Big Bear Lake, CA

Our first day at Big Bear Lake's Serrano Campground started yesterday, with a trip to Whole Foods in LA for provisions that will carry us down the road, starting with duck liver pate on whole grain with olives and banana. It feels like it's 100 degrees outside and there's no air in the Ford.

Just 100 miles outside LA, but a different world altogether. Getting to Big Bear Lake's ultimate 7000-foot elevation requires navigating some twisty roads. Can you smell the pine air, cooler by the elevated foot?

Finally nestled in the San Bernardino National Forest, it's time to unpack, re-pack, and organize.

You know you're camping when:

you have a single skillet for eggs, bacon, and shitake

and

you use the leftover olive oil from oiling the washed skillet on your legs

Art echoes Big Bear Solar Observatory, which judging from this link could take greater advantage of this teaching moment. Fractal-like solar granules as large as the state of Maine, which are actually mini granules?

Walked to the marina store for ice. Do they all look like some version of this?

Cooler maintenance is Job 1 around here. Actually, truck maintenance is, but cooler maintenance comes in a close second.

Art's looking particularly fashionable in his koi shirt, a gift from Bruce before we left. Those fish look as good on a shirt as they do on a sidewalk. I haven't broken out my matching one, but I will...