Now for the second half of the journey (Read all about the first half here if you missed it.)...
Camp at Rubicon Springs
Friday we were super impressed with the hospitality of the Jeep Jamboree staff as we rolled in to camp. They gave us helpful directions about good spots to set up camp and told us when dinner was served. It was lovely not to have to worry about packing and preparing food at the end of a long day on the trail. It is quite the operation up at camp. While on the trail Friday, supplies and staff were being helicoptered in overhead throughout the day. The camp is so remote, and it's the easiest way to get everything there. It also provides quite a bit of comfort knowing if you had a real emergency, you could always be helicoptered out quickly.
Three plentiful, tasty meals a day were served up with lots of options. There was even a bar and bartender serving up delicious bloody marys from a homemade mix. No one went hungry, and water and Gatorade were available all weekend.
After a huge camp breakfast and of course another blood mary, Saturday was a day for relaxing, hiking, and swimming, and it was much needed. We could just cool off and take it easy. Going for a chilly dip in the Springs was refreshing and rinsed off at least the first layer of trail dust from the day before.
The Bear
As you may know I am fairly new to this whole outdoorsy thing. I was proud of myself for peeing in the woods. I was hot and dirty, but didn't whine or freak out about anything...well until Saturday night that is, when I had a complete meltdown after being sniffed by a bear.
Let me give you a little context to this story. There was a mama bear and her two small cubs who lived very close, and had been active in camp. The night before we had actually seen her from a distance just meandering down the trail and up and over some rocks near the campsites. She had gotten into a couple of jeeps and done some minor damage looking for food , which really wasn't that plentiful at the campsites because the food was all provided and locked up. However she had apparently learned that campers + coolers = food, and was still going to try.
This of course made me fairly uneasy Friday night as I triple checked that we had no food anywhere near our tent, and was startled awake by every little sound. But this was nothing compared to the lack of sleep I got on Saturday night!
I had fallen exhausted into my cot that night and was hoping for more sleep than the night before. I tossed and turned and snuggled into my new sleeping bag as Mr. Ladd promptly passed out in the cot next to mine. I cursed him in my head for his ability to instantly fall asleep anywhere under any circumstances as I tried to get to sleep. What I'm guessing was about an hour or so later, I heard crunching footsteps approaching the tent. At first I thought it was just a fellow camper up to go to the bathroom. The lumbering footsteps came right along my side of the tent, and I quickly realized this was no human as I heard '''PHoooouh (snort)...sniff, sniff, sniff, (fur brushing against tent)."
Now, I don't know if you've ever had your face sniffed by a bear through a millimeter of nylon, but there is #1 no mistaking that it is indeed a bear, and #2 nothing you can do except pray to Jesus that she doesn't claw her way through your tent with one swipe and proceed to eat your face off! I have never been so terrified or paralyzed with fear in my life. I thought I would pass out from holding my breath. I then decided that might not be a bad idea, because at least I wouldn't feel anything when she mauled me to death. I thought I heard her go away, but I was sure as hell not peeking my head out to look, and I still could not move or speak to wake up Jeremiah, who had of course slept through the entire ordeal.
So I just laid in the same position I had been in pre-face sniffing, until I thought my hand would fall off from lack of circulation, and that I might actually pee the cot. Jeremiah finally stirred, so I thought it safe to tell him what had happened through whispering, hysterical tears with my headlamp on like I was in the Blaire Witch Project. His loving response to my panic over almost being eaten was, "It was probably just a squirrel or a lizard (roll over)." See #1 above if you would like to know how satisfied I was with that feeble reassurance.
I begged him to walk to the bathroom with me, and get the knife out of the Jeep. When we got back to the tent I scooted my cot as close to him as possible, dug my fingernails into his arm and prayed for daylight. I shivered for the rest of the night, wide awake and listening as dogs barked and people tried to scare the bear out of their own campsites. The dawn did finally find me alive and vindicated as the people in the tent right next to ours had also been paid a visit by said bear, and there were paw prints bigger than any squirrel or lizard to prove it.
On the Way Out
Needless to say, I was excited to pack up and hit the trail again that next morning. We loaded up on some breakfast and took some snacks for the road. Jeremiah had even more confidence in his driving skills this time around, and this section of the trail was greener and shadier, feeling a lot less punishing.
However, as promised, the entire Rubicon Trail is relentless. It makes you work for every mile, and the last 5 hour leg of the journey on the way out of camp and back to civilization is still no Sunday drive. Cadillac Hill can actually be quite dangerous. It's very steep with lots of tight turns, and someone had a very bad rollover accident on that part of the trail the week before. But the trail guides were a huge help with exact tire placement and spotting every step of the way.
After a few more hours and boulders later, we saw some pavement finally as we came to the end of the trail.
High fives and some more stories were exchanged as we aired back up and swapped contact info with some new Jeepin' buddies. We had made it, and it truly was exhilarating!
A Shower and a Toilet
We headed back home toward Phoenix, but planned an overnight stop at The Spalding House, this small historic bed and breakfast in the heart of Visalia, CA.
I have never been more excited to see running water. After 3 days, and lots of dirt, I think Jeremiah even took 2 showers. I slept hard and sound knowing there was no possibility of a bear encounter in this four poster bed.
