Here's a few pictures (thanks to RxRick and Fred Reed) and a short ride report from our SoCal Netscum camping trip along the South Fork of the Kern River to party at the Grumpy Bears Retreat in the Kennedy Meadows/Kernville area of Southern California...

NbrRick's amazing packing job	Fred in Randsburg	NbrRick
Nine Mile Canyon	South Fork Kern River Campground	Toph
Kennedy Meadows General Store	The gang at Grumpys	Sunset at Grumpys
Sherman Pass	RxRick, Krys, NbrRick, Toph, Fred, Tom, and Marie... nice and cool at 9200 ft.	Krys says can you say party!

What more could you ask for? When I heard that the Grumpy Bears Retreat was inviting anyone and everyone up for a biker party I knew it would be the perfect opportunity for our little group to get away. $20 for breakfast and dinner, a band, run pin, t-shirt, and free camping nearby!

Marie and I couldn't make it up on Friday but the rest of the gang that was going did. Fred, NbrRick (Nbr is short for neighbor cuz he lives next to Fred) and RxRick (so called because he's a pharmacist) rode up early Friday morning from Long Beach. From what I hear the ride was uneventful and just plain hot. The only place to eat in Randsburg was closed. Randsburg is a cool little mining town South of Ridgecrest on 395. Toph (the group's newest PhD) and Krys arrived later that evening from San Diego. The remainder of Friday's activities consisted of setting up camp, hanging out with the locals at the General Store, gathering for an excellent meal at Grumpys, a little drinking, and then some more drinking back at the campsite.

Saturday morning Marie and I set out from Palmdale and met up with Toph and Krys at Grumpys just in time for a delicious breakfast. We then headed over to the campsite to pick up the rest of the gang for a day ride I planned through Kernville and over Sherman Pass. We made a big loop back down Nine Mile Canyon to 395 South to 14 South, then West on 178 to Lake Isabella and Kernville, and then North back to Kennedy Meadows via Sherman Pass. It was as perfect ride. We went from blazing hot on 395 to light rain in Kernville to fairly cool over Sherman Pass. Along the way we stopped at a little bar in Kernville for some mandatory SNPA while the girls checked out the little shops.

Sautrday night we were back in Kennedy Meadows for the big biker party at Grumpy Bears. Suprisingly few folks showed up and even less rode in for the band and dinner. As far as I know, our group were the only ones camping. No problem though as just about everyone walked away with multiple door prizes. Most biker events are way too overcrowded these days to be much fun anyway. This one was just right.

After the party we all headed back to camp for even more partying. Around midnight or so, Marie and I decided to head back to Palmdale rather than camp over and ride back in the heat on Sunday. If you've never ridden through the desert at night you really are missing out on one of life's greatest pleasures. Other than nailing some poor rabbit on the way down Nine Mile Canyon (a real trip at night) the ride was wonderful.

• Check out the SoCal Netscum 4th Annual Kennedy Meadows Run for more pictures and a ride report from our latest trip!

Grumpy Bears Retreat
2D10 Kennedy Meadows Road
Inyokern, CA 93527
559.850.2327