well off the beathen path

Mammoth Pool Reservoir Originally uploaded by danamight Dreaming of 90 degrees and sunshine? Sick of June Gloom on the coast? Will the California mountain thunderstorms last into July? Is global warming causing season shifts & more erratic weather patterns? And what are you gonna do about it?  enjoy it while you can Who wants to play on the lake? This weekend, or next? MAMMOTH, California two Mammoths in Cali? MAMMOTH POOL RESERVOIR is a virtually unknown recreation lake, way, way back there in Sierra NF; campground and boat launch ramp on a steep dirt road; located on the western slopes of the Sierra Nevada mountains, due south of Yosemite National Park. MAMMOTH LAKES, CA  this is the well known ski mountain and upscale (bankrupt) village in the Eastern Sierra, north of Bishop, CA and south of Yosemite National Park. Fishing on Lake Mary near Mammoth Lake, California

Imagine trying to "close" the largest State Park, the 600,000-acre Anza-Borrego Desert in San Diego County? yeah right Split Mountain is a must see. Anza Borrego Desert State Park State government budget cuts? How many State Parks are closed in California now? Which ones? Take action -- Californian for the Outdoors

Ward Lake Originally uploaded by danamight This is one of those places you drive by once, looking at the scene, you say ONE DAY. I gotta get back to this spot. Well, this is the day that you start the plans to make it happen. seriously dude No more procrastinating, no more excuses, no more weekends a wasted. This alpine paradise is just up the road a piece from Fresno, of all places. Yes, you read right - Fresno, that smoggy, scarey Central Valley mecca in the middle of California. From Highway 99, find Hwy 168 & head due East into the mighty Sierra Nevada. This epic outdoor recreation area is just south of Yosemite National Park. After climbing in elevation, thru oak foothills and pines, passing Shaver Lake and continuing on past Tamarack. When you are near Huntington Lake, hang a hard right up the Kaiser Pass (a windy steep paved back road) and just keep on going toward Florence Lake. Ward Lake is a small lake on the way and you may miss it, if you blink. This adventure ...

A fair amount of last minute inquiries on this upcoming Utah trip. 3 Cali girls meeting up w/ 'hippy from the beach' Jan & 'mister white trash' Ardell way out in Moab, Utah. California group meets FRIDAY night; depart Tejon Pass/I-5 SAT May 9th AM. Please post inquiries regarding this MAY UTAH CAMP excursion here. 8 nights camping back roads of Utah drive your own rig on dirt roads; 4x4 not required. ZION, Bryce, Gobblins and Moab..... UTAH CAMPING PHOTOS back roads, off roading, hiking, all over next weekend. yep, we know you wanna go.

Owl's Clover Wildlfower Originally uploaded by danamight This photo is the mighty AV, the Antelope Valley @ Hwy 138 - with the best bloom I've seen in quite a while. Purple Owl's Clover flowers are sprouting up near 110th & the power lines. The hills all around Fairmont Butte are yellow. Poppies can be found all over. The show is best outside of the Poppy Preserve, so save your cash & head off road. Bring a picnic & a camera for a full day of fun in the sun. Wind can be an issue here, so check the weather forecast. Gorman wildflowers are getting some more rain tonight & will be peaking later this month (April). Upper Klipstein Canyon via Cerro Noroeste or Hwy 166 is also going off with color. This looks to be an excellent year for all California wildflowers, so do not delay. Plan your road trip soon!

wild wood ED020 Originally uploaded by The Wildebeest Wowwie... Los Angeles area hikes, off the beaten path. This waterfall is near Thousand Oaks, CA. A great outdoorsy find for those looking to escape the traffic, smog & malls.

Yeah, I know you've heard it. America is in a recession or a depression. But that doesn't stop you from wanting to travel. Needing to get away from your daily grind. Can you expect to escape your hurried life for a weekend, for under $100? What bout a $200 limit? No seriously. You would spend that much or more just staying home & hanging out in the city. Really! Think about it. Shopping, dinner at a restaurant, coffee afterwards, or a concert, some drinks during, plus the parking. It adds up super fast as you already know. Total Escape web site traffic is WAY up -- 50% from last winter, cuz people are realizing they gotta travel locally & inexpensively. This goes for the maps store at the dot net & our main site at dot com . DanaMite has the ideas for cheap road trips all over the golden state. Thanks goes to all the newcomers & the avid Escapers. The new residents in Cali, the transplants, the native, the locals, anyone who uses Total Escape on a regul...