We have reunited in sunny California!

After a week in Lake Tahoe we have traveled back to the Nevada City area for the annual cleanup along the river.  We decided that we should camp down by the river since the cleanup was the next morning near the Bridgeport Crossing.   We pulled up a steep, dirt road onto BLM (Bureau of Land Management) land.  We tend to park on BLM land when we are looking to simply park and go to sleep for the night for free.  You are allowed to park on this land for a maximum of 14 days at the same site.  We passed a couple of hippies who had the same idea except we believe they have been here for quite some time as we noticed a claw foot bathtub with a solar panel across the street.  We decided this looked like a safe spot.  It was close enough to the main road, the site of our cleanup, yet far enough away from the other campers and all still within shouting distance.  The spot had a slight slant but it was sleep-able.  We were in bed by 8 p.m.

We woke up the next morning rested and ready to get our hands dirty.  Last year, we participated in the International Coastal Cleanup Day at the same site.  It is the world’s largest volunteer effort!   Based on https://oceanconservancy.org/, “Today, plastic has been found in 62% of all sea birds and 100% of sea turtles.”  We need to do our part in reducing our use of plastic.  By cleaning up our rivers before the water flows into the ocean, we are making a huge impact in reducing the amount of sea animals affected.  We again partnered with the California Growers Association, which gathered 30+ volunteers for the day at the Bridgeport location.   We also brought along honorary gypsy and hometown friend, Diana.  Between the three of us, we picked up over 30 pounds of trash!  The majority of items being cigarette butts and plastics lids to drinks.  Be conscious!

We rewarded ourselves with a dip in the clear, gem-like waters of the Yuba River.

Afterwards, we joined the rest of the volunteers from the other 30 sites along the Yuba River at Pioneer Park in Nevada City for lunch and music.  We removed over 12,000 pounds of recyclables and trash as a whole!

We are so happy to be back at it on the west coast and to be part of a successful cleanup. We are doing our part in keeping California and our oceans beautiful.  You should be proactive, too, wherever you are! Start small by switching to reusable glass or stainless steel bottles for drinks, switch to reusable bags instead of plastic baggies for snacks, organize and participate in trash clean ups in your area, and spread the word to end the use of plastic. Every effort helps!