Whitewater Preserve

I love finding fun adventure spots in my local area! My dog's favorite is the Whitewater Preserve. Check out the web site at http://www.wildlandsconservancy.org/twc_preserve_whitewater.html

Adventure Pack

My first photo adventure was to Egypt with a photography tour. I was so excited! I made list after list of things that I was going to need for my trip. Looking back, I must admit my list was pretty long. I was going on my own so I would be toting around all of my own gear. For me the perfect backpack was crucial! It needed to hold all of my photo gear and some extras supplies for my days of exploring Egypt. I researched backpacks for a month! Finally, I purchased my photographer’s backpack online. I couldn’t find a local store that carried the pac so I purchased it without seeing it or touching it in person. The day it arrived I was kind of surprised... it was huge!!! It was kind of like giving a small child a piggy back ride! It would hold everything I thought I needed to carry so...okay I had my adventure pack! As it turns out the size was a problem. It was big, bulky and cumbersome. In fact, while I was boarding a small aircraft in Cairo I almost knocked a woman back down the stairs when I turned to look back behind me! I apologized profusely and managed to avoid an international incident. I got home from my trip and promptly got rid of that backpack. After more research I found the perfect pack for me - a DR Series Kata Digital Rucksack. I love this pack! It’s comfortable to wear, it’s big without being too big and it holds a lot but not the kitchen sink! It also has the added bonus of waterproof zippers, fitting in the airline overhead bins, I don’t have to lay the pack on the ground to take out my camera gear and I love the green accents! I have used this pack for a few years now and it has held up.  This is my perfect adventure pack! Whatever pack you choose, try and picture yourself using it on your adventures. Ask yourself... Does it fit in the overhead bin of an airplane? Can I easily get in and out of other forms of transportation? Can I easily get items in and out of it? Will it be too heavy loaded up? Is it waterproof? Are the zippers placed in such a way that pickpockets can’t easily get into it without my knowledge? If I am carrying camera equipment, does it scream camera bag... steal me?! Your pack can make your trip better or worse so invest research time finding a backpack that works for you! 

Holcomb Valley

If you live in Southern California and you want a close, fun adventure try Holcomb Valley near Big Bear Lake. Make sure you stop at one of the ranger stations to pick up an Adventure Pass for $5.00 and the Big Bear Lake Backcountry Trail Map for $3.00. On the back side of Big Bear Lake you will find Trail 2N09/Poligue Canyon Road this will take you on the drive tour of what is left of an 1800’s gold mining area. The roads are dirt but during the summer months they are fairly easy for most cars to negotiate. This was a fun day trip and I highly recommend it! We began our adventure by going around Baldwin Lake and heading up Holcomb Valley Road to the end of 3N16. This part of the 4x4 trail was a bit rough and we did put our vehicle in 4 Wheel Drive. If you don’t have 4 Wheel Drive or you are not comfortable driving on narrow roads with lots of rocks, stick to 2N09 and the beginning of 3N16. There is a lot to see on the Holcomb Valley Self-Guided Tour. One stop is the Metzger Mine. You can explore this mine, just bring a flashlight and don’t wear flip flops. The Hanging Tree was a little harder to find. It’s off of the main trail on 3N07.  Make the effort to find it! There is no mistaking which tree it is when you pull up. The Hanging Tree has clearly been scarred by what it has seen and been a part of (see pic). There were picnic tables throughout the tour, in fact, we had our lunch by the Hanging Tree. It was a peaceful and picturesque spot. If you are really feeling adventurous, there is primitive camping here as well.  I’m not too sure how comfortable I would be camping so close to the Hanging Tree... but you may love the idea! We ended our day by stopping at the ice cream store in Big Bear Lake Village. My hubby’s favorite indulgence... chocolate dipped Twinkies!