Almost Trailside: A True Story (9 page)

The new Layton travel trailer was much heavier than our previous little travel trailer but our big Ford station wagon’s strong V-8 engine pulled the new travel trailer with ease through the curving roads of the Santa Cruz Mountains.

It was dark now, but we didn’t care. We were more than happily on our way up into the verdant forests to look for a camping spot.

One of Tommy’s co-workers told him how beautiful
Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park
was, so we decided that would be our destination. In those days, you didn’t need a reservation to enter and camp in the State Parks. All you had to do was show up.

We had ever been to Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park before so it was a little difficult to locate. An hour later and an hour darker out, we found the sign that led off of the highway to the Park’s entrance. Slowly we drove the short roadway and pulled to a stop at the ranger station.

H
enry Cowell Redwoods State Park, created in 1954, is located 80 miles south of San Francisco in Santa Cruz County on highway 9, between the cities of Santa Cruz and Scotts Valley in the Santa Cruz Mountains near Felton and the University of California at Santa Cruz. This well-liked area often attracts vacationing families, campers, hikers, birdwatchers, and nature lovers because of its majestic redwood forests, view points, lush scenery, fishing, and over 15 miles of walking and hiking trails which are horse-and-dog-friendly. The beautiful Park has a nature center, bookstore, and visitor center open year-round to the public
.

W
ho was Henry Cowell? In 1849 Henry Cowell, at age 30, left his wealthy family in Massachusetts when the lure of gold and beautiful weather drew the adventurous to California. Henry settled in the beautiful Santa Cruz area and worked hard, growing his empire to include large land holdings, ranches, and limestone deposits, from San Luis Obispo to Washington State. He bought ships and established a cement trade with Belgium. By 1899 he owned 10,000 acres of land. His youngest son, Harry was the last link in the Cowell family line. In his will, in 1954, he saw to it that 21 faithful employees were provided for and gave the rest of the money for the public good, estimated to be over $14 million. Some recipients from the Cowell Estate were; the University of California at Santa Cruz (site of the former Cowell Ranch), a large addition to Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park, Mills College in Oakland, Stanford University in Palo Alto, and the Academy of Sciences in San Francisco
.

A good-looking clean cut uniformed ranger stood post at the gate and welcomed us. He gave us a map and directed us to an assigned campsite. We could see to the right of the ranger station that there were campsites with hook-ups for water, electricity, and sewer. When we asked about camping there the ranger told us that the section was closed.

It was almost 9:00 p.m. The boys were asleep in the back seat of the car curled up under a warm blanket. I was tired, too, but the sheer excitement of our first trip out in our new travel trailer kept me alert.

As we entered Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park in the darkness, the sweet forest smell of mint, pine, and redwood was comforting. The tall looming redwoods and reaching pine trees shaded the moon from lighting our way. It seemed darker than usual in the Park, much darker than in the city.

At turns along the slim roadway our headlights splashed other travel trailers and a few tents scattered among the trees. Most had their lights out. We drove slowly, following the map, looking for our assigned space number until we finally found it. We were glad to get there. I knew the routine and what was coming next. I wasn’t looking forward to it…the parking.

In the quiet darkness, Tommy turned away from the camping spot to position the car and travel trailer. I got out of the car to help him navigate. In past parking experiences with the little travel trailer, it was usually a pretty ugly scene…this night included.

Tommy pulled forward, then backed up a little, then pulled forward, and backed up again. He couldn’t see me in the darkness as I tried to direct him. It was cold and damp in the forest and I was shivering. I
should have had a warmer jacket on. Before long Tommy was swearing because the parking wasn’t going well. He couldn’t get the trailer in the spot just right and he couldn’t see me well enough to guide him. It made me nervous. He was being loud and I was afraid people around us were trying to sleep.

Finally, I asked him for a flashlight. He mumbled and grumbled as he got out of the drivers seat to look for a flashlight in the back of the station wagon. Luckily, he did have one. With the flashlight in hand, I was able to better guide him into position. It seemed like it took an hour to get the travel trailer parked just right, but it was probably only a matter of minutes.

After that, Tommy leveled the travel trailer and hooked up the utilities. Before long we were all happily inside of our new travel trailer with the luxury of forced air heating warming us. While getting ready for bed I made a cup of hot chocolate with a plump marshmallow in it for everyone. It was late and we were all tired. The hot chocolate was soothing and comforting and just what we all needed to relax.

It was nice to brush our teeth and have hot water to wash up with before going to bed just like at home. The Layton was designed well. It was roomy and pleasingly comfortable. At one end, two long bench seats six inches thick covered in a durable heavy weight fabric, pulled together to make an extra large king size bed. Overhead, on each side, a bunk folded down and that’s where the boys slept. This was a nice feature because it kept the dining table and seating area free. There was also a privacy drape that pulled across the sleeping area, if we wanted to use it. The layout was perfect for our family of four.

