Family Camping: Grandparents Perspective

Friday and Satuday we resurrected an old favorite summer past time and tried family camping. Despite way too many years scouting, we were definitely rusty, and Colorado camping isn't quite like California camping ie: you must always expect rain. We actually did alright with Jarom's canopy and all of our big tents, but none of us had good outdoor clothing. I guess its something you accumulate over time.

We loved our campsite, here we were in a National Park (think Yosemite) at the height of the season and we weren't near anyone. We had our own outhouse; full unfortunately, but at least we weren't sharing it with anyone else. We just left the door open all the time, and only the girls shut the door.

What worked:

• Jarom brought a water proof canopy that we put over the table that kept the occasional rain shower off of the cooking area. It was a huge pain to put together, but we were glad to have it.
• Jame's & Allie's monster tent with a hinged door and gigantic rain flys. I'm sure it cost some bucks but definitely worth it.
• Air beds from home. Kiss the thermarest and insulites good bye. Yeah, they take about 20 minutes to inflate a queen size by hand, but I was actually warm and confortable and Jane slept all night at 8,000 ft elevation in a sleeping bag.
• Pillows from home. Jane and I brought ours we slept great. Jarom and Melissa brought "camping" pillows and slept poorly.
• Extra Blanket. Jane and I draped an extra blanket over our sleeping bags which allowed me to sleep with my arms out of the bag but still covered, so I had freedom of movement and stayed warm.
• Wet wipes: We used them for everything from hands, faces, bathroom breaks, wiping out pans, etc. Next time we bring the giant pack from Costco. You can't have too many.
• Citronella Candles: We bought these little bucket candles with Citronella mosquito repellant, and it really helped. Maybe a couple of more next time?

Jarom and I had some conversations about what we would do different next time (and yes Allie, there will be a next time). Here is our list of some of our lessons learned:

• Easier Meals. The dutch oven food was good, but was it really worth taking two hours or longer to prepare meals? Next time its cold cereal for breakfast, hot dogs & Easy Mac for lunch and foil dinners (made in advance).
• Longer Stay. It is so much work setting up camp, that its a shame to have to take down the next morning. The second day would have been so relaxing had we just had to eat and hang around.
• More Water: We were about 1/4 mile from the nearest water faucet, and we only had a total of a gallon and a half storage capacity. Next time we'll bring some larger water containers.
• Bigger Wagon: It took seven half-mile trips to the car to bring all the gear in; and THANK GOODNESS Allie had a wagon that we could pile up. Maybe two wagons...

Now for the pictures...

We had to get a permit for the campground. Interestingly there are no per-night fees. $20 per car ($35 annual pass; we'll get that next year) and $20 for the campsite for two nights. This is the office where we had to fill out the paper work.

The campsite where we stayed is "accessable" and made for a handicapped person (tables had no benches on one side to accomodate wheel chairs. This is the trail to our campsite with our disabled camper. I have to tell you that having our own bathroom 30 feet away was the only way our colitis sufferer could have endured.

It started raining as we were setting up camp, and Allie and Jarom had to put up the canopy in the rain. It stopped just as they got it up because Melissa, Grandma Jane and the Thornbrue kids said a prayer as they were huddled in one of the tents. Here I am drying out the canopy instructions so we could put them away for the next time.

Here is our sweet campsite. Notice the table in the foreground doesn't have a bench on one side. The big blue tent is ours. Jarom and Melissa have the yellow tent, and Allie and Jame's tent is the green monster.

The Thornbrue kids had the time of their life. Grandma Jane is an essential camping accessory.


While there was lots of downed wood, we didn't have any way of chopping it up, so we had to gather pieces that were small enough to break (over a rock) but large enough to last more than a second or two. Here James is returning with a triumphal arm load. Notice the neoprene waders.


Here James is setting up their tent. You are seeing about 1/2 the tent. I'm telling you, its HUGE (and I'm jealous!).

Allie prepared this amazing caramel apple crisp, which we cooked. It just needed some ice cream or milk. Maybe next time...


We had a doe wander into camp apparently unconcerned about the people. Melissa and Marie and Tessa were gathering wood and she (the deer) walk to within about 15 feet of them (they are just off the left side of this picture).


As we were packing up Ben wanted to get in the duffle bag.


Tessa and Ben wanted to help so they grabbed the ice chests and started down the trail to the cars. They looked so cute; like they were running away from home or something.


This is Sprague Lake from the south end. Our campsite was at the far end and in about a 100 yards off towards the right.


As we were leaving we saw one of the resident elk herds. There were about 200 elk total. I got out of the car and took a picture. They are quite used to people and you can get very close. I chose not to because they smell.