Camping Extravaganza

We finally did it! After a year of being married we actually went on our first campout together! You might not understand. I grew up having my parents take my brothers and sisters and me on camping trips every chance they got: Memorial Day weekends, Labor Day weekends, and the Fourth of July was always spent at Great Grandma&Grandpa Christensen's cabin by the lake! I just really love camping (maybe cuz I get to not wear makeup and live in the same clothes for a while... hehe!) Last summer Kevin bought me a tent for my B-day, but we never got to use it cuz he was always so busy selling. Bummer.

Anyways, so we planned this campout with 2 other couples so we could all request the same saturday off a month in advance. Plus the more the merrier right? It ends up, Kevin and I both get stuck working 'till 8 on friday, so we really didn't get on our way until 8:40. To begin, Charles and Nancy picked us all up in this crazy old school van (borrowed from his dad-Hope you enjoy the pics). The passenger side door doesn't open from the inside, so you either have to wait for someone to let you out, or roll down the window and do it yourself. Also, while we were driving, I look over and CAN SEE THE ROAD between the sliding door and the foot-well. I swear everyone thought that door was gonna go, especially when we hit the dirt road. It was better than a rollercoaster; we were laughing and looking like bobble-heads the whole way!

Let me now back up and say that we had talked about going to alot of different places, but because of daylight issues we decided on a spot out past the ice caves. Well, the sun is setting at this point, and we can see our destination. Charles pulls the van to a halt and we all pile out to go look at our campsite. HOLY COW were we in for a suprise. I walked up to the edge of this CLIFF with SNOW and the guys are all like "oh it's just a little hike down in." BULL. Needless to say the girls pushed for a better location so we drove over to another caldera (that's what these things are-like little valleys in the middle of no-where). At this next one, only Kevin and Charles hopped out to take a gander (Dave was dropped off to walk off some car sickness a while back). The two come hurrying back to the car after a bit and tell us that some peeps are already down there. Crazy huh? In the middle of no-where.

By this time it is already getting dark and we all just want to start setting up for the night, so we yell down to them how they (these random college students) got down there. They yell back up that there is this "path" over towards the left, so we drive over and start unpacking. Can I just say that camping is a lot more fun when you can see where you are going and what you are doing? The sun is long gone by now and we bust out the flashlights. Now, I don't know how any of us survived this next part but you remember that "path" mentioned? Yea...not the greatest. It was more like a 50 yard slide down. And Nancy had a baby. She is one tough momma.

All in all after we were able to get everything from the car to the valley, get the tents set up, and a fire going, everything was awesome! It was quite an experience! Hopefully these pictures can help with the imagery.





The dreaded climb





Good morning!


Alix and Baby Charlie


This was probabay Kevin's favorite part.



Charlie was so funny to watch! Sometimes he would be content to play in the tent, but moments later you would see him scurrying as fast as he could away from everyone into the dirt.



Dave and Alix heating up water for our morning oatmeal.


Peek-a-boo!