Our first stop was Virginia Lakes, and we quickly realized that the trees at the lake had mostly shed their leaves at this point. Still, it was nice having lunch at the lake, and in the late afternoon we managed to find a colorful grove at a lower elevation.

I was a bit sad we missed the aspens at the lake, but very few people know about this location…so we kind of had it to ourselves. These trees at “golden hour” really made for a memorable experience.

We found a nice site tucked away in the pines where we spent the night.

The next morning we departed for the aspen groves up on Lobdell Lake Road. Here, we would set up camp right in the middle of the action, and we had no idea just how idyllic the experience would be.

This was a great place to escape near-record temperatures in October. We were lucky to have perfect weather during the days, and colder temps at night, which keeps the trees increasingly vibrant. As a bonus, unlike the similar springtime temps, in fall there are no insects to bother you.

It’s quite surreal to drive miles out into the barren eastern Sierra, and suddenly come upon this creek setting with an explosion of color!

Abbie had a great time playing in the leaves and climbing the boulders around our camp. She loves being out in nature just as much as I do.

I took her on a hike along the creek, and decided to teach her how to take a photo. I wasn’t holding my breath that a 3 year old could take a decent photo, but she surprised me! I’m grateful to have a rare picture of me out in my “happy place”.

She wanted to climb out over the creek as well. I realized it was also a good opportunity for her to work on her balance and coordination. Every trip out is an opportunity to learn and grow.

Speaking of which, we set her up to learn some spelling and do artwork out in the forest. I hope she retains all these memories. If not, at least the photos are here to help.

We felt such a strong connection to this place that we decided to leave some of my mother’s ashes here. That way we can always return and be close to her in the future.

Abbie hasn’t learned to fully ride a bike yet, but this was the first trip I decided to bring my bike out on.

It really was exhilarating riding through the crisp, cool mountain air at 9,000 feet. I even experienced a brief (and mild) rainstorm along the way.

The wind picked up and began to blow the leaves off the trees along the road. As raindrops started falling, I realized I was a bit far from camp. As I huffed and puffed back up the mountain, my phone played Bob Dylan’s “Shelter From the Storm”. It was just too perfect.

The “storm” quickly passed, and a bit later I rode up the mountain to catch the sunset. Feeling grateful to be able to be out in my element once again.

After a few spectacular nights here, we packed up and headed up 395 to refuel and cut over to Monitor Pass. We hadn’t planned on staying up there, but we turned down a rugged forest road and found a perfect spot.

She found some sap on the rock – or I should say…the sap found her.

We didn’t have the ground clearance to make it down the road to the aspens, so I did a solo hike in the late afternoon to check it out. The thin air up here does an aging body no favors, but thankfully it was a bit less grueling than my bike ride up the mountain the day before.

After a few miles of this meandering dirt road (and noting countless carvings in the trunks of the aspen trees), I wanted to return to get the rest of the family. The lighting on the mountains was really something! A great way to cap off the day.

Our ultimate destination was visiting aunt Dana near Roseville, so as we made our way west, we decided to stop at Silver Lake and visit more of mom’s ashes I placed up here a few years ago.

Mom’s grandfather (who Dana was named after) was the mayor of Stockton, California a hundred years ago. He loved this beautiful lake, and gave the commencement speech at Stockton Camp, along the east shore.

Very close to here is the “Potholes Trail”, right along the river. I was happy to finally bring the family to one of my favorite hiking spots. They loved it, and I even took a refreshing dip in the chilly water!

From here, we followed the Silver Fork of the American river all the way up to HWY 50, then continued up to Icehouse Reservoir for a brief stop. I had never seen these places, and while the windy roads did a number on Shella, the scenery was fantastic.

Well, that about does it for this journey. I imagine the next one will be a desert trip in the winter, but we will see.

Until next time,

Nathan + fam

The post Camping in California’s Golden Aspen Forests appeared first on I Dreamed Of This.

However, could I replicate this at home in the U.S.? Long term travel is much too expensive there, but at last, I figured out a simple solution.

“Lucille”, at the Petrified Forest – Arizona

I found a 2nd gen Toyota Sienna, in the exact color I wanted. I had to drive all the way to New Mexico to get it, but the cost was minimal – and it was loaded with fancy options.

It had a sunroof, leather seats, a 10 speaker JBL sound system, and most importantly…everything still worked.

“Sleeper Conversion”

Even though I’m over 6 feet tall, I loved staying in Asia’s tiny “pod hotels”. I used them for inspiration. If I was going to convert this van to a little family camper (I call it a “sleeper”), I’d have to make the bed as comfortable as possible. 

The first order of business was taking out the third row seat, which could fold down into the floor.

With that removed completely, a lot of cargo space opened up in the back. I built a bed frame with plenty of room for all our stuff underneath.

Believe it or not, we installed a full-size memory foam mattress and plush comforter. We used our large pillows from home, and even threw in one of those useless decorative cushions. This thing is cozy!

*Note, we were able to add 3 more inches of headroom since this photo was taken.

Our “sleeping pod” on wheels

The middle seats fold in half, and support the foot of the bed. When we pack up to drive, the mattress folds back on itself (totally flexible), and the middle seats pop back up for passengers.

