David

We were working a little odd-end summer jobs, and so we were accruing like a little bit of money in allowances. So we wanted to kind of have that taste of freedom and like, oh, let's go on a trip all together. And we wanted to do a camping trip.

And so we looked at some of the local places like El Capitan Ranch on the coast, like central coast, and these kind of boutique camping experiences that are like a few hundred dollars a night. So we said, you know, screw that. We're just going to find the cheapest campsite that we can find, which was this place called Wheeler Gorge in Ojai. And it costs like $40 a night. So between...

And so we looked at some of the local places like El Capitan Ranch on the coast, like central coast, and these kind of boutique camping experiences that are like a few hundred dollars a night. So we said, you know, screw that. We're just going to find the cheapest campsite that we can find, which was this place called Wheeler Gorge in Ojai. And it costs like $40 a night. So between...

And so we looked at some of the local places like El Capitan Ranch on the coast, like central coast, and these kind of boutique camping experiences that are like a few hundred dollars a night. So we said, you know, screw that. We're just going to find the cheapest campsite that we can find, which was this place called Wheeler Gorge in Ojai. And it costs like $40 a night. So between...

A group of eight guys, we just like pulled together some money. It was about the most that we could afford at the time. These were all like my best guy friends. You know, even now, some of them were like, you know, groomsmen in my wedding. So it's my friends, Zach and Diego. Those are like my best friends. They both played football with me and they...

A group of eight guys, we just like pulled together some money. It was about the most that we could afford at the time. These were all like my best guy friends. You know, even now, some of them were like, you know, groomsmen in my wedding. So it's my friends, Zach and Diego. Those are like my best friends. They both played football with me and they...

A group of eight guys, we just like pulled together some money. It was about the most that we could afford at the time. These were all like my best guy friends. You know, even now, some of them were like, you know, groomsmen in my wedding. So it's my friends, Zach and Diego. Those are like my best friends. They both played football with me and they...

were, I wouldn't really call them tough, but they were certain, like I'm definitely more on the softer side, and they were the guys that kind of brought me out of my, you know, shy, sensitive shell, and really kind of be bros with me. There was Diego's brother, who's this very like stoic guy, and There was two other guys. One guy, we don't really keep in touch with him.

were, I wouldn't really call them tough, but they were certain, like I'm definitely more on the softer side, and they were the guys that kind of brought me out of my, you know, shy, sensitive shell, and really kind of be bros with me. There was Diego's brother, who's this very like stoic guy, and There was two other guys. One guy, we don't really keep in touch with him.

were, I wouldn't really call them tough, but they were certain, like I'm definitely more on the softer side, and they were the guys that kind of brought me out of my, you know, shy, sensitive shell, and really kind of be bros with me. There was Diego's brother, who's this very like stoic guy, and There was two other guys. One guy, we don't really keep in touch with him.

His name is Daniel, but he was a devoted, like sober guy, like didn't drink whatsoever. Like this guy was dead sober the entire time. And then there was two other guys, a guy named Al and a guy named Brian. They were in our friend group at the time as well. So we set out, we load up my old Toyota truck with all of the supplies.

His name is Daniel, but he was a devoted, like sober guy, like didn't drink whatsoever. Like this guy was dead sober the entire time. And then there was two other guys, a guy named Al and a guy named Brian. They were in our friend group at the time as well. So we set out, we load up my old Toyota truck with all of the supplies.

His name is Daniel, but he was a devoted, like sober guy, like didn't drink whatsoever. Like this guy was dead sober the entire time. And then there was two other guys, a guy named Al and a guy named Brian. They were in our friend group at the time as well. So we set out, we load up my old Toyota truck with all of the supplies.

We had like, I think, two racks of beer and we got like, you know, a bunch of hot dogs, you know, typical like teenage boy cuisine and whatnot. And we drove out, it was like in the summer, so it was like super, super hot in Ohio. It was like 90 to 100 degrees, super dry, barely any sun coverage at the campground, barely any people at the campground too. It was just like this...

We had like, I think, two racks of beer and we got like, you know, a bunch of hot dogs, you know, typical like teenage boy cuisine and whatnot. And we drove out, it was like in the summer, so it was like super, super hot in Ohio. It was like 90 to 100 degrees, super dry, barely any sun coverage at the campground, barely any people at the campground too. It was just like this...

We had like, I think, two racks of beer and we got like, you know, a bunch of hot dogs, you know, typical like teenage boy cuisine and whatnot. And we drove out, it was like in the summer, so it was like super, super hot in Ohio. It was like 90 to 100 degrees, super dry, barely any sun coverage at the campground, barely any people at the campground too. It was just like this...

you know, your typical campground, you know, supervisor guy that lives on premise. And he just came up to us and was like, hey, guys, you know, I basically called our bluff, was like, I know you guys have alcohol. I know you guys are underage. It's cool. I won't bother you. Just, like, don't burn down the forest and we'll be friends.

you know, your typical campground, you know, supervisor guy that lives on premise. And he just came up to us and was like, hey, guys, you know, I basically called our bluff, was like, I know you guys have alcohol. I know you guys are underage. It's cool. I won't bother you. Just, like, don't burn down the forest and we'll be friends.

you know, your typical campground, you know, supervisor guy that lives on premise. And he just came up to us and was like, hey, guys, you know, I basically called our bluff, was like, I know you guys have alcohol. I know you guys are underage. It's cool. I won't bother you. Just, like, don't burn down the forest and we'll be friends.

So we were definitely left to our own devices, and it was just so, so remote out there. And Wheeler Gorge is about 30 minutes inland from Ojai, so it's even deeper into the mountains and even more remote. You know, one of those places where you lose service about 20 minutes away from the campsite, and it's just kind of a dead zone. So the first day we were there, you know, nothing too crazy.