Due to the unseasonably cool and rainy weather we have been having here in Coeur d'Alene up until now, we finally set out for our first family camping trip of the year this past weekend. We ventured toward the head waters of the North Fork of the Coeur d'Alene River with our trust camper trailer (that's nearly as old as I am) where we managed to find a secluded location right on the river.
While I love that cooler weather has drastically reduced the swarms of wasps we have around this time of year, the flies and mosquitoes seemed to have flourished with all the rain and standing water. The whole weekend was spent in a haze of insect repellent that I am now trying to banish from our clothing. On the bright side, no one got stung by any wasps and we came home with only a handful on mosquito bites -- each.
As they never get to do this anytime except on camping trips, one of our kids favorite camping activities is stick burning. Nothing makes them happier than to find a stick in the forest, settle in by the campfire and attempt to light it -- and in turn their siblings, their clothes, the chairs and the forest -- on fire. What child isn't a pyromaniac at heart? I must admit, they get it from their mom. Oh, we roast marshmallows and make s'mores too, but the stick-burning is the highlight of the trip for the kids.
All day Saturday we spent doing our kids second favorite activity: hiking. I think Joel was trying to make up for lost time in one hike as he led us on a voyage that took us to the top of three different mountains, waded across a rocky, knee-deep river and ultimately was at least 15 miles and took us five hours to complete. Completely worth the effort though, not only in the time we were able to spend together, but in the sheer beauty of our surroundings. The kids especially enjoyed all the wild strawberries we found along the trail.
While camping is always fun, coming home to shower off all the insect repellent, sunscreen and grime is a joy all of its own. That, and the after-camping nap. No one really sleeps that well during our camping trips due to our oldest son, Luke's, nighttime conversations. That is, he talks in his sleep. A lot. And sometimes shouts too. As we are all snuggled into our little camper, he has a tendency to wake up everyone several times during the night, with the exception of himself of course. The not-so-distant future may see him out in a tent with his siblings and the dog.
What camping traditions do you have with your family?
I love that top photo--we live in such a beautiful area.
We've only been camping once this summer as well, on the St. Joe. The mosquitoes were absolutely horrid, because it had flooded and there were still spots that were a little marshy.
Stick burning is definitely a highlight for our older boys, though Grace & Evan haven't been initiated yet. The boys also like to shoot their slingshots. Personally, my favorite part is reading, but I don't get to do a lot of that when I'm monitoring a three-year-old's proximity to the river!
And I agree about the post-camping shower. There's nothing like it!
Posted by: Melissa Kaiserman | July 25, 2011 at 10:29 PM