Tag Archives: weekends

Out of the Box

city buildings
Feeling like you are trapped in a box lately? Is your daily existence in front of a computer monitor driving you bonkers?

Well, well then, the Total Escape web site is the new place for you. This is Off the Beaten Path, California style. The golden state at it’s very best. Local trips. Scenic drives.

cubical ratNot like the traffic hell you experience on the freeways, but open roads, trees, nature, open spaces, wild grass, blue birds, open fields, sunshine, fresh air & open meadows. Openness!! Plenty land, parks, recreation, leisure & simple good ideas for your weekend getaways.

escape cubical life soon

We all have our version of the BOX. What holds us there, is only a mystery. If you are sick of sitting at home doing nothing on the weekends (a house is a box), or needing a reason to kick the boob tube habit ( T.V. the most controlling box of all) or just wanting to break away after (or before) that big project deadline at work, Total Escape is a perfect place to start your day dreaming. With thousands of pages & photographs to show you where to go, you will wanna bookmark this online resource.

try it, you’ll like it:

winery tour & tasting
bike ride along the coast
a dirt road in the countryside
seafood in Baja, plus a hotel
find a bed & breakfast
cozy mountain cabin
natural hot springs
try SUV adventures

development
While you won’t know who’s doing what on television, I can assure you that your new found freedom & stream side camp will keep you reminiscing for many months.

By traveling locally, you can travel more often, experience a variety terrain, towns & recreational activities. Plenty small towns lodges wanting you to find them. Plus camping will work for moderate lifestyle travelers seeking the less expensive option for the weekend. Less cash, more nature.

How broke are you? Money is no excuse either. You will spend the same amount, if not more, staying in town, seeing a movie, doing one restaurant dinner & running up to the store for a sec (3 stores & a mocha freezy later, $$$). Leave the shopping boxes (malls) for weeknights.

Carpool and save on the cost of gasoline. A long road trip, it’s a great way to get re-acquainted with an old friend.
socalsuburb

Dedicate your weekends to yourself for once. (at least every month or so) Try scheduling in a real weekend away.

If you are a home owner, chances are you’ve spent the last year or more on house projects (or procrastinating on them). Time to stop! Celebrate life. Enjoy yourself & go. Let your imagination run wild while you dream of the coolest, most scenic places you can go. A rustic Sierra cabin, walking distance from a lake. A romantic bed & breakfast in wine country. A fly fishing guided tour up north somewhere. Come on, let go & get out of town.

find yourself
Something you can’t find with a GPS.

Yourself.

Outdoor Organizations

free labor? why bother

trashpickup
Litter clean up, just for the fun of it. (Photo by Aaron Linsdau)

Volunteering, it feels good.

While you may think of us Escapers, as off-roading tree huggers or health-nut hippies, we go well beyond that. As travelers we are as diverse as the California terrain. We have one thing in common, we all love the earth. That’s why we’re here! Give back a part – of yourself – to helping keep these forest, parks & trails open, healthy & protected.

Volunteer firefighter, CPR class, trail maintenance, or just helping out at the local Grange.

Looking to find a place to volunteer outdoors?
Below is a list of outdoor related organizations, most local to California.

preservation

leavenotrace
Leave No Trace
lnt.org

California Wilderness Coalition
calwild.org

San Gorgonio Wilderness Association
sgwa.org

playgroundNFS

parks & forest programs

California State Park Volunteers
parks.ca.gov

High Sierra Volunteer Trail Crew
trailcrew.org

National Forests Volunteering
fs.fed.us/working-with-us/volunteers

National Forest Foundation
nationalforests.org/get-involved/volunteer-opportunities

NPS

National Parks Volunteer
nps.gov/getinvolved/volunteer.htm

Calif regional forests volunteering:NFS

Angeles Forest Volunteers
angelesvolunteers.org/av/

Angeles National Forest Volunteering
fs.usda.gov/main/angeles/workingtogether/volunteering

Eldorado Forest Volunteers
fs.usda.gov/main/eldorado/workingtogether/volunteering

Los Padres National Forest Volunteers
lpforest.org

Sequoia Forest Volunteers
fs.fed.us/r5/sequoia/volunteering/

Sierra National Forest Volunteers
fs.usda.gov/main/sierra/workingtogether/volunteering

Stanislaus Wilderness Volunteers
swv1.org

off road trails & land use

 

tread lightly
Tread Lightly
treadlightly.org

Americans for Responsible Recreational Access
arra-access.com

California Trail Users Coalition
ctuc.info/ctuc

BlueRibbon Coalition – Share Trails
sharetrails.org

California Off Road vehicle Association
corva.org

San Diego Off-Road Coalition
sdorc.org

for local trail crews, see also – California 4×4 Clubs

gearedup4work

humanitarian & volunteers

Comunidad – Baja Mexico
bajacomunidad.org

Flying Samaritans – Baja MX
flyingsamaritans.net

Habitat for Humanity
habitat.org

Volunteer Match
volunteermatch.org