Big Bear, CA

Traveling from Lake Havasu up into the California mountainside was an experience. Route 18 on the west side of Big Bear is fine for trailers but going in from the east side was pretty narrow (still not as bad as parts of Route 1 in California, writing from our future perspective.) There was one section where we went up a 10% grade with this right hand turn that made me feel like we we were going to roll off the road.

We'd selected a waterfront site at Holloway RV resort in Big Bear Lake, but the water level in the reservoir has dropped so low that some previously lake-front houses on the north side are now nowhere near the water, and are instead overlooking a huge, grassy field. Our camp site would have been right on the water under normal conditions. Instead, the site overlooked a slightly damp "cove" of mud. The mud emitted a rich smell of...well, mud.

We hiked the interesting Woodland Trail in the San Bernardino National Forest, where we viewed this pocked pine that had become an acorn storage unit for apparently every woodpecker for miles around! Other trees had a few holes but this one, for no discernible reason, was the woodpeckers' favorite. 

              

Interpretive signage also showed us this pack rats' nest - so now we really appreciate the source of the insult when somebody is labeled a pat rack.  

Other fun activities included clambering over the rocks in Boulder Bay Park (Pippi and Dorian pictured) and, of course, sampling local brews. We chose the Bone Yard Grill for a touristy experience in the bustling Village area, but really enjoyed the Big Bear Mountain Brewery for a laid-back drink on their patio (dogs welcome!) and open-mic entertainment.