american west, california, Hiking, history, Travel

Hiking the Angeles: Echo Mountain

Echo Mountain is a popular front range hike with easy access from Altadena. At 5.5 miles round trip with about a 1400 foot elevation gain, it is considered moderate. There are some cool ruins at the top, harkening back to the 'Golden Age of Hiking."

california, health, Hiking, Kids, outdoors, safety, Travel, Uncategorized

The Mountains Are Opening, So I Must Go

While the stay-at-home orders haven't exactly ended, the trails in Los Angeles County are finally starting to open up after over a month-long closure. So with the mountains calling, we must go... along with the rest of Southern California.

emergency preparedness, Family, Opinion, parenting, safety, School, Uncategorized, writing

The End of the World as We Knew It

It has been nearly four weeks since we closed our schools, began a stay at home order, and slowly backed away from life as we knew it. While the apocalyptic feeling of four weeks ago has not subsided, we try to balance the despair with moments of joy.

california, emergency preparedness, Family, health, Hobbies, Kids, parenting, safety, School, Uncategorized

Life in the Time of Coronavirus

With equal parts optimism and doom, the Cranky Camper addresses feelings of stress, fear, and opportunity as a result of the 2020 Coronavirus pandemic.

Europe and the United Kingdom, Historical sites, history, Museums, Travel, Uncategorized, Vacation

The Tower of London

This final post in our Great British Adventure series focuses on the Tower of London. Since it was built in the 1100s, the Tower has served many purposes: armoury, treasury, Royal Mint, housing for the Crown Jewels, and very famously a prison. This was an interesting and educational experience for the family and definitely a must-do on any London itinerary. Cheers!