Kern River Camping 2013

The Kern River Flowing Slowly

 I always say that the more bruises I come home with after a camping trip the more fun I had. Well, I'm typing this blog with a wrist brace on my right arm due to a fall I had while camping at the Kern River. It is not the only bruise, or the only fall, just the one that I was afraid I might have broken a bone, but x-rays showed I didn't. The other bruises cause me to limp but they are getting better. I'd blame age for my clumsiness, but the real culprit is booze. I'm fine with beer, but when I was offered margaritas, that did me in. That and vodka and a shot of something too.

I first started camping at the Kern River in 2001 and have been many times since, but not every year. Up until two years ago we always camped at the same location, but last year it was very crowded at that site, as were all the other known spots. Luckily my friends found this isolated site just of highway 99 about 10 miles north of Kernville. We call it Camp Judy after my friend who found it.

Not Quite the Super Moon

 I arrived Friday afternoon and quickly set up my tent so I could relax with some beer. The rest of our friends arrived about an hour later. The weather was perfect, not too warm and very clear, with no smoke from fires like there usually is. As a bonus, it was the first day of Summer, so it would be light late, and on Saturday we had not only a full Moon, but a Super Moon, which I think is when the Moon is at its closest distance to Earth. The photo above was taken the day before. I have no Super Moon because my camera stopped working when it fell into the river.

The Crew Relaxing

 Two years ago the river was rushing with whitewater and too dangerous to cross. Lots of rafters and kayakers came by. Not this year. As you can see from the photo below the water is hardly moving. In fact, the wind was blowing up river and pushing the inter-tube up stream. This did make it nice and safe to sit out in the water. Also, the river wasn't deep at this spot and I easily walked across to the other side.

Slowly Tubing in the Kern River

 On Saturday, a few of us took what we thought would be a short walk up the river. Turns out we were gone for two hours. We had no real plans on where to go, but we made up rules along the way such as no back tracking. Well, we got stuck in a few places where the water was deep and the current was fast, so we did need to go back and find another route. I brought my camera to take photos, but even when I held it above my head I slipped on a mossy rock and fell in the water with my camera. It got water inside and stopped working. After letting it dry out it is now working so I don't need to buy another new digital camera.

We kept our meals simple, with some eggs for breakfast, red beans and rice for diner and on the second night we had some steak, chicken and carne asada. Well, I say it was simple, but that's because I didn't cook, only eat. I brought stuff for making sandwiches during the day.

There are a few Rapids

Everyone was having fun, despite various injuries, including someone who did break a bone in her arm, until 8:30 Sunday morning when a group of 25 loud people showed up and set up their day camp site right next to where we were. That's the downfall of camping in a primitive site where you don't have reserved sites. Once we heard the baby start crying, we very quickly packed up and left way earlier than we planned. Another sad trend at the Kern is people writing graffiti on the rock and leaving lots of trash. We assumed this group were the type to do that.

I was ready to make the five hour drive home, so I said my goodbyes and drove south, hitting traffic as I approached the 15/215 merge.

Overall it was a great trip, and I'm looking forwards to going back next year. I can't make that long trek more that once a year. And next time - no hard alcohol, just beer.