Once the lights were out and we were all settled in bed, we realized how beyond quiet and dark it was in the campground. Heavy fabric curtains in the trailer with black out thermal backings made it even darker inside. Within minutes we all drifted off into a deep sleep.

Without warning, an unusual sound filled the air interrupting our comfy cozy slumber.
Thump
thump-thump-thump,
thump
thump-thump-thump. The drumming began from a campsite to the rear of us. Tommy and I both opened our eyes. We lay in the darkness, listening and hoping the drumming would stop.
Thump
thump-thump-thump,
thump
thump-thump-thump. The drums grew louder and then the chanting began.

We peeked out of the curtains through the forest trees and bushes toward the huge yellow campfire fifty feet behind us. Dancing bodies moved around the campfire’s glow in rhythm with the drums. It seemed to be an Indian ceremony of some kind but it was too loud and it was too late.

Tommy got up and dressed. “We’re moving to another spot in the Park,” he announced with a yawn.

I bundled the sleepy boys up and tucked them into the back seat of the station wagon, still in their pajamas. I put on a robe, shoes, and a jacket. Tommy unhooked the water, electricity, and sewer connections. We drove to the ranger station hoping the nice ranger could assign us to another campsite. The ranger station was closed.

Tommy drove slowly looking for another c amp site but we couldn’t find one in the section that the ranger assigned to us that was far enough away from of the huge yellow bonfire and the drumming chanting Indians.

Finally, Tommy drove to the closed section next to the ranger station. He easily drove right into one of the many unoccupied spaces. It was a drive through space, which I discovered is the only way to go…no backing up to park! Tommy pulled right into the space stopping next to the hook-ups. It was perfect. While he connected the water, electricity, and sewer again, I got the boys all settled into bed. It was approaching midnight.

The boys each had a special teddy bear that they brought along with them. They got up into their bunks with their teddies and were soon fast asleep, again.

Exhausted, Tommy and I fell into the deep cushions of the travel trailer’s comfortable bed. Before long, I could hear Tommy’s soft snoring. I was drifting off when suddenly Tommy let out a blood curdling scream and a moan that woke every one up and scared all of us. I quickly turned on the light to see what happened. Larry had taken a heavy story book to bed with him. As he slept, the book fell off of his bunk and landed corner down right on Tommy. It was a bull’s eye to the family jewels. I laugh about it now but at the time it wasn’t funny, especially to Tommy. That night we learned that the boys should not take books or hard toys to bed with them when sleeping in the overhead bunks.

After the commotion, we all slept like logs that night in the quiet darkness of the beautiful redwood forest in our little home on wheels.

Chapter VI

M
orning in the Park was sheer tranquility. Slivered ribbons of sunshine pierced through the umbrella of dense forest tree branches that blocked the bright suns view and warmth.

Peeking through the black out curtains that kept the travel trailer dark inside I could see a few travel trailers and campers scattered around the area, but no one parked close to us.

Upon rising to start our day, I opened all of the curtains wide to let in the natural forest light. The travel trailer had very large windows.

It was peaceful and beautiful in the early morning forest. Dew sparkled on the ground like diamond dust. The picnic table outside our door was coated with large clear drops of water. In the distance, I noticed two riders on horse back moving slowly along the edge of the damp leaf-covered road.

A smile pierced my lips. I love horses. I called the boys and Tommy to the window to enjoy the sighting with me. We watched together until the horses and riders disappeared into the forest. Naturally, the boys wanted to go horse back riding. While we didn’t discourage their desire, we told them it was an activity we would investigate and that sometime we would all go horse back riding together. This satisfied them.

For breakfast I enjoyed making French toast with butter and warm syrup, sliced up an apple, and made hot chocolate to drink. Even though it was cold out, Tommy bundled up to cook bacon outside on our small grill he set up on the picnic table. It was our very first meal out camping in our new travel trailer and it was delicious.

After breakfast, the boys slipped into their warm down jackets, pulled on their knit caps, and went outside with their father. I watched them for a while. They were busy finding little forest treasures; pinecones, interesting pieces of bark, rocks, and a few banana slugs. They saw a small lizard run beneath the ferns, but he was too fast for them to catch.

It was a pleasure to do the morning dishes in the warmth of the travel trailer. I was just putting the dishes away when Andy ran into the trailer and told me that Larry got stung by a bee. Tommy was right behind him carrying Larry in. Larry was near the water spigot and a bee stung him on his baby finger. Tommy set Larry down on the long bench seat. I sat next to him to examine his finger for a stinger, but there wasn’t one. I quickly grabbed the bee sting kit that we carried with us and gave him one of the Benadryl pills. That would hold him over in case we had to rush to the hospital emergency room. Larry kept saying that he was fine. He
only had a little red mark on his finger from the bee sting. We sat together for twenty minutes. He didn’t show any signs of having an allergic reaction. This was good. I gave him a kiss, helped him put his jacket back on, and outside he went to join his brother.