The weather looks great!
Like that sort of ambiguous title there? So the organizers are again holding the official event over Veteran's Day and if anyone wants to go no hard feelings whatsoever. Having attended Pismo a few Veteran's Day weekends in a row I am just not up for it again. It's not just crowded (the beach sells out) it's also not exactly our crowd. I am up for a more relaxing weekend with minimal sand and camp traffic where I am not constantly worried about the kids getting flattened or 3AM drunken cussing at top volume while people drive through your camp.
I have no idea if anyone else beyond B&T will opt to go the first weekend in November but if more do beyond B&T awesome. If not we can have our own beach party.
Quick edit, based on feedback, the official dates will be November 1st - 4. It looks like all with depart Sunday and most will show up Friday. I still intend to try to get there Thursday though it could be late.
As we get closer maybe we can plan some potluck grub and the likes. It is now closer and here is a proposed plan...
Rough Meal Plan / schedule:
Friday: Explore and try to get the lay of the land, find a few cool places to visit. I have a bad sense of direction and can get all turned around in the dunes so need a refresher.
Friday night: Easy grillings, burgers/dogs
Saturday day: Likely lunch in the dunes somewhere, so basically whatever one wants to pack and carry. I plan to find the sand drags where we can have the first annual B&T Sand Drags where we will race by class:
- FJ40's and 60's, 80's with 2fs.
- FZY-80's
- 100's
- 200's
Next we will explore and find a cool jump. Video's will happen.
Saturday afternoon: Folks can make their way back to camp anytime really. I figure head back around 3-4ish for chilling out with food and beers but there is no fixed schedule. You can wheel until you run out of gas if you want.
Saturday night: Anyone up for sponsoring a main dish? Otherwise possible movie night, on the fence there, beers around the camp fire, general good times.
Sunday: Breakfast and break camp.
Head count thus far:
- Elripster + dog, possibly + 1 + 3 kids
- Tyler + 1 + dogs
- Surfnoverland
- Justin Zwick
- Two Buck - In
- Mogwai - ???
Frank
Like that sort of ambiguous title there? So the organizers are again holding the official event over Veteran's Day and if anyone wants to go no hard feelings whatsoever. Having attended Pismo a few Veteran's Day weekends in a row I am just not up for it again. It's not just crowded (the beach sells out) it's also not exactly our crowd. I am up for a more relaxing weekend with minimal sand and camp traffic where I am not constantly worried about the kids getting flattened or 3AM drunken cussing at top volume while people drive through your camp.
I have no idea if anyone else beyond B&T will opt to go the first weekend in November but if more do beyond B&T awesome. If not we can have our own beach party.
Quick edit, based on feedback, the official dates will be November 1st - 4. It looks like all with depart Sunday and most will show up Friday. I still intend to try to get there Thursday though it could be late.
- Comms: HAM: 146.490, CB22, FRS01.
- The fee to camp is $10/night. While holiday weekends typically sell out non-holiday weekends usually don't. I typically reserve just to be safe. You can reserve an entry (no fixed sites) at camping and tour reservation information - CALIFORNIA STATE PARKS
- You camp on the beach wherever you choose to stop. We will camp at or around Pole 6, the last pole and likely least populated.
- Typically we have left Friday morning and returned Sunday but one can make their own schedule. Some of us will probably leave Thursday the 1st and stay until Monday. Staying until Monday means we can plan some off-beach activities Sunday like wine tasting or off roading to the Pozo Saloon. If one departs by 9AM Monday, the odds of traffic are very low where Sunday mid-day traffic through SB and LA is common. One could also depart later Sunday if you are up for it, to each his or her own.
- Without a trailer, the drive is about 5.5 hours. With a trailer it is about 6.5 and if your kids have to stop and pee a lot 7 hrs. It is best to leave by 9AM so you pass through LA and Santa Barbara by about 2PM. This is especially true of leaving Friday. Any later and you will get stuck in Santa Barbara traffic which can be awful. Even later and you can add LA traffic for a wondrously long journey to the dunes. If you find yourself leaving later and can get through LA mid day, you can take I5 north and cut over on the 166 into Santa Maria to save a little time.
- Things to do other an off road are typical beach activities like surfing, fishing, or just digging a hole to catch sand crabs (my kids love that...)
- Tiki torches and similar are convenient for marking off your camping area.
- Getting onto the beach: Your GPS might take you in on Grand Ave which makes it a straight shot from 101 to the beach. Mine always takes me up to 4th and then doubles back so I usually ignore it and exit on Grand. Or, it might take you south on 1 to Pier Ave. Either will work and in each case go south to pole 6. Grand is easier to find but you spend more time driving 15 MPH on the beach. I prefer the Grand Ave entrance myself.
- I typically air down as soon as I pass through the ranger shack and recommend 12-15 PSI. You don't have to do so right away if you don't want to, by the break line the sand is hard packed, but a heavily loaded vehicle on stockish tires can have issues once you leave the hard pack.
- Where to camp? Just south of Pole 6. We typically look for a place just above the high tide line far enough but not too far from the restrooms. Closer to the water is generally better than the dunes since waves are nicer to listen to than engines.
- If people are coming in at night, we have our comm channels and cell phones to help guide you in.
- This is probably my kid's favorite trip of the year. It is fun for the whole family.
- Firewood is available on the way to and on the beach, no need to bring it and typically it is better to buy locally anyway. You can also buy water and other things from beach roving vendors.
- Flags are required! I zip tie mine on to my front bumper. They can also be purchased on the beach if you forget yours or just don't have one.
- We are next to the ocean so it can be cold at night. It can sunny and calm, sunny and windy, foggy at times, so read the weather report and plan accordingly.
- Vehicles are usually used as wind breaks and so when setting up that is something to keep in your camping strategy. If we end up with a good turn out we might make a wagon circle which is nice for creating a place for the kids to play.
As we get closer maybe we can plan some potluck grub and the likes. It is now closer and here is a proposed plan...
Rough Meal Plan / schedule:
Friday: Explore and try to get the lay of the land, find a few cool places to visit. I have a bad sense of direction and can get all turned around in the dunes so need a refresher.
Friday night: Easy grillings, burgers/dogs
Saturday day: Likely lunch in the dunes somewhere, so basically whatever one wants to pack and carry. I plan to find the sand drags where we can have the first annual B&T Sand Drags where we will race by class:
- FJ40's and 60's, 80's with 2fs.
- FZY-80's
- 100's
- 200's
Next we will explore and find a cool jump. Video's will happen.
Saturday afternoon: Folks can make their way back to camp anytime really. I figure head back around 3-4ish for chilling out with food and beers but there is no fixed schedule. You can wheel until you run out of gas if you want.
Saturday night: Anyone up for sponsoring a main dish? Otherwise possible movie night, on the fence there, beers around the camp fire, general good times.
Sunday: Breakfast and break camp.
Head count thus far:
- Elripster + dog, possibly + 1 + 3 kids
- Tyler + 1 + dogs
- Surfnoverland
- Justin Zwick
- Two Buck - In
- Mogwai - ???
Frank
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and everything.
