Camp Dawg

….to still be spending time in our Airstream with my g’boy, Jack, who now takes up just a little more space. (photo from 2012)

Sometimes all you need are a couple of crazy aluminum Airstream friends to make your day, your week. Thanks for rolling in with your Airstreams and hanging with us at the Minnesota Airstream Park!

A one-nighter in Rock Springs, Wyoming, and it was time to shuffle off to Buffalo…Buffalo, Wyoming, that is. We stumbled on this small, western town several years back and it remains on our radar today whenever we roll through the windy State of Wyoming.

Full disclosure…I am not a big fan of KOA campgrounds, however, the KOA in Buffalo has cinched our hearts. Family-run and meticulously cared for, this KOA is at the top of its game with a welcoming attitude, friendly smiles, clean sites, and a well-stocked store. The campground has a shaded, vintage section and a posh, newer section which opened five years ago. While there is minimal shade in this section, the sites are extra sweet as some come with a BBQ, Adirondack chairs and Solo Stoves. If you’re an Airstreamer, you know how sweet this is!

With every return visit to an area I pull back layers to discover something new and this year didn’t disappoint. Running through the Big Horn Mountains, just 20 miles south of our campground, is a canyon which caught my eye, Crazy Woman Canyon. After a little bit of online investigation, I hopped into the Sexy Beast, our Ford F250, and headed to the canyon bordered by a creek of the same name.

This is an unusual canyon name with neither of the two legends heartwarming. The first legend has it that a woman was left alone in the canyon for some time and therefore went insane; the other is a woman who witnessed the capture and murder of her husband and three children. She remained in the canyon and eventually died from starvation. Over the years, Crazy Woman Canyon has been used by Native Americans and, rumor has it, Butch Cassidy and the Sundance kid as there are many places to hideout in the canyon.

Only 13 miles in length the ride was easy with no need for a 4-wheel drive. It is best to not travel the canyon when still packed with springtime snow, nor following a rain storm. There are several places to park and hike along the canyon so pack a lunch and brings the dawgs! I drove east to west and could have easily turned around and drove back the same way which would have offered a completely different viewing experience.

The town of Buffalo is quaint with an ice cream shop, tea room, a couple of restaurants and two fun shops to browse. The first, the Bucking Buffalo Supply Company which is owned by the Sheriff Longmire author and local, Craig Johnson. Here you can pick up the entire Longmire series in hard cover book, signed; and western wear that’s absolutely gorgeous! And right next door is Sports Lure, a variety store where you could spend some time shopping for everything from hiking boots to fishing lure, clothing to Lodge cast iron cookware.

A walking tour of the town reveals various murals, which I always enjoy; and numerous sculptures which share the history of the West. ‘After the Dust Settles’ was a poignant tribute and unlike the genesis for the name of Crazy Woman Canyon, this one touched my heart, my soul.

A VISIT TO UTAH should end with something sweet and this one didn’t disappoint! During prior visits, it was an afternoon at Robert Redford’s Sundance, while this time it was a stop at the Stein Eriksen Lodge at Deer Valley. A quick three-mile drive up the mountain from Park City and you find this award-winning Lodge nestled into the ski slopes.

The ski season wrapped up mid-April when the Lodge closes for refurbishment before beginning their busy summer and autumn seasons. Lucky me, they had opened only a few days prior to my stop which gave me some extraordinary and uncrowded views of this stunning Lodge surrounded by what remained of the winter snows.

Nostalgia abounds as Jim and I skied here many times. I fondly recall beautiful morning ‘corduroy’, a skier’s delight, when hitting the slopes and the perfectly groomed runs before the crowds cut loose on the mountain. My most cherished memory of the Lodge, however, was heading in for a late morning hot cocoa years ago and who did I spy chatting near the abundantly-filled trophy case but Mr. Eriksen himself…and Warren Miller, both icons in the ski industry. Eriksen for his Olympic wins representing Norway in the 1950s; and Miller for his always-amazing annual ski films. These daredevil films always got us excited and ready to hit the slopes come winter. Jaw-dropping to see these legends in person, to say the least, and way before easily accessible iPhones and cameras, the memory is warmly embedded in my mind. ps – pack your skis but leave the snowboard at home as this privately owned resort remains skis-only.

