Fort Ross Reef Campground (707) 847-3708

In May I decided to start going camping. This was partly inspired by hearing of proposed State Park closures. I live in one of the most stunning places on earth, near the Northern California Coast. My personal fitness training ground includes an old growth redwood forest and miles of beaches and trails. Going farther and spending more time out in nature has provided stress-release, improved fitness, and supports my local State Parks. There's an added benefit, in being more in touch with nature and myself; I've gained an increased sense of self-reliance and peace in my life.

I hadn't been camping in years, but still had my tent. I pressed a yoga mat into service as a camping pad (my 47 year-old body was not amused). I recommend the self-inflating pads -- lightweight for backpacking, and at least they provide some cush under the body's pressure points. Basically, I just assembled what I had. Years ago I picked up a campstove, which is great to have around for power outages (if you have an electric kitchen). It's small, light, and self-ignites. I've been reducing caffeine, but am still disinclined to have to build a fire before getting my morning dose. On the first trip I took my comforter wrapped in a sheet as a sleeping bag. After that I picked up a Coleman bag rated to 30 degrees with a soft lining at Walmart for under $25. (I usually shop small local retailers -- I made an exception due to tight budget).

Due to my passion for coastal driving, I picked Fort Ross as one of my first adventures. The campground has a separate entrance from the fort itself, located 2 miles South of it.

The campsites are located a short drive down from Highway 1; those closest to the entrance are mostly in sight of one another, and the ones farthest in feature a good deal of privacy, some with private drives. You can drive right to your campsite, and park there. All sites have BBQ rings, picnic tables and food lockers. There are a number of bathrooms and faucets throughout the campground, and the beach is very close to the last campsites. It was great to get up in the morning and walk down to the beach.

Please be aware of your own fitness level and abilities. I encountered one very distressed older man who had climbed down some rocks into a little cove and was too overweight and out of shape to get back up. The main problem was he realized he was not in shape to get his body up all those rocks and the steep trail. I carried his tackle box up for him so he'd have both hands free, and encouraged him to stop verbally beating himself up for his predicament and focus on carefully getting himself out of it. He made it, but the situation might easily not have had a happy ending. Refrain from putting yourself into situations you might not be able to get out of. Remember that anything you go down, you might have to climb back up. I usually wear a watch, so I can guage my energy. Watch your footing. On rocks, test each with a bit of weight -- they can shift. Having a buddy is a great idea. At least let people know where you are. Seriously, staying out of trouble in the first place is the best plan.

A great way to prepare for a hiking or camping adventure if you haven't done it in a while is to take walks and start challenging yourself with increasing distances and then add hills and various terrain as you improve. I've taken off over 40 pounds of fat since moving to the North Bay from my urban life in the San Francisco Bay Area. A more physical life has been key. And in mid-life, use it or lose it becomes a valuable credo. Building strength and stamina has radically improved the quality of my life. (See a doctor first, and bear in mind the author is a layperson and I am not intentionally or unintentionally dispensing medical advice, and I bear no responsibility for what you do or don't do after reading this post -- though if only one person reading this gets the urge to create a more active life, this will have been time well-spent).

I visited the Fort Ross Museum and visitor center and learned a lot about the original Russian Settlers -- that was a fascinating stop in itself. I took a walk around the fort, but didn't tour it, as I had previously done so and wanted to spend as much time as possible outdoors. From the fort's grounds, one can see a large cross which marks the settlement's cemetery.

The beach is stunning, with coarse sands, and large rocks. The bluff above has a trail -- best walked in wind-resistant clothing.

By bringing my own groceries, my only expenses for the trip were the camping fees, ($15 a night at this location), and gas.

Happy Trails!

Watch for my forthcoming hubs on China Camp (near San Rafael California), Mt. Tamalpais (also Marin County), and the Marin Headlands.

Fort Ross Reef Campground info and site map:

http://www.parks.ca.gov/pages/449/files/ReefCampgroundmap.pdf

Fort Ross State Historic Park -- Some photos and history:

http://www.fortrossstatepark.org/

Fort Ross State Historic Park Russian Colony: http://www.mcn.org/1/rrparks/fortross/parkinfo.htm

The official California State Parks Site:

http://www.parks.ca.gov/

Many State Parks accept reservations via Reserve America:

http://www.reserveamehrica.com/

I just found a great article on staying warm while camping, for those of us who plan to continue through the fal, courtesy of the Weather Channel -- info on sleeping bags, tents, what to eat, etc.: http://www.weather.com/activities/recreation/outdoors/extreme/sleepwarmintro.html?from=pif_locallinker_undeclared&ref=/weather/extended/USCA0455

While you're exploring body-mind health: Here's an awesome site on neurolinguistic programming by a skilled practioner: http://www.nlpfrontier.com

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