Camping

We set off Friday night at 6PM to go camping at Independence Lakes. It had been a long day and taken alot of work to get ready and we were finally on our way. Fifteen minutes from our destination the Forest Service stopped us to let us know that the road was blocked by a jack-knifed truck full of rocks, and wouldn't be clear for at least 3 hours. The only other ways in required over an hour drive. Back home again....until Grandma Olson had the fine idea of Bennet Springs. So we headed there instead.

Our greeting committee consisted of a cow trotting across the dirt road entrance. We were the sole campers that night at the campground. Kind of creepy if you ask me, but in a way serene too. Just after we got to camp Kelby busted out the tent and started the marathon of trying to set everything up before darkness crept in. Taylor was ecstatic about helping and Ian had just woken up from his nap in the car, and he cried for over an hour. I was ready to lock him in the van for the night. So much crying & whining! At bedtime we thought he would just fall asleep, but the excitement of sleeping in our tent and a flashlight from Dad made that dream die fast. Ian sang at the top of his lungs the alphabet, his own theme song, and whatever else came to his mind. Not to mention the intermittent growling. It was well over an hour and a half before we even dared climb in the tent ourselves.

At breakfast we realized we forgot the syrup so Taylor informed us that we didn't camp good and we needed to do better. I asked him what if we went again, would he come? He said maybe, but maybe he would just stay with grandma. Stinker. We had jam and peanut butter after all.
After breakfast the boys played in the tent for awhile, then we decided to take them on a small hike. Here the boys are hiking the under construction trail. Stopping to take a picture along the way. They are so cute when they put their arms around each other. I love it! The other night Ian ran up to Taylor and hugged him from behind and said, "Taylor is my best friend!" To bad they don't always treat each other that way. We found a track hoe at the end of our hike, and Ian climbed into the bucket and wanted his picture taken. Taylor followed suit and this is the result.

At the end of our hike we popped out at the Pommerelle Ski Resort.

Kelby with the boys on our way back to the campsite. Ian wanted to walk along the dry creek bed. We got to climb over and under fallen logs while we hopped from rock to rock. We learned about the word 'obstacle', what it meant, and how to use it in a sentence. Taylor kept nervously asking if we were sure this would lead us back. Yep, pretty sure and of course it did.
My big photo shoot with Kelby at the camera. Check out my big guns or lack thereof, and I can ponder stuff. Who knew?

The boys wanted to join me on the muscle show. Look at all those little muscles! We are tough stuff.

Some of what we saw along our hike. I love being outside! Ian loved it so much that he kept asking to go back and walk the rockies. Another time.

While Kelby & I were cleaning up the boys decided to climb up the hill by our campsite. Taylor made it up, but screaming from Ian alerted us that he was sliding uncontrollably down on his stomach. I ran and grabbed him and found that his stomach received some light scratching, but nothing that broke the skin. That crazy kid. When we finished packing we sat up there with the boys while they threw rocks down. They could have done it for hours, but we ended it after just minutes and put them in the van.

After our rock throwing extravaganza we headed up even higher to the top of Mount Harrison. On our way up Taylor declared that he could see forever even into another country. Not quite, but there is a good view of the magic valley. He also thought that when we passed Lake Cleveland that he was going back to Cleveland, and he told Kelby that he wished Kelby had gotten a job there. That took some explaining.

These are four shots of the views from up at the top. Just a wee bit deserty for me, but still pretty in its own way. I felt nervous the entire time because Ian wanted to climb down. No fences adorned the drop-offs and my kid is crazy! I couldn't wait to buckle him back in his car seat.

We took the boys in the look-out up there. From that vantage point you can see in all directions and easily spot a wildfire. Our lucky boys are now the proud new owners of a Smokey the Bear coloring book. It pays to stop in.

It doesn't matter where we go Ian always finds a way to get into trouble. He set off the buzzer on their oven in the look-out and it took a minute or two to get it off. I am not so embarrassed anymore, in fact I am surprised if we go somewhere unscathed from Ian's curiosity.