Please check me in for the evening. I'll be listening, but may not have a radio in hand.
I'm soon heading up to Los Padres National Forest, and--being a good Californian--got my
California Campfire Permit which many people don't seem to know is
required if you want to have a campfire in California. Note: possible $5,000 fine.
The current Los Padres fire restriction states:
Wood and charcoal fires are prohibited in all areas of Los Padres National Forest including designated Campfire Use sites; however persons with a valid California Campfire Permit are allowed to use portable stoves and lanterns using gas, jellied petroleum or pressurized liquid fuel within the designated Campfire Use Sites only.
So, now the California Campfire Permit doesn't permit campfires, but--being a good Californian--I wasn't surprised.
It's not really expected to be cold (mid to low 40s), but if you can't have a warm campfire in the evening, at least you might have a warm evening inside your tent. So I called the ranger regarding tent heaters.
The ranger, interpreting the restrictions very literally, said that a tent heater is neither a stove nor a lantern, so is prohibited.
Hopefully in a few weeks with the temperatures dipping further, these restrictions will be lessened. Cold weather camping can be great fun if you have occasional opportunities to warm up.
(I hope to make it to at least half the places this bike has been)
