The sun sank into a fiery red and orange sky as I ascended the San Bernardino mountains. The cool fall air turned crisp and was heavily laden with the scent of pine. I drove windingly and wirily through a switchback of pine tree covered roads that would lead to a cabin in the woods.
Sunset, Big Bear, CA
At the cabin, Jason, Ulysses, John, and Carlos had seasonal cocktails of ginger martinis, and cheese and crackers to welcome me, the last to arrive. The warm and initing atmosphere to which I arrived helped me recover from the tedious traffic jammed drive out of the city. It was a welcome reprieve to be in the company of flattering and witty companions.
What makes San Diego, CA such a special place to live is that you can literally drive an hour in any direction for a change of scenery. Sunny beaches, country vineyards, snow capped mountains, and cactus laden deserts all within an hour’s drive.
Big Bear Lake
The town center of Big Bear consist of several charming blocks of local shops, restaurants and bars. You can walk from one end to the other in a short amount of time, or linger on for the better part of the day. I’m fortunate enough that my family has a house in Big Bear, so the cost is kept down by eating at home and avoiding lodging expenses. After a delicious home cooked dinner, we set out for a martini bar and night club, called The Club.
The Martini Bar. The thought of a martini bar conjures up images of modern spaces with sophisticated crowds drinking exotic martinis. Club Bombay in the heart of Big Bear was the exact opposite. More lodgy than modern with eclectic old knotted oak furniture. The crowd more mountain-y than sophisticated. Surely a result of the owner, who was also the bar tender, bar back, karaoke host, and singer. Service was slow because he was singing karaoke in-between making drinks and busing tables.
Following Club Bombay Martini bar, we walked two doors down to The Club. The music was good, the drinks were cheap, and it was great night with the exception of the gay bashing incident. This was not a reflection of The Club, but some homophobic patrons. We were dancing on the dance floor having a good old time when John was tapped on the shoulder and told to turn around. He turned around to a group of strangers who looked expectantly around at nothing. One of them said it didn’t work and that firecrackers were supposed to go off at him. The incident scared all of us and put us on high alert about the dangers for gay people in certain situations and places. The near gay bashing was a buzz a kill and we didn’t stay long after that.
Cougar Crest Trail
The next day we set off to hike the Cougar Crest Trail. A beautiful eight mile trail that winds up through the mountains and connects with the Pacific Crest Trail. It was a long tiresome hike that was both challenging and rewarding.
The rest of the time in Big Bear was spent laughing, drinking, eating and just enjoying one another’s company. I’ve been going to Big Bear since I was a child. Its always been a home away from home, that represents family, memories, love, and holidays. There is so much to see and do: skiing, snowboarding, boating, fishing, hiking, mountain biking, shopping, rock climbing, sledding; you name it, Big Bear has it.
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