My afternoon savoring the fluffiest-foam-topped cappuccino this side of the Mississippi along with a lemon creme brulee’ capped off a beautiful stay in Utah. Looking for an RV park in the area? Be sure to check out Mountain Valley RV in nearby Heber City with its large lots and welcoming staff!

WHEN I CLOSE MY EYES I go back 13 years and vividly recall Boonedocker, who at one time was an absolute rocket dawg, bouncing from one red rock to another while hiking the Angel’s Palace trail. In Kodachrome Basin State Park located near Cannonville, Utah, we hiked the same trail as we did following Boone’s ‘Gotcha Day’ from Best Friends Animal Society all those years ago, albeit at a much slower pace today.

Southern Utah is simply magical and a lot of that magic has to do with Best Friends Animal Society, the largest no-kill in North America, located in Kanab. About 25 years ago I saw a small advertisement in the back of Sunset Magazine about this no-kill facility in Utah and I was hooked. BFAS is working to bring about much needed change and looks ahead to a time when adoptable animals are no longer put down simply for the lack of a home. Raising an awareness to spay and neuter is one big step; in addition to their collaboration with smaller, start up animal rescues around the country, which is applaudable.

We are grateful to have this time to roll together and thankful to have our Best Friends dawg, Boone, and Piper along for the ride. Should you make your way to Best Friends Animal Society to tour, volunteer or adopt, grab one of their 18 RV sites on campus or a cottage; or try out Dark Sky located about 10 minutes away where we enjoyed our time in the red rocks. You just may find your very own Best Friend.

FOLLOWING SIX MONTHS IN VENTURA, California and a great time visiting with family; attending events with and totally enjoying our club, the Greater Los Angeles Airstream Club; and hosting the always awesome Cali Rally, it was time to say goodbye but not before a few celebrations!

PSSST! THERE’S SOMETHING NO ONE TELLS YOU when you purchase your first Airstream and that’s the amazing community you will fall head first into and the outstanding rallies you will have the opportunity to attend. When we purchased our first Airstream in 2006, we had no idea of what would lie ahead. The Airstream was simply to hook up and head off on an adventure with our dawgs.

Within weeks of our purchase, however, we discovered the Wally Byam Caravan Club International, aka Airstream Club International. With this organization of 16,000+ members, our Airstream world exploded in such a good way! We found our learning curve much less steep with so many knowledgeable people to tap and enjoyed the camaraderie surrounding our aluminum adventure pods. Now, after all these years – and even though we continue to learn – it’s Jim and I who can assist new Airstream owners with their questions.

With club participation comes events, or rallies, which bring Airstreamers together. As members of the Greater Los Angeles Airstream Club, we get together monthly with our friends. However, in addition to club meet ups, we have larger rallies including one recently held which involved our own Region 12 (California/Nevada) Airstream community. The Cali Rally, a one-of-a-kind Airstream ranch experience, was held in April at the V6 Ranch just east of Paso Robles in Parkfield. Yep, right in the Earthquake Capital of California and directly on top of the San Andreas Fault, just shy of 100 Airstreams and a couple hundred people gathered to share great ranch food and country music; a craft fair & flea market; and trail rides along with brew & whiskey tasting. Informative seminars were held and included solar & lithium for Airstreams; A Road Warrior’s Perspective…Women tow, too!; Rivets & Repairs; and Journaling your Travels.

Following much needed rain which hit the West Coast often this winter season, the V6 Ranch was absolutely spectacular and green! The weather forecasted over the weekend was blue skies and sunshine and it definitely was all that and more with beautiful warm days and crisp evenings.

Jim and I are humbled to be founding members of this premier West Coast Airstream event and have thoroughly enjoyed getting our boots dusty, along with an amazing team, over the past 10 years of Cali Rallies. We feel it is, simply stated, a way to give back to the community which gave us so much. Mark your calendars! The next Cali Rally is scheduled for April 2026. Yeehaw!

