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| Messages 1 - 29 of total 29 in this topic |
skitch
climber
East of Heaven
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Topic Author's Original Post - Jun 26, 2012 - 12:08pm PT
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I have to make a trip to the big city in the next few weeks for some fingerprinting (federal job BS). I figured if I have to miss a day of work I might as well miss two! So my plan is to get the fingerprinting done in the bay area, then hang out on the coast to do some surfing. I need to be able to rent a board and a wetsuit (YEAH FOR OTHER PEOPLES PISS!), and be able to camp out somewhere. I would love to find a camping area that has a river nearby, or showers and doesn't cost a lot. Also the surfing needs to be good for beginners (I love it but I SUCK!).
Thanks for the help on this very non-climbing related subject.
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ontheedgeandscaredtodeath
Trad climber
San Francisco, Ca
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Jun 26, 2012 - 12:25pm PT
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The state park at Half Moon Bay is nice, but is $35 a night. The campground has showers and the break just south of the jetty is super mellow. You can also surf right at the campground.
You can camp on the beach in Bolinas for free if you don't mind a slight homeless vibe. I'm not sure if it's legal but people do it all the time. The surf there is super chill. No river or showers so you would have to stew in the rental wetsuit piss.
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Chaz
Trad climber
greater Boss Angeles area
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Jun 26, 2012 - 12:35pm PT
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$35 a night?
You can stay at the nicest Motel 6 ever built - the one in San Simeon - for not much more than that.
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canyoncat
Social climber
SoCal
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Jun 26, 2012 - 12:38pm PT
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Really? Motel 6's in LA are $69-$80 a night.
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squishy
Mountain climber
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Jun 26, 2012 - 12:45pm PT
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there's some good campsites in Big Sur for much less.
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Gunkie
Trad climber
East Coast US
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Jun 26, 2012 - 12:52pm PT
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Bolinas...
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k-man
Gym climber
SCruz
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Jun 26, 2012 - 01:00pm PT
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That's not the smell of pee in that guy's wetsuit ...
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~kief~
Trad climber
state of Awakening
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Jun 26, 2012 - 01:12pm PT
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pismo,
drive right on the beach $5 a night
weekends are crazy
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skitch
climber
East of Heaven
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Topic Author's Reply - Jun 26, 2012 - 01:18pm PT
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Any suggestions on less crowded areas near a decent rental shop?
Any experience with Xcel wetsuits? I'm 6'4" 195 lbs, according to the Xcel fit guide they don't make a suit that fits me, but I'm an inch over on the LT. Is a 3/4 good for norcal summers, (maybe 4/3 would cover the few times I might be able to make spring/fall trips)? Do you guys wear booties and gloves this far south?
I have a 6/5/4 Hotline sitting in Tillamook Oregon, it was a little loose in the chest, cause I'm a scrawny-no-chested rocks climber.
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ontheedgeandscaredtodeath
Trad climber
San Francisco, Ca
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Jun 26, 2012 - 01:47pm PT
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Are you going to SF? How far do you want to drive north or south?
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skitch
climber
East of Heaven
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Topic Author's Reply - Jun 26, 2012 - 01:50pm PT
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I'm planning on going to San Fran, I'm also willing to drive an hour or two north or south. I looked at hotels in the santa cruz area, I ain't rich.
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nutjob
Gym climber
Berkeley, CA
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Jun 26, 2012 - 01:53pm PT
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I grew up just south of Big Sur, and 4/3 wetsuit was the typical comfy thickness, and lots of people had 3/2. When we were kids we just suffered without wetsuits and came out when we couldn't stop shaking and our lips turned blue.
Lots of paid campgrounds or free low-profile camping along Big Sur coast.
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Chaz
Trad climber
greater Boss Angeles area
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Jun 26, 2012 - 01:54pm PT
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Hostels International.
Stay HERE for $25:
http://norcalhostels.org/pigeon/
I think there's another hostel at the Point Montara Lighthouse, too That one would put you closer to San Francisco.
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ontheedgeandscaredtodeath
Trad climber
San Francisco, Ca
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Jun 26, 2012 - 02:00pm PT
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Cowells in Santa Cruz is a good beginner spot. Also the beach breaks on the east side would not be crazy crowded. There are campgrounds there but as Chaz points out you can almost just get a hotel for what state parks charge.
Here is some more info-
http://www.surfline.com/travel/index.cfm?id=2923
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skitch
climber
East of Heaven
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Topic Author's Reply - Jun 26, 2012 - 02:04pm PT
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I'm bringing my wife, so a hostel is out of the question ($25/per night/person!). Where's the bishop of surfing? Mexico?
I just looked at the Surfline info on Santa Cruz, claims that there won't be any waves. Hopefully it means there won't be any big waves??? In Oregon we regularly had decent waves in the summer, as long as we got up at 4 am before the goddam wind started blowing onshore.
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ontheedgeandscaredtodeath
Trad climber
San Francisco, Ca
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Jun 26, 2012 - 02:18pm PT
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There will be waves, but on the small side. The bay area is expensive and it's tourist season so you will either drive or pay...
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skitch
climber
East of Heaven
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Topic Author's Reply - Jun 26, 2012 - 02:26pm PT
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Have you ever tried camping in Monterrey national forest? They have non-reserveable campsites, what do you think the likely hood of finding a site thursday night might be? Any other suggestions for semi-reasonable camping areas ($35 is ridiculous unless I can eat the squirrels).
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kev
climber
A pile of dirt.
