This month, I took a trip with my immediate family and closest relatives to Big Bear Lake in the San Bernardino National Forest, California. We stayed for five days and four nights in a two bedroom cabin on the lake’s shore. My cousin’s company bought the Big Bear Frontier Lodge and a two bedroom cabin was the biggest he could book. In total we had fourteen family members on the trip. Ten of which, including me, stayed in the two bedroom cabin. Everyone put effort into the trip and helped bring supplies. The cabin was filled with bags of clothes and the refrigerator was packed with food.
The first night we explored the Lodge grounds. We took in the site of the lake from behind the lodge and attempted to skip rocks on the water’s surface. Next, we explored the front office. We found a dining area, sitting room and a game room. The game room had a billiards table and lendable movies. We borrowed a basketball and threw free-throws on their outdoor court, which was beside a ping pong table and across from the swimming pool and Jacuzzi. Later that night we cooked dinner at the cabin and played a card game afterwards. We bought Apples to Apples; a game of comparisons.
Sunday, we toured The Village shops. They had a variety of small shops and boutiques. My father bought a vest at the leather shop. It had two floors and many rooms with a myriad of knick-knacks. You can be sure to find a gift for anyone. Further down the street, past a store called Stupidiotic, which sells gag gifts, we bought candied apples and ice cream at sweets shop. We spent hours on the lakeshore and grilled halibut for lunch. I, my cousin Collette and my sister Dana, played tunes on Dana’s ukulele. We took a swing at songs such as Somewhere Over the Rainbow, I’m Yours, Hey, Soul Sister and Airplanes. In the afternoon, the last four of our relatives arrived. They booked a separate room to sleep more comfortably. My male cousins went swimming in the lake. Being girls, me and my other cousins decided to stick to the pool. We grilled hamburgers for dinner and watched a scary movie afterwards. We laid out sleeping bags and took all the pillows to the living room. Everyone found a seat among the jumble and got comfortable. The feature was Dawn of the Dead; a zombie movie. But it was more gross and violent than scary.
The last two days were spent at the swimming pool, fishing and hiking. I and my cousins caught baby fishes in a creek next to the cabin but through back each catch. We drove up to the Discovery Center and learned about the animals one could find in the surrounding mountains. They had tangible displays of stuffed animals and furs. We explored the lakeside path and bridge and enjoyed a two-to-three our hike on the Pineknot trail. If followed to the end, it would take one to the Grand View Summit. Unfortunately we didn’t make to the top because we were running into lunch time but made it to the lovely meadow.
The trip was a unique experience. It is as they say: “The more the merrier.” The value was not only in the sites I witnessed but in the company I shared. Ten people to one bathroom is considered an enormous inconvenience but I wouldn’t have spent the five days any other way and I look forward to living the trip the same way again.
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