Trailer Park is always the first one up. We have leftovers from the night before, and then I start the Airbnb check-out list: leave it clean, and make sure we have everything we came with. Caleb and I drive up to Table Mountain Campground at 830 to reserve a spot. We pay at North Lodge for what looks like one of the two remaining sites.

I drop Gert and Rachel off at camp so they can set up their tents while I take Ravi back to town so he can find another group to hike out with later (but sooner than us). I’ll drop Trailer Park in town, so he can help Ravi (and they can enjoy a large and amazing breakfast) while Caleb and I go by the National Forest Interpretive Center to find out that the two volunteers know less than he does about which roads are closed.

Apparently, someone is giving out tickets if drivers or hikers are found in a closure area around Wrightwood, so we want to avoid that but also find a way back onto the trail. Caleb sets up our tent, and the four of us go to Grizzly Cafe, where we are seated with the lunch menu as Ravi leaves with Seeker, who is hiking with Greg and Nightcap.

The waitress was sweet to bring me blueberries with my Monte Cristo (closest thing to French toast) when she knew I wanted breakfast. This cafe is also popular with bikers who occupy most of the outside seating (way better than inside). On our way out, Gert and Rachel need stickers and cookies. I take a quarter from the coin tray to operate the moose head on the wall.

We can’t understand him, but the kid’s mom at the bar will record it moving, and it seems like we made their morning. We walk to Mountain Hardware so Rachel can sign the hiker log and talk to two hikers from Denmark who are also looking for a way around the closure. We were headed to the Ruff Around arcade next, but got distracted by the offer of free ice cream at the social (that we didn’t find, even if we could hear the music).

It’s $13 an hour so no one wants to hang out with cats. We walk into the Community Center instead and get Mountain High stickers and I get a red bracelet, “I love to read.” A woman in there suggests the museum so we walk over there. This area is on an earthquake fault and subject to wildfires, hence the heroes who saved the ski resort, a mountain biking station in the summer.

I’m curious to see the old firehouse that remains upstairs. As I climb the carpeted steps I’m transported back to my grandma’s house in the 80s when brown interior was in fashion. The heat quickly removes Caleb, who gets to listen to the docent downstairs (who he and Gert agree is as old as the museum).

She tells them that half the castle arch over the road was removed to fit tour buses from Los Angeles. While they are still listening, I wander outside to see the old mining gear and the inside of a tourist cabin (too much luggage for me). Rachel is on a bench out front catching a nap while Trailer Park is hiding and waiting for us. I start to walk away and soon we are a group again.

We get to North Lodge in the afternoon, missing the grand opening at one of Mountain High’s other locations, where they had giveaways, as the one we passed was closed. Some of us have ice cream (Starburst is better as a candy) and Rachel is ready for another nap. Caleb will show Trailer Park where the camp is, so Gert and I find out the event is just across the road from us.

We drive down there and Gert is able to get a Sunbum sunscreen and a sticker that’s been run over from the traveling DJs, one from London who played his first gig at a place in Utrecht, so they think we’re both from the Netherlands. They tell us to ask for Todd, the manager, who has more stickers. We agreed later that he doesn’t exist and have drinks at camp after a traffic jam at our site because cars have to back in.

There is a concert from 5-8pm, and we know we have to go to bed early, but we are fading fast. Caleb drops Gert and me back to Rachel while he takes Trailer Park into town for gas. I can’t wait any longer and snuggle on my loud tent pad at 530pm. There will only be a concert for Rachel who was distracted by her phone inside and the last to bed.