Backpacking Point Reyes with Spenser and Holly

Your mom and I got quite bold and agreed to a backpacking adventure with our friends Holly and Spenser. They lent us some good equipment, including a tent and some nice sleeping pads, and we invested in some decent sleeping bags. We'd been camping, sure, but this was the type of thing where you had to trek a long way from your car to a campsite and fit everything you'd need for the whole weekend on your back! Thankfully this is something Spenser and Holly do regularly, so they showed us the ropes.

The entirety of our supplies for the weekend. I was honestly intimidated by the prospect, but it was also thrilling in an adventurous kind of way. 

Our last taste of civilization for the weekend was in Point Reyes Station, where we got Bovine Bakery goods and some coffee before heading into the woods. The nearby giftshop and market, Toby's, has a resident cat named Gemma who decided to join us. The chill was setting in and a warm kitty on the lap reminded me of home and made for a wonderful treat. 

We picked up the camping permits at the visitor center, a place we'd never visited in all of our time in Point Reyes National Seashore. Inside were some really nicely done animal and nature dioramas! 

We parked the car at the trailhead and made our way. The first mile or so was uphill, and as we got used to our loaded backpacks, I started to get a sense of what we were getting into! Here goes nothing... 

The trails has quite a few big ol' slugs slipping slowly around. We had to keep an eye out for them to make sure we didn't squish them on the hikes. 

Nearing the campsite, we were ready to get the packs off our back and settle in. 

Thanks to our Fridays off, we were the first to arrive, so we took our time getting set up and having a dinner. The dehydrated food packs we got from REI really hit the spot out there! 

Your mom took this incredible photo of the sun setting from the nearby campsite. The quiet set in, and we awaited the arrival of Spenser and Holly and a few others of their friends who do this type of thing. They trickled in, set up tents, and we huddled around the picnic table and gabbed the night away. 

Sky Camp #4 was our spot. The next morning was chilly and damp, and we knew there was a good chance we'd get rained on, eventually.

We planned the day hike, making our way from the campsite to the beach and looping back. 

The pros. Spenser and Holly made this possible for us and we were really grateful. We learned a lot and can now saw we have legitimately backpacked. 

As we set off in the morning, we ran across a park ranger checking things out on her horse. She asked us to make a mental tally of the downed trees, and it turned out there were a lot! Some parts of the trail required some pretty sneaky moves to get by. California has been getting stormed on a lot lately, and the evidence was clear. 

The air was cold but we stayed warm as we hiked up and down the hills. The landscape was ever-changing, too, and it was a peaceful walk. 

It was iris season on the trail! 

We made it to the beach! We kicked off our shoes, had some lunch (more yummy dehydrated goodness), and enjoyed the scenery. 

But of course! : ) 

Your mom and water have always had a special connection. She feels it strongly, every time. 

The views of the coastline on the way back were splendid. We were outrunning the rain, but we got enough time to relish the sights. 

The wind picked up as we were getting chased by rain clouds. The atmosphere of it all was breathtaking. 

We stayed dry on the hike back, and the fog set in, making for some wonderful views. It got quieter, too, and a bit eerie. 

A misty trail... 

We made it back to camp and the clouds started to open up. We were beat from the hike, so your mom and I eventually cuddled up in the tent early in the evening and stayed in there until the morning listening to rain plop on the outside of the tent. 

We'd done it! I felt pretty accomplished, actually. We trekked back to the trailhead where our car was probably feeling abandoned.  

That morning was gorgeous. Wintertime and early Spring in California is fantastic.