honda Ridgeline
"Good friends beware! the only life we knows Flies from us like an arrow from the bow, the Caravan of life is moving by, Quick! to your places in the passing show.”
Finally managed to escape after months of contractors and remodeling, etc. A whole 50 miles from home is San Onofre State Beach, and the Bluffs Campground. Not for all tastes, I can say right off. Just a long parking lot along the 5 freeway south of San Clemente, close to the Camp Pendleton Marine Base. The freeway is 100 yards away. The major train line between San Diego and Los Angeles is even closer. The Marines fly lots of aircraft around the campground since there is a tiny airstrip close by. (The Marines donated the area for the State Park many years ago). So, bring some earplugs to help with the freeway noise.
Despite all this: this park is one of the most visited in California. It is a major surfing mecca, mentioned twice in the Beach Boy's "Surfin' USA". "We're on surfari to stay", they said, and they were right. There were surfers of every age and description, and every cliche of surfing was on display.
So, the beaches are the main attraction, a short hike down the bluffs to the rocky coast. Not too many beaches like this left in Southern California, and I really enjoyed it. Plenty of non surfing hikers on the beach, so it isn't "just" surfers.
Site 158. The spots on the south end of the beach have ocean views. Plan a spot close to one of the "trails" to the beach.
Gratuitous sunset shot. Your sunsets may vary.
A Marine V22 Osprey. Camp Pendleton is a huge training base. Aviation, artillery fire, practice assaults at the beaches nearby, etc.
Comments
2021 Toyota RAV4 TRD Off Road
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
Instagram: new.t@bventure
2023 Ford Maverick XLT
The Finger Lakes of New York
(Alde: 3020; Refrig: Isotherm Cruise 65 Eleg; Battery: BB 100Ah LiFePo4; Solar: Renogy 100Ah Suitcase; Victron BMV-712; Pwr Cntr: PD-4135KW2B; EMS: PI-HW30C)
Greg & Marlene (Tucson, AZ)
Boondocking along the Middle Fork of the Willamette River. The trail goes right by the campsite 50ft in front of the T@b.
2019 T@B 400 Boondock
2018 T@B 320 Sold
Racing the Wind and Chasing the Sun
We got the last site available for the 3 days we wanted, and it turned out to be the same one we had a year ago when we had more of a choice. The bunnies & chipmunks were still around, and the weather was great. 72 degrees & 40% humidity the day before we left, but 85° & 90% humidity when we got home.
Above was the view looking south from Little Pinnacle peak at the top of the mountain.
The wild azaleas were still in bloom on top of the mountain.
The view below is looking north from Little Pinnacle where we could see Virginia's Tallest Peaks. If you enlarge the image & look just to the right of the largest evergreen at the right, you can see the hiking trail along the top of Wilburn Ridge where the wild ponies tend to hang out & where we photographed them (below). This trail joins the Appalachian Trail along the top of the ridge. We hiked it over to the other piece of trail visible above the "y" in "Grayson", a point that is shown on a map in the next-to-last image.
The map below identifies the above view (from the red dot), & locations, plus the short distances to TN & NC. The blue dot was our campsite location while I was capturing the map location. Cell phone signal was spotty at best, even with a signal booster. More off than on.
And those beautiful wild ponies that we love to see (and Pine Mtn peak in the background)..
Another view looking south from near the top of Wilburn Ridge..
A map of the area around Pine Mtn, including the red "You Are Here" marker on the map where we hiked to along the Appalachian Trail, just a couple miles up along Wilburn Ridge.
It was a great adventure, as we hiked farther than before, & made plans to hike up to the Big Pinnacle next time, the other of the Twin Pinnacles in the park, which is more massive, but not quite as high an elevation as the smaller Little Pinnacle..
TV: 2005 Toyota Sienna LE (3.3L V6)
RV: 2018 T@B 320S, >100 mods
2023 Ford Maverick XLT
The Finger Lakes of New York
Jay and Kat
Tow vehicle: 2022 Jeep Gladiator Sport S + tow package
Camper: 2022 T@B 400 Boondock w/Norcold 3-way fridge
2023 Ford Maverick XLT
The Finger Lakes of New York
2018 Nissan Titan Pro 4X "Big Bird"
Leadville Colorado
Julian Price Campground, off the Blue Ridge Parkway near Blowing Rock, NC.
TV is 2007 Kia Sorento EX with 3.8L engine
Deception Pass State Park, Whidbey Island Washington. Beautiful, well maintained campground. We were in the upper loop away from the generator and satellite TV crowd and it was very peaceful.
Juliet and Andy in Massachusetts
Campsite right next to the Northern Forest Canoe Trail.
2023 Ford Maverick XLT
The Finger Lakes of New York
2018 Nissan Titan Pro 4X "Big Bird"
Leadville Colorado
2015 Little Guy T@b, TV - 07 Honda Ridgeline
"Good friends beware! the only life we knows Flies from us like an arrow from the bow, the Caravan of life is moving by, Quick! to your places in the passing show.”