Camping, cont'd.

I have just a few more pictures and I covered most of the camping details in yesterday's post.  A word about the photos, there are so many trees and the CA sun is so bright that it's not easy to get a good picture with all the dappling of shade and sun. 

You may have noticed in one of yesterday's photos the two hammocks.  The kids loved playing in them, and periodically one would fall out and cry for a while.  It didn't deter them from getting back in though.

I'm also including a photo of the evening fire made by the the guys.  In the picture of my fire, you can see I had collected a lot of small timber that is all over the ground.  I like an "Indian" fire, and though it requires lots of tending, I actually enjoy it.  I had collected much more than shows in the photo.  Here is one of the guy's fire, and it was kept low while I was awake.  The flames got a little higher once I was in my tent!

This is Autie with my hiking staff, and Steve in back of her.  

I took my binoculars along and this is Alyssa looking through them.  They are too large and heavy for the kids so they didn't fool with them much.

Autie, Liam, and Kiera hiking:

Taking all the trekking poles and hiking staff was a very good idea.  The kids loved them, and when they got tired of carrying them on the hike the adults enjoyed using them.

Sarah and Donald relaxing:

Me with Jeannie and the girls.  Arianna didn't want her picture taken and decided she wouldn't smile.  No matter if we tickled her she kept the frown.

Jeannie and family:

Autumn and grandma:

A word about fire starting:  when Ara was in college in Pennsylvania, she went hiking with a group of friends - just a day hike up to a ridge.  For some reason that I can't remember the group got lost or it got dark, etc., but they were stranded for the night.  There was a lot of concern among the group, so Ara took over, assigned each of them a job to do, and she herself made a fire using a spindle.  That's a Waldorf School graduate for you - survivors all.  (She attended Waldorf Sacramento through elementary and high school.)   The group of college kids and Ara survived very well and came back safe and sound!   That girl can do just about anything!

Sorry if I've repeated any photos or narrative that I posted yesterday.  

In answer to a comment about my tent, I like a backpacking tent when I'm stopping for one night as it's quick and easy to set up.  For longer than one night I prefer the space and stand-up room of the big tent.  Since I hadn't yet used the new backpacking tent I wanted to try it out.  Most 2-person tents now have two doors and two vestibules, which just adds weight when only used by one person, one of the reasons I love this Kelty Salida tent with only one door - only 3 pounds and room for me (and a dog).

Yesterday I bought a Rand McNally Road Atlas at Costco - great price and it's called the 2015 edition.  I had thought it would be nice to keep it by my recliner for those times when I wonder about a route, or where a particular place is, etc.  For planning purposes I much prefer the fold out maps, but I figured the atlas would be good for dreaming.  Too bad I returned it today - couldn't read the damn small print!  So I'll just deal with the fold out maps for dreaming as well as planning.

After yesterday's high of 108, we are expecting a cool spell of only 101 today.

Y'all try to stay cool!