Date:         Tue, 16 Jul 1996 13:05:14 -0400
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@vanagon.com>
From:         Eddiehintz@aol.com
Subject:      Trip Report: Sequoia/Kings Canyon

Hey now,
     It is 10 PM, 12 July. I write from the bed in the back of the bus, a
wonderful day of memories and spectacular veiws behind me. Arcturus shines
brightly overhead, along with a multitude of stars not visible from the city,
and the King river flows noisily by just a few hundred yards away. We are at
Sentinal campground, Kings Canyon National Park. The food is in the bear
locker, and it's nearly bedtime, but first I have a trip report to write, and
about 3 days worth of email to answer.
     Our bus perfomed well, driving from the desert up to Sequoia National
Park, and up to about 7000 feet. It was somewhat unhappy though, and it let
me know by losing the nut on the distributor clamp. Took a look this morning,
replaced it, and did a valve adjustment, and she's back to running like a
champ, albeit a noisy one. I really need to find a quieter exaust.
     We got a late start out of Victorville on the afternoon of the 11th,
finally left at about 1:30 pm, and did a little shopping in Bakersfield. Got
food for 2 days of camping and headed on up to Sequoia. Finally got there
about 7:30 or so, and started looking for a campground. Drove on up to
Lodgepole campground, and started looking for a campsite. Wrote down all the
open tent sites at the front, and started looking for them. The numbering
system at Lodgepole was done by a serious dislexic. The Rangers started
following us after about half an hour, probably thought they had a carload of
lost stoned hippies. 1 out of 2 isn't bad... (lost, that is, not stoned) So
we asked them where the heck these sites were and they basically said the the
system was screwey and we'd have to keep circleing. I asked about Dorst
campground, and they said it would likely be less crowded, so we dicided to
head that way. Got to Dorst, and it cost 12 bucks a night, and Sam saw the
bear warning signs, and the plauge warning signs (from fleas off of
squirrels), and it was decided that we would go back to Lodgepole and try
harder. This time I wrote down the RV sites, and lo and behold, one was very
nearby and empty. We took it.
     So, it's now 9:30, and it's time to cook dinner. We dilligently loaded
all the food into the bear locker and Sam commenced to cook whilst I unloaded
the bus into the tent. So I'm unloading when I suddenly see this large black
shape make a tracks for the open food locker, not 5 feet away from Sam. Not
good. I got Sam's attention and she made a beeline to the bus. I was not far
behind. I had camped in bear country before, but never actually had one
approach a lighted campsite with people moving about. So, we sat in the bus,
wondering what to do. Our dinner is still cooking on the stove, and mister
bear is eating up the rest of our food. Fortunately for us, a fellow a few
campsites over heard the commotion and had a bit more experience with bears.
He and a buddy moseyed on over with a big flashlight and some sticks, and
commenced to throw rocks at our visitor. The bear didn't like this very much,
and charged the 3 of us. We scattered like feathers in a hurricane-fast and
in all directions. I guess none of us knew that you're supposed to bluff out
the bears. Mr. bear went back to eating, so we went back to name calling and
rock throwing. Finally Ted (the fellow from next door) popped him in the neck
with a rock, and he decided to bail. We took the obligitry pictures of the
locker, and closed it up, and I started to try and clean some of our mess up.
At this point our hamburger dinner is pretty much burnt, and Sam refuses to
get out of the bus for any reason. Doesn't want the food in the bus either. I
guess I can't blame her for that. So I'm trying to clean up, when who should
return but our uninvited dinner guest. He really liked the 10 or so Rice
Crispy Treats he got and wanted more. Since the locker was now closed, he
decided our $90 12 volt cooler would suffice, never mind that all it had was
a couple of Coors Light at this point. He took off with the dang thing, and
Ted says we'll get fined if the bear gets away with it, so we take off after
the bear and cooler. Our other neighbor stays back and provides flashlight
support, he didn't like being charged. So Ted and I take off with my
MiniMagLite, and a bunch of rocks, and catch up with the bear about 300 feet
away. We get him to abandon the Coors with a hail of rocks, then beat a hasty
retreat with the cooler back to camp. While on this adventure, Sam and the
other neighbors threw away the food on the stove, so we stuffed everything
into the extra food locker, while Mr. Bear prowled the perimiter, thinking
about rice crispy treats. Of course we all talked about it for a while,
becase of the adrenalin, then told it all to the Ranger when he dropped by.
He talked bear stories for a while too. The end result was that the only one
who got dinner was the bear. 10 rice crispy treats, 3 granola bars, a taste
of the milk and dried potatoes, some carrots and grapes for a balanced meal,
and some Coors Light to wash it down. Good dinner. Lots better than mine.
     Sam doesn't want to camp at Lodgepole for a while.
     So we packed up this morning and headed for Kings Canyon. Good choice.
The scenery is truly spectacular. The drive in featured a drop from around
8000 ft. to about 3-4000 feet, providing exquisite panoramic veiws and no
less than 4 waterfalls. Gorgeous. And the smell-the scent of pines, mixed
with the sweet oder of the river. We shot a roll and a half of film in about
2 hours, maybe less. Just absolutely breathtaking scenery, all with the King
River flowing through it. I wish I'd discovered this place a few years ago,
but from LA I always figured it was too far to drive and went to Sequoia Nat.
Forest instead. 
     We will remain here through Saturday night, then head for the coast to
stay with friends in the bay area, before heading north on PCH toward
Vancouver. Through the redwood forests. In a '70 VW bus. Perhaps we have not
yet passed on, but this truly is an incarnation of heaven. Bears and all.
Peace, 
Eddie