Going Off the Grid at Camp Sober Fest: Day One at Sequoia Lake
Wednesday started early because I had a morning flight from San Diego to Fresno, and apparently the universe decided I needed to get my steps in before I even left the airport.
Everything was going smoothly until I requested my Uber and noticed the driver was going in the opposite direction. Come to find out, they had stopped to get gas, which caused a little delay. Thankfully, I had given myself enough time. I have TSA PreCheck, so security usually isn't much of an issue, but I was checking a bag and always like to leave enough time to make sure both me and my luggage actually make it onto the plane.
I got through security, checked the board, and was told my flight was leaving from Gate 49. My boarding pass said Gate 49 too, so I walked all the way over there only to discover the screen was showing a completely different destination. I pulled up the airline app, and suddenly it said Gate 31, which was basically clear across the airport.
At this point, boarding was about 30 minutes away, so off I went to Gate 31. When I arrived, there was no one there and not even a sign for my flight. Another woman showed up looking equally confused, and we quickly realized we were trying to find the same plane. We asked an attendant at the neighboring gate for help and discovered that, yes, we actually needed to be at Gate 49.
So we made the trek all the way back together.
I try to ground myself in moments like this and look for whatever good I can find in the situation. I was definitely going to hit my 10,000 steps for the day, and I ended up having a lovely conversation with someone I probably never would have connected with had we not spent our morning wandering around the San Diego airport together.
Honestly, there are worse ways to start a travel day.
From San Diego to Fresno
Thankfully, everything after that was pretty easy. We boarded on time, the flight was short, and we landed in Fresno right on schedule.
I was hoping to grab a matcha latte when I arrived, but the coffee shop I was looking for was gone. For a minute, I thought I was losing my mind because I knew I had seen it before. I eventually learned it had been a pop-up and closed last November.
No matcha for Staci.
My next stop was the rental car counter, where I encountered travel lesson number two of the day.
I had brought my business debit card and personal debit card, but I try not to use credit cards when I can avoid it, so all of mine were safely stored in Apple Pay. The rental car company informed me that they needed a physical credit card that could actually be inserted into the machine.
They didn't accept Apple Pay.
Oops.
The woman helping me and her manager were both incredibly kind. They had to verify the flight I had just arrived on and my return flight on Sunday, but eventually everything worked itself out.
Another reminder that sometimes strangers are incredibly willing to help you when you need it.
Also, travel tip from me to you: bring the physical credit card when you're renting a car.
Stocking Up Before Going Off the Grid
Once I had my rental car, I headed to Walmart, where I had placed a pickup order for camping supplies.
It was HOT in Fresno, and I knew I was about to spend the next few days largely off the grid, so I had ordered a camping chair, a little table, food, sunscreen, and a few other things I didn't want to haul with me from San Diego.
I was originally supposed to pick up another person who was also heading to Camp Sober Fest, but her flight was delayed and she still needed to make a few stops.
Meanwhile, I had one very important mission:
Get to camp at 2 PM so I could claim a bottom bunk.
The cabins have bunk beds, and I like to turn the bottom bunk into my own little cave. Once I add my blankets and everything else, it's basically my camp cocoon.
Thankfully, the other camper decided to rent her own car, so I started making my way toward Sequoia Lake.
My Sunflowers Started Appearing
Something happened during the drive that made me smile.
Sunflowers are my favorite flower, but over time they've also become something more personal to me. I think of them as little winks from the universe. When I see one unexpectedly, I take it as a reminder that I'm on my most aligned path, exactly where I need to be at that moment.
I've been seeing them everywhere lately, so I've decided I might start a TikTok series documenting my sunflower sightings.
On the way to Camp Sober Fest, I first saw a woman wearing a sunflower jacket. I don't like taking pictures of strangers without their permission, so I didn't capture that one.
Then I drove past an entire sunflower farm.
I obviously wasn't going to pull out my phone while driving just to get the shot, but I didn't need the picture to appreciate the moment.
There they were again.
My little confirmation that I was headed exactly where I was supposed to be.
Arriving at Camp Sober Fest for the Third Time
The drive from Fresno to Sequoia Lake took about an hour, and somehow I pulled into Camp Sober Fest at almost exactly 2 PM.
Mission accomplished.
This was my third Camp Sober Fest, and there is such a stark difference between walking into something for the first time and returning for the third.
