Before I get to my California summer adventures, how do you like my new sunglasses?

Since I was hoping to go back to the Caribbean beaches of the Riviera Maya I just couldn’t bear to wear the same glasses from last year.  I needed to CHANGE IT UP,  you know… be fresh.  Besides, I knew that my fans and the beach paparazzi would expect more from me.  So I started shopping around.

I considered the Louis Vuitton Evasions ($1200) and I really loved the Chrome Hearts Kuffannaws ($1350).  I checked out the Moss Lipows ($3800),  but I thought the Bentley Platinums were ridiculously overpriced!

Bentley Platinum $45,276.

But when my humans saw the price tags they told me in no uncertain terms, “if you want new glasses, you’re going to have to pay for them”.

What? I have no income!  But being the resourceful glamper that I am, I searched the internet and found the perfect job!  Camp hosting at the Little Bear RV Park in Blairsden, CA.

© 2013 Richard Broadwell

It was an easy job for me, all I had to do was greet the guests when they arrived.  But my opposable thumb slaves had to do all the real work.  Haha, I think I got my humans good!

Little Bear is a gem of a RV Park, lovingly cared for by its owner Todd, and located just an hour north of Lake Tahoe in the beautiful Sierra Nevada Mountains.  The Lakes Basin Recreation Area nearby has 30 gorgeous alpine lakes within a 10 mile radius.

Our first weekend camping trip was almost a disaster.  We decided to check out Lower Bucks Lake.  The entrance sign said “self contained RV’s only” so we thought it was safe to go in without a pre-check.  Classic mistake!  We inched out way down the narrow road and every site was taken by a tent camper.  It wasn’t until the end of the road that we realized there was not going to be room to turn around.  Backing all the way out was not an option.  AHHHH!

My humans debated and debated but it was me who finally came up with the best plan.  We backed the trailer up a hillside at a 90 degree angle, then unhooked the truck and brought it around to the other side, re-hooked and managed to squeeze ourselves out of there!  Pheww! Crisis averted.

Safely back on the main road we drove a bit further to the next campground, Sundew.  There was plenty of room and we got the best site there.

© 2013 Richard Broadwell

I loved just chilling and looking at the view.

© 2013 Richard Broadwell

A few weeks later though we did stay at Lower Bucks Lake, this time pre-scouting and finding the very first spot open, which once we backed in, was an easy pullout a few days later.

Our view at Lower Bucks Lake!

© 2013 Richard Broadwell

In the Lakes Basin Area our favorite spot was Lower Sardine Lake

© 2013 Richard Broadwell

The fishing was wonderful!  Our friends, Rob and Peri, caught more than they could keep.

© 2013 Richard Broadwell

The town of Graeagle was only 2 miles away, and boy do they take their July 4th festivities very seriously!  There were barn dances, and parades, and fireworks.

© 2013 Richard Broadwell

© 2013 Richard Broadwell

© 2013 Richard Broadwell

The Mill Pond in town was my favorite hangout.

And I liked to visit Chief Graeagle.

I never saw a bear but I did make some other friends.

© 2013 Richard Broadwell

© 2013 Richard Broadwell

Another favorite, Upper Sardine Lake.

© 2013 Richard Broadwell

We took a trip north through Lassen Volcanic National Park to Mount Shasta

© 2013 Richard Broadwell

Because the fishing was so good my human eventually forgave me for making him work so hard all summer.

And we loved the Plumas County Barn Quilt Trail.

© 2013 Richard Broadwell

© 2013 Richard Broadwell

© 2013 Richard Broadwell

© 2013 Richard Broadwell

Here are some of our favorite guests at Little Bear, The Trailerettes!

But the best part of the summer was getting to hang out with my fellow Airstreamer and homie, Sparky and his humans!  We had so much fun together, you can check out his blog at Tranquillatime.blogspot.com.  Very soon he’ll be sailing to the West Coast of Mexico from California and you can follow his aquatic adventures at Sveltiburon.blogspot.com

By the end of the summer I realized I didn’t really need a fancy designer pair of sunglasses.  So I went to Pet Smart and bought a practical pair of K9 Sunglasses, you could say they were custom made just for me.  See the straps?

© 2013 Richard Broadwell

Now when I get up to greet my fans on the beach, they don’t fall off!  Looking good, huh?

© 2013 Richard Broadwell

It’s our third year wintering south of the border in Mexico so please stayed tuned for some new adventures.  Oh, and I’m going to learn Spanish this year!

Coming up Next:  The Colonial Towns of San Miguel Allende, Puebla and Cholula