I’m a creature of habit.  I like the traditions we’ve formed over the years, and one of my favorites was taking our annual summer trip, and staying in the funky cabin near Pinecrest lake. I liked lounging by the lake, eating soft serve ice cream cones from the Snack Shack, hikes around the lake, movie watching under the stars,… I love it all and I never wanted things to change, ever.  So when Justin suggested we try something new this summer I was hesitant (read: being stubbornly childish).  Why mess with something that’s already so perfect?

“Babe, don’t you think the kids would love a chance to go tent camping?  Do something different this time? Give them a real camping experience?”

We decided to get the kids input.  So I asked them, “Hey kiddos! Would you rather go to the cabin this summer and play in the lake, watch movies, and sleep in real beds?!  OR, go tent camping?”

All four of them in unison “GO TENT CAMPING!!”

So that’s what we did.

We found a nice spot at Clark’s Fork with a little creek that trickled by the campsite.

The kids spent hours playing in that tiny creek.  Finding things to float, wading around, getting muddy, building little dams. 

The boys had their own camping haven that they stocked with new comic books and flashlights.

We had campfires each night with different treats to enjoy.  The first few nights we did S’mores, but as a surprise, I also brought a bag of potatoes and let the kids roast them in the coals. We fished them out of the fire, smeared them with butter, and hit them with a good sprinkling of salt.  I am here to testify that hot, slightly smokey flavored, coal roasted potatoes, are the best potatoes a person can eat.  Period.

Jude used our leftover baked potatoes to make fried potatoes for breakfast the next morning.

By the second day, I must confess, tent camping in the Sierras had won me over completely.  Sure, at night I missed the hot shower and sleeping on a real bed but…the fun and the memories were totally worth a little discomfort.  

Justin hung a hammock so he could stretch out and enjoy a little reading in the afternoon but Miss P claimed the it as her own personal swing.

The meadows were stunning.  

In the afternoons Miss E preferred mom and dad’s big bed for some light reading (do you see the grime on those jean?!  Oh my word, there is nothing like mountain dirt. It gets EVERYWHERE, all.the.time.)

Grandpa and Grandma W. came up one of the days to celebrate Justin’s birthday and to do a little hiking and fishing.

After such a wet winter the river was running very fast and it was hard to find a bank to fish from.  Finally, after dinner we wandered across the meadow and found the perfect fishing spot!

Grandpa W. was the only one who manage to snag a fish and sadly, it was a wee little fish so it got sent back down the river.

So, a few things I learned: keep the kids warm at night!  It’s way better to bring too many blankets than to not have enough.  Even though the afternoons got hot, the temperatures really dip at night and cold kids don’t sleep soundly.  Also, next time I’m bringing one of those solar shower units.  Clark’s Fork is a beautiful campground but there are no showers.  I found that I could handle sleeping on an air mattress each night, but man, I need a shower now and again.

At the end of the trip as we headed back down the mountain I asked the kids, “Well, are you guys ready to go back to the little cabin next year or will it be tent camping again?  What did you like better?”

One again, all in unison “TENT CAMPING!”

You know what?  That’s just fine by me…