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Jun 26, 2012 - 05:08pm PT
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Sadly the 'management' of many of the campgrounds is Los Padres are now
subcontracted out to a company (I forget the name). When they did this they jacked up the rates and hired some of the finest individuals (read as sarcasm). It's not the typical campground host experience that one runs into in the Sierras. The one just outside of Morro Bay is one such example. I'd highly recommend avoiding them. There is free camping to be had up in there if you hunt around a bit. Get a quad map and you can find plenty of spots. Depending on the specific spot, camping on HWY 1 is ok if you're very low key and sleeping in your rig but in many spots it's still technically illegal.
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Norwegian
Trad climber
Placerville, California
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Jun 26, 2012 - 05:14pm PT
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throw up a curtain in your
rig
and bivy for free.
i don't understand why people pay to sleep.
i used to fly up to the peninsula
regularly for a project out in bremerton, wa.
my company gave me coin for lodging,
i bought climbing gear
and slept among the ferns or in my rental car.
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Friedo
Trad climber
South Lake Tahoe
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Jun 26, 2012 - 06:40pm PT
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There's a state park north of Big Sur that used to be free. No running water though. You can buy a 3 gallon jug and have water for the day/nigh though. Can't remember the name of the park, but I think the long, twisty winding road was called Palos Colorado rd...
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Robes
Trad climber
Truckee CA
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Jun 26, 2012 - 06:57pm PT
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Tennesee Valley in Mill Valley has primitive, free camping. there are also places in golden gate recreation area. Don't know all the ins and outs...
http://www.nps.gov/goga/planyourvisit/tennessee_valley.htm
Also some camping up at the pantoll campground on Mt. Tam.
You can rent boards at the surf shop in Mill Valley and the surf is pretty decent and acceptable for a beginner at Rodeo beach (chronkite) on Marin Headlands.
hope this helps...
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paul roehl
Boulder climber
california
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Jun 26, 2012 - 07:02pm PT
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Easiest thing is to stay at Molera just north of Big Sur State Park. The walk in campground at Molera is inexpensive and almost always nearly empty. No showers but you can drive down to Big Sur State Park and shower there for 75 cents... take quarters. It's easy to enjoy the hot tub at Ventana Lodge as well, just park in the parking lot, act like you own the place and walk right in. Molera has a pretty decent break and the beach there is nothing less than spectacular.
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HighTraverse
Trad climber
Bay Area
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Jun 26, 2012 - 09:19pm PT
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Free and legal camping on the coast. Nope.
Big Basin state park has decent campsites in old growth redwoods. 45 min from Santa Cruz.
Family Camps: $35.00 Plus $10.00 per day for your car.
So that's up to $45 now.
http://www.bigbasin.org/fees.html
Henry Cowell state park is just up the hill from Santa Cruz. Closer than Big Basin
Their camping details aren't on the website. Try calling
call (800) 444-7275 or visit www.parks.ca.gov
Castle Rock State Park is an hour from Santa Cruz. Has primitive campsites (bring your own water).
And great great bouldering!
Call for camping info
(408) 867-2952 First-come first-served camping, contact the park directly for information. There's a little known Castle Rock camping area at Waterman Gap (Hwys 9 and 236). I seldom see cars parked there.
The main campground is in a canyon off Skyline Blvd and is about a 30 minute walk from the car. You HAVE to have your car parked before sundown. They lock the gate.
Portola Redwoods state park has very nice campgrounds in the Redwoods.
Require reservations
(650) 948-9098 About 90 minutes from Santa Cruz.
Sanborn County Park has decent walkin campsites. About 90 minutes from Santa Cruz
Mt Madonna County Park has plenty of so-so campsites. about an hour from Santa Cruz.
Reservations for all Santa Clara County parks here
https://gooutsideandplay.org
If you're here early in the week (Sun-Mon-Tues-Wed nights) you can probably get campsite at any of these places.
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kev
climber
A pile of dirt.
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Jun 27, 2012 - 12:10am PT
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Nice shot of the surfer and the mammal - it's a dolphin.
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HighTraverse
Trad climber
Bay Area
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Jun 27, 2012 - 01:23pm PT
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and have snapped up your potential sites months in advance anyway thanks to the online reservation systems. Not true.
Before I posted yesterday, I checked the Sanborn Park campsites (since I could do it online) and they have PLENTY for the week after July 4.
As I mentioned, I don't think the Castle Rock trail camp at Waterman Gap gets much usage. 10 minute walk from the car.
skitch didn't say when he's coming out here so I couldn't be more specific.
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Chaz
Trad climber
greater Boss Angeles area
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Forty-nine bucks a night! ( + $10 or $15 for a dog fee )
Across the street from the ocean.
http://www.silversurfmotel.com/index.html
I don't understand why rooms in San Simeon are so innexpensive. Maybe because there are so few places to eat there.
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HighTraverse
Trad climber
Bay Area
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Another option I discovered this weekend is "Memorial Park" run by San Mateo County, in the redwoods 6 miles from the ocean behind Pescadero.
Don't know the rates or how early in advance you have to reserve.
Primarily family camping. I got the distinct impression that rowdiness or late partying would Not Be A Good Idea.
Oh yea, while I'm at it. Jebus, I wasn't trying to invalidate your experience. I was stating the fact for skitch that as of that time, sites were available.
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JOEY.F
Gym climber
It's not rocket surgery
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Anything@$20. A night ?...orless, near sfo?
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| Messages 1 - 29 of total 29 in this topic |
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