So I decided to take the kids down there, got some suggestions on things to do, and looked for a place to camp. Lochlan had said, completely randomly, "and we will see an emu!" when discussing our plans. So when I stumbled on an RV camp with little log cabins and an emu, I decided it was kismet.
We drove down yesterday, set up our little cabin, and the kids played for a while (there was a playground, and Az found a friend). I wanted to see Columbia, though, so at about 3 we drove there. On second Saturdays, they have reenactors and close the roads to cars, and it was quite nice! Old Sacramento has some similar attractions, like the old schoolhouse and the "dress up in olden times" photography shops, but Columbia seemed a little more focused on historical things, so where Old Sac has a Round Table pizza and a novelty shop, Columbia has a blacksmith, a soap and candle shop, and an old-timey clothing and hat store. They also had gold panning, and the reenactors were showing people how to use that sluice thing to find gold. Lochlan loved the horses. Azadeh liked the fancy lace fan she got.
We went back towards Angel's Camp and saw a sign that said "Mark Twain's Cabin." But the very next turnoff said "not a through road." I realize now that doesn't mean you can't go on it, but I passed it and we ended up at the New Melones Lake visitors center instead. It was closed, but there was a nice scenic overlook.
In Angels Camp, we walked into a restaurant called Crusco's. Once we walked in, I realized it was somewhat nicer than we were really in the market for, but the kids were well-behaved, and dinner was actually quite lovely.
We went back to our cabin and hung out for a while, snacking and reading, and then I tried to get the kids to bed. They were both kind of amped up, but I got L asleep by 8:30 or so. Azadeh, on the other hand, WOULD NOT GO TO SLEEP. Nope. No. Not happening. And I can't sleep while she fidgets in a nylon sleeping bag on a plastic mattress, so we spent about three hours threatening, cajoling, comforting, trying solutions, giving up, trying new solutions, and trying old solutions again. I would estimate she finally went to sleep around midnight. By then, I was kind of keyed up myself, so I lay there for about ten minutes, starting to doze off, when Lochlan shouted something, leapt off his bed, ran to the big bed (long story, but Azadeh and I had switched who would sleep on the top bunk vs. who would be in the big bed -- or would we both sleep in the big bed? -- about six times), and jumped onto Azadeh's head. I can only imagine he had a bad dream and was expecting me to be in the bed (which had been the plan when he fell asleep). Oddly enough, this did not wake her. Anyway, I jumped down off the top bunk, grabbed him, and pulled him up there with me, where he told me stories about baby gorillas for about an hour before he finally drifted off as well. And then the instant Azadeh opened her eyes in the morning, she loudly woke us both up. So that sucked.
This morning we dinked around and ate snacks, then cleaned up (you may know how much mess a typical child can make with a bag of popcorn. You have no idea how much my two can make.) and packed the car. The kids wanted to play on the playground a bit more, then we headed to Murphy's for breakfast.
I thought Murphy's was charming (if entirely out of compliance with the ADA). We had a terrific breakfast at Grounds Restaurant, and then we walked around a bit more, going into a spice shop, window shopping at a closed bookstore, and peeking in a few other windows. Lochlan was starting to get grumpy (from being overtired), so while my original plan was to take them to Mercer Caverns, I decided maybe we needed to cut out plans a bit short. Azadeh agreed, so we drove to Angels Camp for one last stop -- a rock/fossil/jewelry haven called Stories in Stone -- and then hit the road. And thank goodness, because I was able to get a nap when we got back.
Among the little notables -- we saw what I *think* was a peregrine falcon on a branch above the camp this morning. Lochlan did visit the emu. We also saw five vultures eating some carrion on the side of the road. So good wildlife count overall!
Also, I'm not really sure how RV camps work, but there were like 150 RVs parked there, and we really only saw like four other families the whole time.
It was really well-equipped, though! There were nice bathrooms with showers, a big shady gazebo with electric stovetops and running water, and a horseshoe court.
That area is made famous partly by Mark Twain's "The Notorious Jumping Frogs of Calaveras County," so there are frog images everywhere. Angels Camp's main street has frog plaques all down the sidewalk with the names of famous jumping frogs. My favorite was "Rosie the Ribbiter."
I guess that's about it. I'm a little embarrassed to admit that although Calaveras County is as close as the Bay Area, I have never been (except as a kid, which I barely remember, and on that field trip, which was on a bus so I couldn't have really told you where we were). I also -- true story -- got about 20 minutes east of home and went, "OH! So this is Sloughhouse!" I feel like Sacramento natives will find that ridiculous, since people are always talking about how they get the best produce from Sloughhouse, but... yeah, I'd never been there and had no idea it was so close.
Lastly, in reading our geology books, I saw a mention of "tombstone rocks," which have a distinctive appearance. We saw our first ones about 30 miles out of Sacramento, then saw more and more, until at one point about 5 miles from Angels Camp, a whole hill is just crowned with them. It was cool.
An example of tombstone rocks (and my pretty girl with frosting on her face).
Possibly a falcon?
Lochlan at the playground.
Funky thing in Murphys.
Also funky thing in Murphys. (Murphys is kind of funky.)
Tailing wheels at a scenic overlook near Jackson.
Bunk beds! Az claimed the top bunk, then chickened out.
Emu.
Walking through the rocks stripped of gold in Columbia.
Same.
More playground. He's cute, what can I say?
Also cute.