This year's camping was epic: Jessica booked a group site and all the friends were gathered up in the woods for a two night camp sleepover.
The site was so big and spacious. All 5 of the dogs could run wild without neighbors to annoy.
Chambers, Lochridges, Larsens, Dicksons, Blacks - all together.
Fishing, exploring, hiking.
There were hatchets banging on wood at all times, Christopher got his finger caught on a fish hook.
Dane pulled it out of one finger, and hooked it immediately into Joe's finger.
Yoga on the river bank; Das caught a salamander.
The dogs dug holes under the tables to lay in - their wild instincts kicked in.
There is a burn ban going on, so we had to use a gas fire pit. It was actually very awesome - no smoke smell and no firewood to fetch.
I love this river-side stretch session.
Roxanne and I had just got back from climbing a mountain so our muscles were still humming,
Jim didn't bring pants so he's over there wearing some of mine,
this is the only place we could find soul warming sunshine.
Many of these pictures are courtesy of Lindsay.
This is when Andrew told us a "scary story". He used his best story telling voice to make it very suspenseful.
In the morning, Roxanne and I got up in the pitch dark 5am and climbed up a trail to the top of Excelsior mountain. We started out with headlamps, then slowly the forest trail emerged in front of us, and we clicked off our lights.
About 2 miles in, both of us got super nauseous.
We tried going to the bathroom, eating something, slowing down. I think the early morning did something to our hormones? It is a STEEP trail, right straight up the mountain, and it was just so early.
We breathed through our noses and kept steady on...and before long, we picked up the pace and felt better.
Baker emerged and the fire weed purple was all around, the morning sun glowed at peaceful angles and we squealed in delight.
We got to the top around 7am. Some campers that had overnighted at the top asked us "what time did you start?!"
sun in our eyes
NOTHING comes close to standing up there on top of a saddle, breathless, with the air moving around you, and the stillness, and the vastness, and the quiet, and the noise of water and trees. All the senses are involved and there is nothing like it.
We took it in as much as we could before it was time to head back down camp. We didn't want to be gone all day, so we were there and back in 4 hours.
We ran down the entire steep mountain, and my quads are still traumatized. Nothing makes them sorer than running downhill for many miles.
We pulled up to a camp of breakfast. I had an omelette in a bag.
In the forest, we found this giant, bright orange mushroom.
We knew there would be at least four people who could identify it. We even broke off a piece for examination.
I gave it to a table full of Jessica, Joe and Lisa, and they all yelled "chicken of the woods"!
It's a mushroom that tastes like chicken. I nibbled it, and I somewhat disagree, but maybe if you're hungry enough, anything tastes like chicken.
Later in the afternoon, we loaded up and drove to the top of Artist Point.
We wanted to hike around, but since kids hate hiking, we sold it as "lets go find some snow to play in".
Found some! They had so much fun playing until we "forced" them to go on a "hike" that was so beautiful and an easy 1 mile in.
At each talus slope, the boys of course rolled rocks down the steep mountain side.
It was so violent to watch.
It was at about this tree, I said We can turn around if everyone wants,
and Lindsay said, No we are making it to the saddle!
and I said Yay let's do it!
I love a saddle.
This is my fifth saddle of the summer.
Back at the snow patch, we rewarded the kids with more snow play before we headed back to camp.
We had delicious Mountain House dinners, then gathered around the gas fire.
It was right about here that all the dogs lay flat as a pancake, so tired.
That night I lay my head on my pillow, my hips into the hard ground, and passed out flat as a pancake for 9 hours.
I loved this adventure. It was the perfect end to the summer. A giant crescendo, exclamation point.
We have been finding out our teachers, school clothes shopping, and hair cuts - bitter sweet end of summer stuff.