We made custom-fit privacy covers for the windows, so the van is a completely incognito little “camper”.

Outside or In?

There are two schools of thought when it comes to RVs and camper vans. If you want to experience the outdoors on a limited basis (while having ultimate comfort in the process), a large, fancy RV is what you need. You can’t take it everywhere, and of course, you’re going to spend a lot of time behind a desk to pay for it.

However, if you plan on spending most of your time cooking, hiking, and relaxing outdoors (and you want to travel indefinitely), a humble little camper van fits the bill. You just need a comfortable, secure place to sleep. Think of it like a hard-walled tent on wheels. You save so much money, and can go soooo much further.

Yes, I learned valuable on simplicity while backpacking the world – the further you want to go, the less you end up taking with you.

Oh…and also, an adventurous spirit definitely helps.

AWD, Surprisingly Capable Off-Road

The “Alabama Hills” – California

This Toyota model (and even specific year) was carefully chosen because of its legendary reliability. It’s got a roof rack, a hitch, and a removable center console, which is super convenient (we replaced it with a fridge

Ground clearance is as good as it gets for Sienna models, but it’s still a minivan, so having a spotter definitely helps in rugged terrain.

My lil’ spotter in Moab, Utah

Our little van (we named her “Lucille”) is a perfect combination of minamalism and efficiency.

Mileage is fantastic, and she turns on a dime. We can get in and out of tricky locations where even 4X4 Sprinters won’t dare try.

Insurance is quite reasonable, parts are readily available if you happen to need them, and she is a dream to drive.

Monument Valley, AZ

This country has an abundance of beautiful public land you can camp on, and we learned there are also plenty of places you can pull in and sleep for the night. No expense whatsovever.

All of this adds up to saving a TON of money, so that means long-term U.S. travel really is feasible.

My wife, playing around in the desert

So hit the road, we did…and with no plan to come back. As you can see in the photos above, we started by driving to Arches National Park and Moab, Utah.

Our “Sun Powered” Lives

If we wake up and a certain location is warmer than we’d prefer, we simply pack up and head for higher ground. No matter where we go, we’re always “home”.

We have up to 400 watts of portable solar, and a total of 1200Kwh of battery power. This runs our little fridge, and all our devices.

We cook with a small electric induction stove. We also have a grill if we want to cook on a fire, but it’s much more messy and inconvenient.

A shade awning is a must – Ouray Colorado

It’s quite amazing how much we managed to fit in this van – we really are ready for anything.

There’s a 10ft X 10ft screen room, a full set of tables and chairs, and even a portable shower (though taking a dip in a cool, mountain stream is much more refreshing).

No swimming in Yellowstone’s hot springs

Into the Great Wide Open

It’s hard to put into words the feeling one gets from venturing untethered, deep into the American West. There is a romantic quality to it all; a poetry in the freedom to wander these vast, iconic landscapes at will.

We still have our creature comforts, and can even find signal in some of the most remote wildernesses.

The best part is we can avoid summer crowds – by carefully timing our visits to the busiest national parks.

So. Much. Wildlife.

Days turn to weeks, and before you know it, weeks can turn into a month. It’s addictive.

Here are more shots from Yellowstone National Park, and a Montana ranch where we visited friends for the 4th of July.

However, for us, Grand Tetons National Park in Wyoming was the peak of scenic beauty.

A hike to remember 

There are endless opportunities to teach my daughter about the world around us.

On this trip we spotted coyotes, elk, deer, marmots, bears, and bald eagles. Oh, and bison. Thousands of them.

She is is learning how to respect nature without being afraid – but also how to be prepared for anything.

Here we camped at a cool 8,000 feet elevation…which meant wildflowers were still blooming in the middle of summer.

Nature – It’s Not All Sunshine & Rainbows

If life were perfect all the time, I’d have no perspective to appreciate anything. That’s what I told myself as swarms of mosquitoes descended on me up here.

This was one of the few locations that we set up our screen room. Lifesaver!

There’s a strange satisfaction that comes from relaxing comfortably with a great view…and seeing hundreds of mosquitoes stuck to the netting just inches from your face.

Knowing that none of them are able to feast on you.

Ah, life’s simple pleasures.

Nothing like a campfire with a view like that.

The Sun Gives Energy…& Can Take it Away

A lesson we learned was how challenging it is keeping charged with sunlight each day. Sunny, open areas are best, but then you must be high enough in elevation to stay cool.

Lower elevations are warmer, so you need shade…but then you must keep moving the solar equipment as the shadows creep across your site every day.

Ugh.

Still worth it.

These final pictures were taken up above Mono Lake in California. The eastern Sierra is a great place to escape the peak summer heat.

What we love about being on the road is the constant new horizons. We get plenty of exercise as we hike and explore each day.

I don’t think Native Americans even had a word for exercise…

There is only living.

We fall into healthy, natural sleep cycles that follow the rising and setting of the sun.

It is a deep, restful sleep.

Not to mention how limited our screen time is, and how much we enjoy being in the great outdoors together as a family.

I’ll never forget the peace I felt waking up to a sunrise with my two favorite travel partners.

* I have included a few Amazon links to products I personally use and recommend. Visiting them will help me keep sharing adventures like this. Thanks for reading!

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