July Post #4

Technically, it is now August but this is close enough to count as my 4th post in July which is a record.  When my schedule takes over in a couple months, know that my family still has a life even though it will not be witnessed via the blog.

We went on another camping trip this past weekend.  I bought campsite reservations from someone in our neighborhood who couldn't go at the last minute, so we figured it was a great deal as it sure beats leaving before dawn on Saturday morning to hope for a same-day campsite for one night.  This allowed us to head up Friday night, which we did...very unsuccessfully.  So unsuccessful, in fact, we joked I was trying to create material for my blog.  So let me tell you the story.

We left the city later than planned (surprise surprise).  Wait, first lets back up a few days to early Wednesday morning (~4am) when I had my first experience bringing Thayden in to the ER.  He awoke quite febrile and crying about his head hurting "all over" and his neck hurting when he looked down.  Tylenol and Advil brought down his fever but he still had a bad headache, photophobia, and neck pain...so off to the ER we went as I was not going to be that pediatrician mom who kept her child home with meningitis.  Thankfully (?) he was much improved after checking in to the ER and was back to his normal mischievous self by the time we left the ER an hour later, untouched from any tests other that a rapid strep.  He had an up and down day that day but recovered fully by Friday.  Sierra then developed diarrhea on Thursday but again had recovered by the next day.  A little enterovirus to spread around perhaps?  Troy was not feeling too perky on Friday which contributed to our late start.  So that brings us to Golden Gate Canyon State Park, following the signs to the campground up the mountain as I fight motion sickness around dusk Friday night.  When we get to the top of the mountain, the campground name we were looking for was not on any signs...or on the map of the park.  We got no cell phone reception.  So down the mountain we drove (I drove, as I was way too nauseous to be the passenger).   Conveniently a cop had pulled over a car and we were able to stop and get directions.  Yep, back UP the mountain we went (it was indeed one of those campgrounds at the top).  By the time we may it to our campsite, on roads that were impassable with anything other than a 4 wheel drive vehicle, it was clear I did not know what I was buying when I paid for those reservations.  In the pitch blackness (aside from the million stars in the sky) I walked, tripping at least 3 times over tree roots and rocks up a hill to campsite 31, a good 100 yards away from where we could park.  On the continuum of possible to impossible, setting up camp with 2 little kids in the middle of the night 100+ yards away from all our stuff was comparable to hiking a 14-er with Thayden and Sierra on our backs.  Alas, we drove back to Denver, stopping a few times along the way so I could throw up along the road (yep, enterovirus visited us all.)


So Saturday morning we tried again.  This time we knew what we were in for but we still set the bar too high.  The best hike in the park is the Mountain Lion hike, a 6.4 mile hike rated "difficult" but hey, we hiked an 8 mile difficult hike just earlier this month with Nana and family, so we thought we'd tackle it.

 

Troy and Sierra all packed up ready to go.  This is after we spent about an hour at the trailhead getting our lunch made, sunscreen and bug spray on, and waiting for both the kids to have BM's in the smelly outhouse (sometimes it might be easier if Sierra still went in a diaper.)

 As you can see the trail had a significant grade to it.  At first, Thayden was excited to be the line-leader.  Troy and Sierra took up the rear. 

 I'm not a flower person, but the meadow was actually pretty with all the wildflowers.

 Especially all the Indian Paintbrush. 

 The trail was sandy, which is bad for Thayden's mesh hiking/water shoes, requiring several stops for the whine "there's something in my shoe mommy!" 

 You can see some of the pretty views of the mountains in the background of some of these pics.

 After our lunch break (which was about 0.5 miles into our hike!), Sierra refused to get in the backpack so she did some independent walking, running, and falling on the path.

 We passed over a stream a couple times, but not without spending a serious amount of time watching Thayden and Sierra throw rocks, sticks, and whatever else into the stream.  As you can imagine, we are not making very good time on our 6+ mile hike.

 Then we came to a fork in the road.  We could continue on Mountain Lion trail, another 4+ miles loop around, or we could take Burro trail and head back toward the trailhead.  We chose Burro.  Then everyone was all smiles (except Sierra, who was taking her afternoon nap in the pack already.)  Total hike ended up being around 3 miles.  Fail.

 But, this meant we got to our campsite in the afternoon with plenty of light to set up.  It was remote. 

 Before dinner we went on a very short walk down by the stream right near our camp.  Again, the wildflowers were abundant. 

 And the vegetation by the stream was lush.  Thayden says that a bear knocked down this tree. 

 And again, kids + creek = endless entertainment.  It would be more enjoyable for adults if it wasn't for those darn mosquitoes. 

 That pretty much wraps up the photojournalism part of our adventure.  We then ate supper, Thayden was a very naughty boy, tantruming and refused to listen, resulting in multiple prolonged timeouts in the truck and a bedtime for all of us before sunset without any campfire.  The next morning was improved, Thayden ate his breakfast and did get to roast marshmellows.  Troy single-handedly packed up camp as Sierra is at an age with a high energy level and no fear, meaning she can't be alone for 2 seconds.  When we started to drive away, Thayden was very insistent we do another hike.    

So Sierra took a morning nap while Thayden and I went on a short hike with a nice view. 
And then we escaped to the city for a break.