2022: Idyllwild

After driving up the windy road to get there, we ended up in the small town of Idyllwild. We checked into our hotel, and after unpacking, went to hit the town. Due to COVID, many buildings were either vacant or recently opened. The townsfolk were all very nice, and we spent several hours walking around. We met the gas station owner, who recommended that we get some milk and cookies to enjoy in the cool weather. We stayed outside until late at night and hung out in the newly built park.



Although the timeline is foggy, at some point, we met Leatherman Mike, whom we nicknamed Killer Mike. He was a little standoffish at first, but after some great conversation, he opened up about his past. We departed after talking to him about his tepee tent and all the secret fishing holes hidden throughout the mountains. I wish I still had the locations.


An example of our wonderful meals

On the second night, we decided to walk down Strawberry Creek from the bridge. It was getting dark, but it was still quite clear. After making it past the many homes, sneaking through the brush and hoping we wouldn’t stumble into a bad situation, we made it to a dirt path. It was pitch black out. The path had no “No Trespassing" signs, so we decided to walk along it. We saw some lights coming towards us, and by that point, we had already been seen. As they came closer, we got a smile and a wave; they were Boy Scouts.

Soon after walking past them came the real test, a group of about 20-30, all coming down the hill. Instead of going off to the side, we decided to go straight through the crowd and pass right by them. One scout stopped and asked us where the Cracker Barrel was, We said we weren’t sure and kept moving. Armed with this new information, we ended up talking to one of the scouts and asked him where the Cracker Barrel was. By the main building.

After using the restroom and exploring the campsite, we went to the main building. After posting up and blending in by talking at one of the tables, we checked out the Cracker Barrel. The entire event building was packed, and many of the scouts were dancing. After getting bored, we decided just to walk out the main gate. I went to sleep early that night after feeling like throwing up. The following morning, we headed out.