The first time I attended, I didn't know anyone. I was the newbie trying to figure out where everything was, how everything worked, and who everyone was.
This time, I felt like a veteran.
I knew almost everyone working the event. People knew my name. I knew where I was going and what to expect, and immediately there was this sense that I wasn't arriving somewhere unfamiliar.
I was returning to a community.
That felt really special.
Welcome to the Redwood Cabin
After checking in and taking my camp photo, I received my green team shirt, a Camp Sober Fest backpack filled with little goodies, and my cabin assignment.
I was staying in the Redwood cabin.
I drove down, started unloading everything, and two women who were also staying in my cabin pulled up at almost the exact same time. They were sharing the queen bed while I immediately got to work creating my bottom-bunk cave.
Priorities.
Once everything was unpacked and my little cocoon was ready, I headed toward the lodge. It's where we eat our meals, and there's a huge deck overlooking Sequoia Lake.
There was also a name-tag-making station, so I sat down next to a group of guys and started talking with them. Somehow, I discovered that one of them knows my brother through indoor rock climbing in Orange County.
Because apparently even in the middle of the forest, the world is still tiny.
I would love to get my brother to come with me next year. We grew up camping, neither of us drinks alcohol, and I think he would genuinely enjoy the experience.
What Camp Sober Fest Is Actually Like
After everyone settled in, we headed toward the lake for orientation. There's a fire pit and seating overlooking Sequoia Lake, which is such a beautiful backdrop for everything happening at camp.
The organizers went over the basics, answered questions, and then divided us into groups for welcome activities. We rotated through several little games and activities designed to help everyone get to know each other before eventually doing a group performance.
One thing I appreciate about Camp Sober Fest is that there is structure without feeling like you're at summer camp being forced to participate in everything.
Meals happen at set times, but most of the rest of your schedule is basically choose your own adventure.
Want to wake up for 7 AM yoga? Go.
Want to attend the morning recovery meeting? That's available too.
Want to sleep longer because you're in the mountains and your body is asking for rest? You can do that.
Throughout the weekend, there are activities, meetings, wellness offerings, outdoor experiences, and opportunities to connect, but you get to decide what feels supportive to you.
I love that.
Returning to Familiar Faces
My camp counselors were Alexandra and Jacob, and I immediately laughed when I realized they had also been my counselors at Camp Sober Fest in Houston, Texas.
Another familiar piece of the experience.
Our group spent some time introducing ourselves and getting acquainted. Each morning, these smaller camp groups meet after breakfast, giving people a chance to build relationships with others they might not naturally connect with during the larger activities.
That's one of the things I appreciate about coming back year after year. There are always new people to meet, but now there are also people whose faces immediately feel familiar.
Good Food, Campfires, and a Night Under the Stars
I also have to give Camp Sober Fest credit for the food.
I eat primarily vegetarian when I can, and they do a great job accommodating different dietary needs, including vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free options. More importantly, the alternative meals actually taste good.
If you've ever requested the vegetarian option somewhere and received a sad plate of unseasoned vegetables, you understand why I appreciate this.
After dinner, the rest of the evening was exactly what I wanted my first night at Sequoia Lake to feel like.
Campfire stories, stargazing, s'mores, scary stories, and time connecting with people.
By 10 PM, I was tucked into my little bottom-bunk cave and ready for bed.
Last year was significantly colder, so I was very grateful that I wasn't lying there freezing this time. Instead, I was cozy, surrounded by the forest, officially off the grid, and excited to see what the next few days would bring.
After the airport gate confusion, rental car situation, missing matcha, sunflower sightings, familiar faces, and arriving at Sequoia Lake exactly when I hoped I would, day one felt like a pretty perfect beginning.
And tomorrow, I would get to start giving back to this community too.
FAQ
What is Camp Sober Fest?
Camp Sober Fest is an alcohol-free camping experience centered around community, connection, activities, recovery resources, wellness offerings, and traditional summer-camp fun.
Do you have to attend every Camp Sober Fest activity?
That wasn't my experience. One of my favorite things about camp is being able to choose the activities that feel right for you while meals provide some structure to the day.
What airport did I use for Camp Sober Fest at Sequoia Lake?
I flew from San Diego to Fresno and rented a car for the drive to Sequoia Lake.
