Coast Backpack (#5)

The last weekend of February, we went on our first whole-family backpacking trip. We had been waiting for our youngest child to be able to walk far enough and carry his own small backpack. He was a trooper and made little complaint about our 4-mile round trip hike.





One of the secrets to a happy crew is snacks to look forward to.



We made it to the beach!



Anna's first backpacking trip in a long while. At dark it became a bit chilly with strong wind gusts throughout the night.



Happy Birthday, L! Tidepools were about a half-mile walk down the beach.



Another secret to happy campers is bringing friends along. They taught us about some of the sea creatures they found and made the hike out seem much shorter.

Kids need wonders only seen outdoors

A brief article about a child and a dad that I can relate to:
Kids need wonders only seen outdoors

Backpack #4

This past Friday and Saturday, I went on my 4th backpacking trip with the kids - again taking the three oldest. I have been inviting other dads and kids along, but I ended up being the only adult along to fend off the mountain lions, black bears, and other wild imaginations.





The 2.2 mile trail traversed a canyon wall amid oak and pine trees above a scenic river. I had never seen acorns quite this color before!



We camped on a large bar (sandbar) where L found these two heart-shaped rocks. She thought her teacher would like them, so we captured a photo of her with the rocks. This way we were able to "leave what you find" (Leave No Trace principle), and we avoided her filling her pack with every beautiful rock she found.



The photo above is special as it marks the place where I lost our digital camera on the hike in. Night was falling, so we took off our packs to get out our headlamps for the last half-mile or so. I forgot that I had taken off the camera case and must have kicked the camera case (with camera) off the path when putting my backpack back on. In camp the next day we realized the camera was missing. This spot was the only place I could think of having removed the camera case from my neck, but the case was not there when we hiked out. I prayed for help, and A remembered asking me what I had kicked after putting on my backpack the previous night. We wondered if instead of a rock, as I had presumed, it was the camera case and started looking down the steep bank along the trail. Thankfully, the strap of the camera case had attached to a small plant only about 6 feet down the hill where I could safely get to it. We offered thanks and cheerfully hiked homeward.



There really were big kitties and bears nearby! We didn't meet any though.

August Campout with Friends

With summer break drawing to a close, we enjoyed one last hurrah with the company of friends we hadn't seen for a few years. Camping season was in full-swing, but we were able to find two available campsites located in a cool area between our two families' cities.

We like going to hike-in campsites,


Dutch oven cooking,


going on more hikes (the photos from our twilight hike did not turn out well),


wading when it's hot,

and being with good friends.


Looking forward to the next adventure!

Summer with Family

We spent a good portion of our July visiting family and having a great time together. Below are snapshots of just a few of the things we did. Enjoy - we sure did.

Campouts with Kids

The boys and I enjoy the tradition of an annual father and son campout. We get together with other dads and sons from our church congregation for a fun night of campfires and sleeping out in commemoration of the restoration of the priesthood.

















The place chosen this year was rather interesting to me - note the cooling towers in the background of the canoeing photo. It did remind me, however, of some of the high desert ponds near where I grew up. As we pulled off the highway to the campground, we rolled down the windows and heard the meadowlark's song multiple times before reaching the grassy area and pond. We played and shared food with friends until late and had a nice group breakfast before packing up in the morning.























Since the boys get their regular camping trip with dad, we started the tradition of an annual daddy-daughter campout a few years ago. This year we pulled a small group together and headed out to see some of the Sierra Nevada's notable sequoia trees. I prefer a bit of nature when camping, so we selected a pair of campsites where we walked in a couple-hundred yards from where we parked the car. One of the other dads and his adventurous daughter suggested a night hike. Although the moon was not shining, the stars practically lit our way. The girls got the courage to turn off their lights at one point and we looked gazed around at the bright stars revealing themselves between tall trees. We also found beetles, spiders, and a rubber boa on our hike.























































The next day was very satisfying for me as we walked through a grove of sequoia trees. I had done this when I was the age of our oldest child. They are really awe-inspiring due to their size - some over 30 feet in diameter, their age - some are thousands of years old, their history - they have contributed to our identity as a nation, and the separate world of life they contain. In my opinion, they are one of God's most splendid creations.

Lots of Water Time

May and June brought us out to the water (since the water finally stopped falling on us). H and I went fishing on the big lake on a boat with some friends. It was a windy morning, but we had a fun time together eating candy and zipping over choppy water while dragging sparkly things behind the boat. I hadn't been fishing in a long time and had only bought a 1-day fishing license, so I made the best of it by biking down to the river later in the day with A to get our lines wet. She improved her casting skills somewhat and we had a fun time together - that's what counts, right?

















We returned as a family to the lake a few weeks later to celebrate A's birthday according to her tradition. So far she's been able to float her cake in a new body of water each year - and so far none of her cakes have been dumped! We ate the seaworthy cake and spent the pleasant evening examining rocks and throwing them into the lake.

April Family Camping Trip

We took the whole gang camping last month and had a great time. The area - recommended by a friend - is located a whole 15 minutes from our home. It's hard to tell what you're looking at on the online reservation system, but when we arrived, we felt like we had the best site in the campground.

We really enjoyed the setting and privacy offered by large boulders, oak trees, and healthy grasses and shrubs. Several rounds of hide-and-seek were played by all.






We enjoyed eating together, including chili and chips for dinner that helped H fulfill a Cub Scout requirement to plan and cook an outdoor meal. We also ate s'mores in the evening and a satisfying breakfast of Dutch oven sticky buns. Having never camped at a state park here, I was pleasantly surprised to find hot running water that made dutch oven clean-up a breeze!