Camp at Rubicon Springs
Friday we were super impressed with the hospitality of the Jeep Jamboree staff as we rolled in to camp. They gave us helpful directions about good spots to set up camp and told us when dinner was served. It was lovely not to have to worry about packing and preparing food at the end of a long day on the trail. It is quite the operation up at camp. While on the trail Friday, supplies and staff were being helicoptered in overhead throughout the day. The camp is so remote, and it's the easiest way to get everything there. It also provides quite a bit of comfort knowing if you had a real emergency, you could always be helicoptered out quickly.
Three plentiful, tasty meals a day were served up with lots of options. There was even a bar and bartender serving up delicious bloody marys from a homemade mix. No one went hungry, and water and Gatorade were available all weekend.
After a huge camp breakfast and of course another blood mary, Saturday was a day for relaxing, hiking, and swimming, and it was much needed. We could just cool off and take it easy. Going for a chilly dip in the Springs was refreshing and rinsed off at least the first layer of trail dust from the day before.
The Bear
As you may know I am fairly new to this whole outdoorsy thing. I was proud of myself for peeing in the woods. I was hot and dirty, but didn't whine or freak out about anything...well until Saturday night that is, when I had a complete meltdown after being sniffed by a bear.
Let me give you a little context to this story. There was a mama bear and her two small cubs who lived very close, and had been active in camp. The night before we had actually seen her from a distance just meandering down the trail and up and over some rocks near the campsites. She had gotten into a couple of jeeps and done some minor damage looking for food , which really wasn't that plentiful at the campsites because the food was all provided and locked up. However she had apparently learned that campers + coolers = food, and was still going to try.
 |
| Note the bear bite marks on a fellow Jeeper's cooler. |
I had fallen exhausted into my cot that night and was hoping for more sleep than the night before. I tossed and turned and snuggled into my new sleeping bag as Mr. Ladd promptly passed out in the cot next to mine. I cursed him in my head for his ability to instantly fall asleep anywhere under any circumstances as I tried to get to sleep. What I'm guessing was about an hour or so later, I heard crunching footsteps approaching the tent. At first I thought it was just a fellow camper up to go to the bathroom. The lumbering footsteps came right along my side of the tent, and I quickly realized this was no human as I heard '''PHoooouh (snort)...sniff, sniff, sniff, (fur brushing against tent)."
Now, I don't know if you've ever had your face sniffed by a bear through a millimeter of nylon, but there is #1 no mistaking that it is indeed a bear, and #2 nothing you can do except pray to Jesus that she doesn't claw her way through your tent with one swipe and proceed to eat your face off! I have never been so terrified or paralyzed with fear in my life. I thought I would pass out from holding my breath. I then decided that might not be a bad idea, because at least I wouldn't feel anything when she mauled me to death. I thought I heard her go away, but I was sure as hell not peeking my head out to look, and I still could not move or speak to wake up Jeremiah, who had of course slept through the entire ordeal.
 |
| Allow me to illustrate. |
So I just laid in the same position I had been in pre-face sniffing, until I thought my hand would fall off from lack of circulation, and that I might actually pee the cot. Jeremiah finally stirred, so I thought it safe to tell him what had happened through whispering, hysterical tears with my headlamp on like I was in the Blaire Witch Project. His loving response to my panic over almost being eaten was, "It was probably just a squirrel or a lizard (roll over)." See #1 above if you would like to know how satisfied I was with that feeble reassurance.
I begged him to walk to the bathroom with me, and get the knife out of the Jeep. When we got back to the tent I scooted my cot as close to him as possible, dug my fingernails into his arm and prayed for daylight. I shivered for the rest of the night, wide awake and listening as dogs barked and people tried to scare the bear out of their own campsites. The dawn did finally find me alive and vindicated as the people in the tent right next to ours had also been paid a visit by said bear, and there were paw prints bigger than any squirrel or lizard to prove it.
On the Way Out
Needless to say, I was excited to pack up and hit the trail again that next morning. We loaded up on some breakfast and took some snacks for the road. Jeremiah had even more confidence in his driving skills this time around, and this section of the trail was greener and shadier, feeling a lot less punishing.
However, as promised, the entire Rubicon Trail is relentless. It makes you work for every mile, and the last 5 hour leg of the journey on the way out of camp and back to civilization is still no Sunday drive. Cadillac Hill can actually be quite dangerous. It's very steep with lots of tight turns, and someone had a very bad rollover accident on that part of the trail the week before. But the trail guides were a huge help with exact tire placement and spotting every step of the way.
 |
| Taken from the actual angle I was on inside the jeep next to the edge! |
After a few more hours and boulders later, we saw some pavement finally as we came to the end of the trail.
High fives and some more stories were exchanged as we aired back up and swapped contact info with some new Jeepin' buddies. We had made it, and it truly was exhilarating!
A Shower and a Toilet
We headed back home toward Phoenix, but planned an overnight stop at The Spalding House, this small historic bed and breakfast in the heart of Visalia, CA.
I have never been more excited to see running water. After 3 days, and lots of dirt, I think Jeremiah even took 2 showers. I slept hard and sound knowing there was no possibility of a bear encounter in this four poster bed.
But I would do it all over again!
