hiking

Jim did a lot of hiking growing up.  I think he loved it then but I know he loves it now.  Since we have been married, we haven't done a whole lot of it; in fact, this was the second overnight hiking trip in almost 12 years.  We've done a lot of day hikes but overnights...with small kids?...well, that's why this was only the second.  And they were both in the last year. And both with only Basil; although Julia is awaiting her turn.


Anyways, a while ago Jim decided to put a hiking trip on the calendar for him & Basil. -- Julia protested this (ohhh...it was really sad) because...well...hiking is one of her favorite things to do and she wanted to go also.--  It was quite something, watching Jim prepare for this trip: pulling all of his old camping gear out (and I mean stuff that he has had for 20+ years), making lists of items he needed, hitting the REI Labor Day Clearance Sale (SCORE!), and then hitting the REI store in San Diego while he was there for a conference.  I'm telling ya', kid in a candy store.  And to be honest...I was druling at all of the saaaweeet things too.  When he pulled me into the garage and fit a pack on me...oh yeah...that was awesome.


The last couple of weeks, our garage has been cluttered with camping gear, well a few other things to =) but a good part was a folding table with all sorts of gear, cardboard boxes that the packs came in, sleeping bags...you get the picture.  But I think one of the most memorable times through the whole preparation period was watching Jim and the kids out on our front lawn setting up his old two man tent.  (He's had it since he was a teenager!)  He still had all the poles and whatever else goes along with that...and he was so excited.  Jeemanee.  =)

Friday, September 24th rolls around and the boys are up at 5:30am and out the door at 6:30am.  On the way up they stopped in Prather to get their wilderness permits and then continued up to Kaiser Wilderness, just north of Huntington Lake.  They hiked in about 4 miles from Sample Meadow Trailhead and camped at Upper Twin Lake.

School list:

fly fishing (& now a fly rod is on Basil's Christmas list) and yes, they caught some fish

fires

using the flint properly

setting up the tent

fish cleaning

outdoor cooking

man-to-man talks

etc.

So without further ado...

Lunches ate, packs on, and ready to go.  Whoo-hoo!!!

This was part of the trail...across this log...over a drop. --of maybe 5 feet?  =)

Upper Twin Lake and site of camp.

One of the views from their camp site.

Starbucks while camping...a must.  =)

Filtering water to drink.

Lower Twin Lake, just over a small hill from Upper Twin Lake.

Back at Upper Twin Lake.

Dinner!  Well, part of it.  And caught on the Fly!

Night #2

Basil is soooooo into Man vs. Wild and thinks it is the coolest show EVER made.  He learned how to make a torch from the show and this is his attempt.  It would have worked if the tender he collected was drier.  Next time. =)

Trying to light his torch...

Dang.  Not dry enough.

Breakfast.

What's left of breakfast.

On their way out and headed to the car.