River Rafting

A long awaited camping trip starts today.

Years ago, (wow, I sound like I'm around 100...) anyway, we had a passel of young-uns...(6) and every year we would take our family vacation in the mountains and go camping for 10 days. Now, some of you would cringe at the thought of "roughing it" for 10 days, but took so much stuff that it was not really roughing it. It seems like months in advance I would take a poll at a dinner and each child was to offer up a suggestion for a dinner meal (that helped with the menu ideas) We had everything from split pea soup to enchiladas, hamburgers to breakfast for dinner. I could take the budget I had for groceries and little by little buy ahead for the long awaited camp-out.

We only went about 2 hours from home, but it was in the mountains, near a lake. We loaded everything from the picnic table, fishing poles, bikes, tents, potty chairs (ooops!), sleeping bags, etc. And, it would take two vehicles to get everything there. I would drive the station wagon loaded to the gills and Mr would drive the little truck and somewhere in it all we divided up the kids (no car seats at that time) Oh, the adventures we had!

Now, we have a small travel trailer (with a bathroom!) it is just the two of us and we eat like old people... oatmeal for breakfast, soup for lunch... you know - old people

BUT... this year we have one of our daughters from Texas and her two children to add to the mix. My daughter (the Bricoleur) lives nearby and we will share meals, tents and kids. It has been a dream to have them join us in our mountain camping trip.

We (and I use that term loosely) have run the river many times. (I personally have never been down the river in a raft, tube or kayak... I am the grandma and I get to watch and cheer). But the young people, old and young have and they really love it. I drive the truck back from the drop-off point, about a mile or more up the river and then go back to wait their arrival, it takes about an hour.

Here, in California, the water is clear and cold and fast. You will see some panning for gold on the shores, and you have to run the gamut of berry bushes, rocks and other rafters. All exciting.

Look for pictures next time as I have probably lost the ones I had from previous trips, as I can't find them...