The same...only different

Last week when Paul and I found that cool little hike up in Pine Valley we decided it would be a perfect place to take our oldest grandkids on their first backpacking outing/camp out. We located a just right little campsite. On Friday afternoon we picked up Brynnli and Tavin and headed off to do the deed. Just as we were finishing off our sandwiches at the parking area, up drove several vehicles full of 11-year-old scouts. Come to find out they were heading the same way we were. We just knew they couldn't possibly be thinking of camping in the tiny little camp spot (there weren't any others that we even thought were a good possibility) we had picked out. They headed off a few minutes ahead of us. When we caught up with them, there they were in our camp spot. (I don't know how they all fit in.) We were pretty disappointed and no way did we want to camp anywhere near such a boisterous group of happy campers. Not to be quashed in our plan, we came up with an alternate that turned out to be just as good if not better and headed over to Water Canyon. Paul and I had checked it out earlier this year. It was a much longer hike, about 2.5 miles, to get there, but we got there in plenty of time to set up camp and enjoy a nice evening of star gazing. We also found a cool bug. As we were sitting around the fire a couple of bow hunters came by on their way up the canyon and visited with us for a little while. After hot chocolate, granola bars, M&M's, some story telling, toothbrushing and prayers it was off to bed. It was pretty cool, but we all did fine once we got our sleeping bags warmed up. In the morning the kids beat the old people out of bed and made the fire. We purified water and breakfasted and then played around camp some, packed up and then stowed our packs. Four more hunters on mules came by as we were cleaning up. Then we followed the trail up the mountain for a while picking out more good camp spots and passing the first bow hunter's campsite. It was perfect weather and beautiful surroundings. We hiked back down and put on our packs and headed back out. We saw a couple of other hikers on the way out. The kids did great with their packs, with sleeping under the stars and eating backpacking food. Grandpa kept them entertained with stories of his youthful adventures on the way home. (Grandma took a little nap during some of the tales.) We dropped the kiddies off and visited for a while and then it was back home to unpack and get cleaned up for stake conference. It was a totally fun trip and we look forward to taking more of the kids out when they get old enough for such "edventures" with grandpa and grandma if grandma and grandpa don't get too old first!