Camping in Lake Arrowhead

I booked two nights for a double site even though we planed to share a tent so we can have more space. We camped mid-week so the campground was only 1/3 full if that. I like it that way. It was quiet and peaceful.

Not sure if this happens to everyone, but every time I go camping, my neighbors come over on the first day to introduce themselves and want to say hi to Xena. I haven’t done this myself since I am a private person and do not especially feel eager to meet strangers, but I appreciate this friendly gesture from my neighbors. This time wasn’t any different. Two neighbors came over to meet Xena and Coco.

It was much colder than usual and we ended up cutting the trip short. But still, we had a great time, anyway. We made s’mores, played Scrabble, and snuck in a hike in a short time. Like my sister said, it was therapeutic.

It was our first time camping together with our pups. As expected, they had no problem sharing the confined space at night. Neither of them moved. Too cold to move. Haha.

It was cold even during the day so we had the campfire going.

The next morning we cooked breakfast and had a lazy morning by the campfire.

It was overcast and foggy all morning then finally the sky cleared up around noon. Ahh… the sun is out. We went for a short 2-mile hike by the campground we were staying in. The squirrels in the national forests are bigger and fluffier than the ones at home. They are gray rather than usual brown, too. They had a blast.

By the time we got back to the camp, we were hungry again. Eat, drink, campfire, hike, and repeat. Good time… After we had our fill, we broke down the camp and came down the mountain. We had two days of relaxation and quality time spent in nature with our babies. I am looking forward to our next camping trip this summer.

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Gear Talk…

On this trip, I tried two new camping gear must-haves. First, a new tent.

We outgrew my 2-person tent so I upgraded to a 4-person tent. I like things simple and easy so I tried an instant pop-up tent by Moon Lence. All you have to do is, lift the top of the tent then pop the top mechanism down and then click the bottom joints in place.

I must say, it wasn’t that easy when I tried to do it by myself at home. But if another person holds the tent for you, it is that simple. A roomy carrying bag is nice, too.

After that, I just secured each corner with alloy pegs that came with the tent. We got to test the tent in a windy condition overnight. Big winds came through all night and our tent stayed secure the entire night. Never flopped once.

I noticed a little bit of moisture under the tent when we were breaking down the tent. I will place a tarp underneath next time. The material is water-resistance.

The tent is plenty spacious for 2 adults and 2 dogs. It fits two twin-size air mattresses with about 5 inches of room left. It has two large doors with dual zippers and two ground vents.

I don’t know about others but wet wipes are one of my must-haves. My hands get dusty and dirty all the time when I camp, so without it, I have to wash my hands constantly. In addition to the dry climate, washing my hands constantly dries out my skin by end of the trip even with applying lotion religiously. Wet wipes are easy and convenient and save me multiple trips to the water source.

Just in time, Surviveware sent me some samples to try in exchange for honest feedback. Samples included Rinse-free Shower for Post Workout and Camping. Perfect timing. I’ve been using their large (8″ x 12″) wet wipes for the past couple of months and I am liking it.

First, the wipe doesn’t peel when I used it on Xena’s paws. It doesn’t leave the white fluff on her like the baby wet wipes we’ve been using for years. And, it picks up dirt from her fur so much better than the baby wipes. Some of our hikes are so dusty, the bottom half of Xena’s body is gray when we are done. I have to wipe her down before she gets in the car. Since it’s larger than Kirkland’s baby wipes, I only need to use two sheets instead of 5-6 sheets of baby wipes. We generate less waste, so I like that.

After one guided hike, I offered the wipes to my clients and they all made a positive comment about the large size and how refreshing their skin felt afterward. It doesn’t leave a sticky residue like some other wet wipes and has no scent.

These biodegradable wet wipes are unscented and alcohol-free. It leaves my skin feeling clean. I have sensitive, normal-dry combo skin so these are important factors. All wipes dry out my face so I avoid them. But after trying it on my arms and legs, and liked how nice and refreshing it felt after a hike, I had to try it on my face. It left my cheeks a tiny bit dry but it was the best compared to other wipes I’ve tried before.

When it comes to hiking/camping gear, I like to keep things simple and stick to things that work for me and Xena. I like that both Xena and I can use it after a hike. I am looking forward to trying their extra large wipes on my next camping trip.

Good to Know:

• Location: Dogwood Campground in the San Bernardino National Forest
• Online booking available at recreation.gov
• 2021 Peak Season: April 23, 2021 – October 30, 2021

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