Big Basin and Elkhorn Slough

I have another week off and on Monday we went to Big Basin. Took a look at all the campsites at Wastahi and found some decent ones. We were a bit worried about the campsite with all the little chairs. So we took a campsite not so close. Turned out to be still to close. Fucking kids. These were the most annoying kids. Actually they were just being kids, being loud and playing. But they were loud all day long and constantly being loud. It was very irritating. We had to leave and go for a walk to get away from these damn kids. It was amazing when we got away from them how nice and peaceful it was. Our tent was on a slope which I didn't feel when I tested it out but we sure felt it when we were tired and ready for some sleep. Felt like the ground was all jacked up. Slept okay. We rode our bikes, bontrager and rockhopper, over to the hq to register for another night. Then we had to ride back to put the sticker on the 4 runner and for e to get her gps. Rode back to hq and then to gazos creek fireroad. The road pretty much sucked. There were plenty of other cool trails to the left and right but of course they were off limits to bikes. I so wanted to go ride them. sucks being me. i wish i could just go ride them and not feel guilty. i don't see the harm if i am going slow and not going to startle any hikers. i understand though because most people would just haul ass downhill. anyway we rode up this crappy fireroad and i am not having that much fun. we turn left on some other road to look for the bench. it went uphill. this sucks. thankfully when i about had it there was the bench. we stayed there for awhile and took some pictures and laid down on the bench. I put a penny and a nickel under both of the legs. then we left and rode down the fireroad which on the bontrager was okay. seat all high and everything. got back to the campsite and those f'in kids are still there. we had hoped they had left. oh the kids were staying at half of the campsites. we probably ate and then got so irritated at the kids that we left to go walk again. I think this is when we crossed the road and went on some trail that followed the road on the east side. pretty cool trail. my wimpy shins were a little bit sore so we turned back and went back to the campsite. stupid kids still yelling so we kept walking and sat down on a tree. mosquitoes came so we crossed the road and i sat on the road and then we went to the sempervirens falls and hung out there for the second time and then went back to the campsite. there was more commotion but of a different kind. one of the girls got stung by a bee. i was happy. went back to the campsite and played backgammon which I won again. I rule! Started a nice fire. E tried to make a hotdog wrapped in a bread from a can which, surprise, didn't work. i cooked a hot dog and it looked like it came out good. she ate it but she also ate her burnt hot dog too. So the crappy kids are quiet but know the adults are talking and talking. They talk until 10. Then until 11. Then until ?. I really do not like these people or there kids. Seems so inconsiderate. There were a bunch of wine bottles by the recycle bin in the morning. We got up early and left early. I was anxious to get out of there before the little punks got up and annoyed me. Oh there was a big big log that had fallen down and the kids would all play on it which was near our site. In the night i had to pee so i climbed on the log and peed where the kids played. Hee hee. I did that twice. In the morning it was all misty. When i walked to the car it was all misty there too. Weird because it was all sunny and hot the day before and this is july. Gets more misty. and more misty. very light rain but it is dry in the forest just wet in the parking lot. glad we were leaving then. we leave in the wetness and it is kind of nice. we stop at my favorite bathrooms so i can go and i also take my camera. Of course there is a ranger there cleaning. damn. she says to use the ones in the back. i go in and track in all this mud. oops, i feel pretty bad. think about asking for the broom but figured that would just be too weird. She comes around the corner and I leave and take a picture of the shower on the other side and another shot of the bathroom and she comes around the corner and asks if she can help me. oh no you just have the nicest bathrooms and i wanted to take a picture to show my girlfriend. i get out of there quick feeling like a jackass in a way and not caring all at the same time. i was having fun. we drive home and get home faster than getting there it seems and it is still all misty down in Sunnyvale. Go back to the apartment and fall asleep for awhile. Wake up and go to the thrift store and then to home depot and then to goodwill. waste of time. come home and sleep.

Thursday, that would be today, we went to Elkhorn Slough. It is E's birthday and she wanted to kayak. Got there and we had planned on getting a kayak and taking it to kirby park and launching there but the two guys there made it sound better launching here. We got a double kayak and put on our life jacket and a spray skirt. The spray skirt made me a little nervous. Never used one before. Got into our kayak okay. felt okay with the spray skirt. I was in the back and i was able to see this time because i was farther back. We putted around and went by the docked boats and we stayed next to the shore. i wanted to stay next to the shore. paddled for a bit. oh i forgot i wasn't feeling that great but what are you going to do? So we paddle and we turn left and go under the bridge which was kind of cool. the rudder works really well. very helpful. We go a short way and holy crap there are sea otters all over the place. I wasn't expecting that. they were doing there cleaning and eating while on their backs and stuff they do. pretty cool. saw some sea lions with there heads poking out. saw a lot of pelicans. one came toward us and pooped. must have been a warning shot. saw some long billed walking on the seashore type birds which I like. easy going east with the current and wind. we cross the slough and go up stream on the southside which is supposed to be easier. it is but there is nothing alive over there. we go across the slough again. it seems harder and we see animals again and we slowly make our way back. it took awhile and wasn't that much fun. took awhile and as soon as we get back to the harbor it is nice again. calm water. so much better. we putter around and have more fun. check out the boats and stuff. gettting out of the boat was easier than i thought. but e wasn't too happy about getting out but she got out without going in the water.

we then go to Crows Nest to eat. still not feeling that great but the place is pretty cool. we then go home and i get on the internet and write this and e goes to sleep on the couch. then i start watching the simpsons and she moves to the bedroom and i guess is sleeping.