china camp

A few weeks ago we took a risk and packed our camping gear without a reservation.  Luckily there was one open site at China Camp, right across the Golden Gate Bridge!  This big guy (I assume he was a guy based on his deep bark) was watching over the campground check-in for his owners.  I thought it was a hilarious sight to see his authoritative looking stare over the counter.  He looks so human like!

The China Camp area, like most places, did not have dog friendly hiking trails.  It's okay though.  We went on a photo excursion along the side of the road.  Papa enjoyed the opportunity to learn more about the different settings on his camera.

Later Papa and I improvised and scrambled up the side of a hill to get a better view of the bay.  Coincidentally... the hill had a trail on it.  :)  There was lots of beautiful marsh areas with really interesting curvy lines.  And, we came right around the time of year when this weird orange stuff grows on the plants giving the landscape a bright tinge.

Here's Dash back at our camp site helping Papa set up the camera for more practice shots.  Of course, our mini Aussie kept making circles around the tripod with his leash and tangling himself around the legs.

Even with the delays Dash caused, we still got some fun night shots...  Not to mention the funny midnight intruder story that happened later that night!  LOL

midnight intruder

Last night Papa and I went camping at China Camp near San Rafael.  Our mini Aussie was snuggled up in the tent with us and we were fast asleep by 10:00 pm.  Then at 2:30 am he jolted awake!

Dash sat straight up all of a sudden, and of course since he was sleeping on the bottom half of my sleeping bag, I was snapped out of my slumber too.  His eyes were large and darting back and forth.  Then it seemed like he focused in on one direction.  I strained my ears to hear what he was hearing, but there was just silence.

Grrrrrr..... What?!?  Dash was growling into the darkness.  He never growls at anything!  Papa woke up at this point and asked what was going on.  We both tried to listen carefully for the footsteps of raccoons, or something, anything recognizable.  Grrrr.....  Our mini Aussie was protecting us from something out there, but not knowing what was the creepiest part.

Then I heard it!  A very faint grunt.  Or sort of like a snort?  It was coming from the exact direction Dash was staring at.  After a few seconds of silence, another loud snuff.  I was straining to hear the creature's footsteps, but it was silent.  This made me think it was a mountain lion or a bobcat, since cats can slink along pretty quietly.  At this point Papa had heard it too.

All three of us were sitting in the dark focusing on this one direction.  Dash kept growling.  Then I thought I heard the creature start growling back!  It was a quick, short growl at first.  Then it sounded like it was really growling back at Dash, taking a breath then growling again.  Holy moly what is out there?!?

Oh wait.  Methodical growling sounds, with breaths in between, from a fixed location, and no footstep sounds....  "Someone is snoring." Papa concluded.  LOL!!!  Yup.  After listening for a few more seconds, it was just someone snoring.  Thanks for saving us, Dash!