WE HAVE A CENTENARIAN IN OUR HOME! Happy birthday to Boonedocker, aka Mr. Boone, but known around the campground as simply Boonie, as he hits this 100-year milestone while relaxing at Sheep Dung Estates in Boonville, California.

It was 2011 when we unexpectedly met and fell in love with this lovable muttie while volunteering at Best Friends Animal Society in Kanab, Utah. Always fashionably dressed for any formal occasion in his tux-like coat, Boone was a pampered guest at Best Friends only long enough to be chipped & snipped then into our 19’ Bambi Airstream he climbed all those years ago.

We’re thankful and grateful we’re still rolling together Happy birthday, handsome!

HIGH IN THE ROLLING GREEN HILLS above Boonville, California, we returned to a storybook cottage we last visited a lifetime ago. Life happens. We worked, retired, then picked up and moved from Northern California to Southern California and suddenly had a new playground to discover. Throw in our almost 20 years of Airstream life, mix well with a couple of grandkids, and life can get crazy-busy-fun.

Now, feeling a bit nostalgic, I reached out and was able to book the only cottage available at the dawg-friendly Sheep Dung Estates, The Oaks. We were excited to venture north, sans Airstream, as this was the same cottage we had 24 years ago where we had such sweet memories with our first set of bookends, our Golden Retrievers, Tyler & Tucker. Fast forward and now we return to this almost 800 square foot, one room studio retreat with our two RezMutts, Boonedocker & Piper. Overlooking the Anderson Valley, and with only four cottages on 550 acres, the dawgs had free run of the hills.

Living life full-time on the road they suddenly had no tie up cables, no stinkin’ leashes, no….No’s! After 10 minutes of running and playing, they returned to being simply house dawgs, lazy & happy.

With a population around 1,000 and about 20 wineries throughout the valley, this tranquil cozy cottage time was much enjoyed by all Four Mutties. From over 40 years of living in California I can attest to the fact that there is nothing more beautiful than California in the spring, especially following a rainy winter season. Surrounded by hills carpeted in green grass and daffodils, along with the warm sunshine and skies as blue as they get, we settled in for a week of frivolity, long walks and naps. Who am I kidding? It’s really just short walks and long naps.

Seeking solitude? You don’t need a dawg to book a cottage! Don’t overlook this lesser known wine country sandwiched between the Napa and Sonoma valleys on one side, Mendocino 35 miles west and just two hours north of San Francisco. Here you can sip Husch, Domaine Anderson and Navarro wines, among others. I found the pinot noirs especially tasty and appreciated the excellent bottle of 2017 Domaine Anderson Pinot Noir the innkeepers, Anne & Aaron, left in our cottage!

OUR WINTER HOME, WAYPOINT VENTURA, is nestled between the Pacific Surfliner and swanky, new condominiums which overlook the Pacific Ocean. This little slice of heaven is a great urban park with an easy walk into Ventura with its many casual dining choices; or a quick 5-minute walk to the Ventura Pier where you’ll find the best beach tacos and sunsets on the West Coast.

The park operates as both a hotel, with varied and furnished stationary vintage trailers you can book online with an E-car charger available; and a dozen sites for camping (park requirements: Airstream trailers, vintage anything, Schoolies, Sprinter van, fiberglass ie Casitas or Scamp to book). The ability to stay for several months made Waypoint a welcoming spot to spend the winter months. As fulltimers and only a short drive to Ojai, it allows us to check all those doctor, dentist and veterinary appointments off our list; but more importantly – and more fun! – to reconnect with the grandkids!

After spending the last two winters in Key West, being a ‘local’ on the West Coast also provides us time to enjoy events with our club, the Greater Los Angeles Airstream Club. It has been spectacular to join in the camaraderie and touch base with our aluminum friends, especially those who tow their Airstream to Waypoint Ventura where we are gifted with some much loved one-on-one time. If you’re rollin’ on the 101, stop by and say hi!