Lake Casitas

We have been trying our best to get in as much camping we can and experience all the different landscapes that California has to offer which brings us to our latest excursion at Lake Casitas! Originally created in 1958 as a water reservoir for residents and farmers in Ventura County, it also makes a great destination for recreation and camping.

We arrived just after sunset and took whatever campsite was available so we could set-up before it got too dark. We decided to get up early the next day to scope out a better campsite by the lake and after a lengthy bike ride we found our ideal spot

As you can see we also took advantage of the trees to set up our hammock which was a welcome place to relax in the heat. I read that the lake was at 65% elevation so many sites that would normally be next to the water were dry and we were fortunate to have a view of the lake.

We found it odd that although boating and fishing was permitted on the lake, swimming (or any bodily contact) was not allowed as it is a drinking water supply. I guess gasoline and oil is healthier to drink than human fluids?? Here are some close-ups of the lake as we went exploring

The campground itself was huge with over 400 sites ranging from simple tent areas to executive full hook-up RV sites. There were also nice facilities such as: an area for flying model airplanes with a paved landing strip, a large and challenging disc golf course, and a fully stocked camp store. The other interesting feature of this campground was the Water Adventure Park featuring tube slides and waterfalls for kids as well as a lazy river for everyone. I guess too many people complained about not being able to swim in the lake.....It had a $12 admission fee so we decided it wasn't hot enough to pay that price. Back at our campsite it was time to get dinner ready:

We were able to use our first tomato that was grown in our little garden at home. Supposed to be a beefsteak tomato...maybe the next ones will grow a bit bigger, still delicious though.

And of course we enjoyed some marshmallow action

As this was a tent site we performed a better test of the solar panel. I purposefully had the radio on for almost the entire day (at a low volume) as well as charging the laptop/phones/iPad with the inverter. The 80 watt panel easily kept our battery at full charge all day long even with the nearby trees causing partial shade. Still amazed and impressed with the idea of "free" power actually working and look forward to more primitive camping in the future.

Overall another relaxing and fun trip, we look forward to new adventures yet to come