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We decided to try something different this Easter weekend of 2005, The choice we made was a camping trip where we could be close to nature and enjoy ourselves in a family oriented surrounding. And, what a weekend it turned out to be. As much as Dad would like to take credit for the idea, I must give credit where credit is due; Alicia and Brittany made the choice and pursued a strong lobbying effort to do something different this Easter. .

Usually our treks take us up into the Sierra Nevada mountain range but due to the snow and temperatures this time of year that choice was not a feasible one. Our choices, however, were not limited, as there are plenty of beautiful camping areas situated in the Los Padres National forest which runs from Big Sur down to Santa Barbara and then turns east towards Big Bear. This range follows the San Andreas fault line.

For this trip we chose Ballinger Canyon which is located 30 miles south of Maricopa California off of highway 33. None of us had been there before but we knew it was a high desert environment which was conducive to camping considering all the rain California has had over the last few months. And, what a choice it was……...

To our wonderful surprise, wildflowers were in full bloom as far as one could see. In fact, some flowers were blooming that hadn’t bloomed in 30 years. It was a magnificent site to behold.

We arrived at the campground at about 2:00 PM and found that it was only populated with another 4 camping families, albeit large families. The campground was fairly large so, in essence, we had your own little piece of the park.

Here’s a view from up on top of one of the more difficult climbs that Dad took solo....

We chose a campsite on the western edge of the park that was situated next to a wash and provided plenty of flat areas for the kids to ride their ATVs about.

As the kids rode around the campsite, Dad proceeded to set up camp, which is fairly easy when you have a trailer I might add. In no time we had a very quaint site set up and a campfire burning. Even though the terrain was high desert, at an elevation of 3000 feet it got quite chilly as the sun began to set……….

For dinner it was roasted marshmallows and giant, juicy, grilled cheeseburgers, in that order. As the sun set we quickly retired for the evening to watch Tom Hanks in “The Terminal.”

0600—rise and shine. We’re up and at ‘em. It’s Easter Sunday and low and behold, the Easter Bunny made it to Ballinger Canyon. He left some presents around the campsite and hid eggs all over the park. There was one catch though…..the Easter Bunny required that all Easter eggs be found upon one’s ATV. So, they’re off…..

After the Easter Egg hunt we sit down for a delicious Easter breakfast, (the breakfast of choice; Cookie Crisp Cereal - Dad’s immediately looking forward to lunch).

We plan to start the day with a hike down the Wash……….

Now, we’re off for an adventure with 67 miles of trails to explore…...

Let me interject here, there’s a new photographer in the family. Brittany now has her own digital camera and many of the photos taken on this trip are hers. She has caught on extremely quickly and appears to be a natural at photography.

It’s getting into the late afternoon and we take one last break before beginning the trek back to camp…..

Back at camp we settle down for a delicious Easter dinner cooked over the campfire; grilled chicken, roasted corn and chili. A wonderful way to end our day. Each family member says a nice prayer in memory of the special day. The kids are asleep by 7:30 with Dad not far behind.

That evening we received a good amount of rain (it poured) but by morning the weather had abated and it was sunny. Because of the sandy terrain the ground was relatively dry. We were going to head home in the morning but wanted one last ride and photo opportunity before doing so…...

And, that is how the we spent our Easter weekend, so long until next time….

Love,

The Gillespie’s