Winter Withdrawals

I can't wait for April to come.  Usually April is warm enough to get out camping to a South location.  We can't go to far up the mountains, but we can definitely get out and regenerate our bodies souls with nature.

My husband is talking about selling our 5th wheel after this next camping season, and starting a new hobby.  I am not sure how I feel about that.  We will see how the kids feel.  My husband thinks hanging out at the lake with a boat in our 100 degree weather might be more fun.  I like getting out of the heat and going to the mountains where it is quiet and beautiful.

My dear husband changes hobbies every 5 years.  Throughout our whole marriage I have seen it over and over, but this time it will effect me and  the kids. At least I get one more happy season, let's make it the best!

My plans this year will be; Lake Powell camping on the beach, Enterprise, Baker, Yankee Meadow, Panguitch, and maybe Sand Hollow again.  I love all these places, and  look forward to camping them again.

Super Cute Tree

How cute is this Bob Ross tree growing out of the rocks between Henrieville and Escalante, UT.

 

Getting Back Out

It has been a few weeks since we got out camping.  And I am missing it so very much.  I want one more camp before it is too cold to enjoy the day.  I don't mind the cold nights, since we have a heater, but during the day needs to be beautiful.

I talked to my friend who drives Parowan daily, and she said the trees still have leaves.  We missed our camp trip last year in the yellow Aspen trees, and I would sure like to see them this year.

Hoping for next week.  Cross your fingers we are able to get out.

Get Out of the City

I saw a saying once that said everyone should meditate 20 minutes a day, unless you don't have time for it, then you need to meditate an hour a day.  Reading that sure made me think.  I fall in the second category.  I have a great life, but I definitely need more down time with nothing planned, where I can turn off noise, and sit and gather my thoughts.  Most times when I have me time, I end up making a grocery list, cleaning the house, going through all my notes that pile up, or doing something that needs done.  I have a hard time having me time when there is so much that can and should be done.

My husband and I try to get out camping as often as possible, but usually we end up only getting once a month due to our schedules.  We either have large family get together,  BBQ's at our house or friends, birthday parties, or kid events to attend.  The last few years when the soccer notes come home, I throw them away.  I have been selfish and have not wanted to encourage my kids to play, because it eats up every Saturday for a few months.  This is not relaxing to me.  I have done it, and until they are asking and begging, I will ignore the notes.  They do plenty during the school year to make up for it.  

Sometimes I drive though smaller towns, such as Parowan when we go camping up Yankee, and think about how we should move there.  Beautiful weather in the summers, not a single traffic light that I know of, only a couple gas stations, one grocery store, that I know of.  Simple life sounds so nice sometimes.  Here in the big city I live in, I always feel rushed to hurry somewhere, so I can hurry somewhere else.  Always on the go. 

Camping to me is good down time, where  I get to sit and enjoy the scenery, go on walks or runs, and reconnect with our kids, and the earth.  Nowhere to go, nothing needing to be done, just relax.  We love our times away, and I will use it as my meditation time, even though I need to find more time at home.  I'll work on it.

Kanaraville Falls

In the little town of Kanaraville Utah lies one of the most beautiful hikes.  After walking for an hour back and forth through the stream, in and out of the suns view, you will find pure beauty of a waterfall surrounded by lush green trees, and red rock.  The first water fall you come to has a very short rock slide that dumps you into a pool of water.  The water is cold, but very refreshing after a long hike.  You might even find a few cell phones in the bottom of this pond.  My friend jumped in without thinking about the phone, and I'm sure he's not the only one.

We did not go to the upper waterfall, my kids were too tired and were completely satisfied with all the fun they were having at the lower falls.  We hiked up with our backpacks full of water and delicious sandwiches, and had a little picnic at the top.  This was a very memorable hike.

Camp Neighbors

I love camping for many reasons, one being the peace and quiet it brings.  I love the sounds of the stream, wind in the trees, and the calmness.  This is where I recharge, and create non electronic quality time with my family.

We camp at Enterprise Reservoir a couple times a year.  Enterprise is a good place to go for one of the first camping places of the season.  It is not as cold there, and the days are beautiful.

Last year after spending a few nights at Enterprise Reservoir, we were prematurely woken up by some extremely loud music.  This music was not only loud, but hearing the F bombs from Eminem so early in the morning, before the sun was up, was NOT appreciated by me or my husband.   After listening to it for a few minutes and wondering what they were thinking so early, my husband convinced me to go talk to them.  He was too mad to deal with it nicely.

I Walked over to the campsite right next to ours, but since the boulders are so high, we could not see them and they could not see us.  These camps are very close, but they feel secluded.

After walking up on their site  and standing there in my PJs, and waiting for them to look at me, it seemed like a few minutes, and finally the wife or girl friend came over and gave me an irritated look.  I asked if they could pleae turn the music down, and that we were still trying to sleep.

After a few choice words from the guy, and some erratic behavior, he reluctantly turned it down a little.  "f***, I come to the mountains to listen to my music and do what I want, and you're telling me to turn it down...we just got off our grave yard shift and came here to listen to our music...".  I went back to bed.

The next day we were packing up camp to go home.  I always send my kids around the site with a grocery bag to pick up all trash that did not grow there.  Our site was pretty clean to begin with, so I said I didn't care where they went to get it, but they needed to find 20 pieces each.  While they were on trash duty, the "no etiquette" neighbors saw them and must have felt bad.  They gave each kid $5 and said thanks for picking up trash.  Obviously the kids were elated to be rewarded for trash duty.  Then surprisingly the neighbors came over and apologized for their music the night before.

I would hope that everyone would respect their neighbors and have some etiquette when they are camping.  If you want to blast your music and stay up all night being loud and obnoxious, then don't go to a campground or next to other campers.   Have some respect.

Barker Camping

Last year we camped up Escalate Mountain for a week.  We enjoyed fishing at their close lakes.  I heard there was another one that had a lot more fish that you have to hike about an hour to, but we only fished the two that we could drive to.  My favorite thing to do is sit in my lounge chair and read a book or magazine, while the family fishes.

Barker reservoir fishing with the family.  The weather was beautiful during the day, and need for a sweat shirt in the evenings.

We camped during a dry season, when there were fires happening throughout Utah, so Barker had a no fire restriction.  All of our cooking had to be in our trailer.  No campfires, or hot coals.  Luckily we have a stove top and a BBQ grill.  We did cook outside on

 our grill.  What is camping without burgers, hot dogs, and Smores.

Camping among the Aspen's away from the busy life in town, helps me reconnect with life.  This is my recharging time.

My family enjoys getting away as well.  This is some of our quality family time.