Caples Lake

Caples Lake is on Highway 88 or Carson Pass. We stayed at Caples Campground. I have also seen it as Twin Lakes Campground which makes no sense. Near the lake, but also near the highway.

Sportsmobile camping works well in that it is no big deal to break camp. We spent the day at the day use area. So it costs five bucks. Everyone else is at the side of the highway so it was vacant. The day use area has water, picnic tables, bathrooms and a boat ramp. We could park right up against the water.

The Resort directly across from the campground was $15 day use and no dogs leash or not. Alone at the day use area we got away with murder.

The kayaking is awesome.

Somewhere I read I could ride my bicycle to Lake Margaret. The sign said bicycles allowed, but the trail was too rocky for me. I should have left it on the car. However what a sweet trail!

The worlds longest tongue?

I did a little motorcycling. There is a trail that goes from Caples Lake Maintenance station all the way to Highway 50. I went a little ways and saw some great views. 

Interesting was how much boon docking there was along this road. There were fire pits, but I saw a sign no fires allowed.

One thing I have been scouting are campgrounds listed as tent only. With the Sportsmobile it seems I can go there, but am I allowed? Well there was one I saw on the up to Saddleback Lake that I could not use. The parking was all in one place and one walked a quarter mile to the campground. Kirkwood Lake was one I could park and I may park. It was a tight little area but the host was fine with us camping there. We also drove to Lower Blue Lake tent only and there were plenty of RVs there. Many camp sites right on the lake. However the place was full. More campgrounds were up the dirt road at Upper Blue Lake and lots of boon dockers along Hope Valley.

Window black out

It is hot and I made sunshades for all windows from Reflectix or silver bubble rap as I call it. To my surprise I was able to effectively black out the windows.

I hope I will never again be so cheap as to ovoid campgrounds or sleep in neighborhoods, but there was a time. Never was I able to so effectively black out windows this well.

In the back windows the reflectix slips between the window and the trim. Absolutely no light comes in or out.

The side window are similar. The Reflectix gets squashed between the window and the sill when closed. Again it is perfect except the slot for the mechanism. A small piece slipped up from the bottom solves the problem.

The big bay window has a sill all the way around. I only had to move the bottom of the curtain a bit to make room to slip the Reflectix between it. Amazing this worked too. I have a similar smaller window over the counter.

The drivers side window was not so perfect. But most sides are just pinched in the door. Only at the bottom is there light and if one is careful it can be sealed. A piece of tape can take care of it too.

The front window I thought would be impossible, but with careful cutting the only leak is at the vin number plate.  The rear view mirror comes off easily so no slits were necessary.