We drove out Friday when the boys were out of school. The place we camp is 8 miles back and most of those miles are spent driving through private property. There are lots of buffalo there but you never know on which part of the land they will be. They did not disappoint this time. There were probably 600 plus buffalo.
I did not even think about there being calves out there. Probably over 200 of them. At one point we stopped on the road to watch them. I noticed one of the adults looking at us, then it would run along side us and stop when we stopped. We stopped again and I had my window down. I became a little concerned when it looked at me and snorted very loudly (I had never heard them do this before). I sat there contemplating my next move when all of a sudden a calf ran in front of the car. It seems I had come in between mom and calf and she was not very happy about it.
We pulled up to the camp ground and the car immediately behind us was a family we know from school and soccer. They have a son, who is Jbird's age, and a daughter B's age. My concerns over the boys fighting with each other all weekend and bored of each other soon went out the window. All five of the kids played together most of the weekend.
Saturday morning we realized that the water pump at the campground was not working. (I guess due to budget cutbacks, the forest service personnel are not able to test the wells, so it was shut down). We had planned on water on site so I only brought about three water bottles. I decided to make a quick trip back home to get more water and blankets. (Seems the outfitter tent works best - warmest - when you are on cots and not the ground - none of us slept well Friday night). As I headed out on the long road, there were very few buffalo. However, when I came back an hour and half later, there were hoards again! Amazing how quickly they can all move.
On Saturday afternoon some other friends came out for the evening. The family that was also camping out there had to drive back in for church Sunday (he is a minister) but since they were coming back Sunday afternoon, they left their first grade son with us Saturday night. A thunderstorm rolled in and all 11 of us ended up in our tent. I am very thankful JR set up his outfitter tent. There was plenty of room and so nice to be able to fully stand up.
Sunday morning we piled the boys up in the back of JR's truck and drove back out the 8 mile road. (It is not often they have the opportunity to ride in the back.) They loved it. The buffalo were still hanging out! On the way back, look who drove us.
When we got back to the campground, JR and B ran back home to get a few more things. (Originally JR was going to leave Sunday afternoon, but decided to stay Sunday night so he needed more clothes for work on Monday.) While they were gone, the younger boys talked me into hiking up a hill that was filled with rocks. Jbird and his friend scampered right up. JB and I took our time. It was not too difficult on the way up. I was more worried about them dislodging a rock above us. Then on the way down, it seemed much easier to dislodge rocks as you stepped down on them, so the going was much slower. I was thankful that JB did not want to go as high as the other 2. I was starting to get that gut feeling that we need to turn around before we get up too high.
Here is Jbird and his friend, way above us.
This is the view of our campground. Our tent is in the middle of the picture, in that small green opening. We were way up there.
JB did really well and is great at problem solving out on the 'trail' and how to keep moving over obstacles bigger than he is.
Few other miscellaneous pictures from the weekend.
This is on the drive in. Really like this time of year with the green grass and snow capped mountains.
Hanging out by the fire. My boys sure love to play with sticks in the fire. However, I was glad to see one of them bring me some matches and ask if he could light them, instead of just doing it.
This boy got the dirty award for the weekend!
The older two enjoyed practicing their ax skills. (Love the tongue...)
I saw this truck drive by and would never had believed it if I had not seen it. But get a load of this....I guess you would call this the poor cowboy's horse trailer.
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Playing down by the river.
One of our views.
Jbird is actually pretty proficient at splitting logs.
On Monday morning I spent several hours tearing everything down. (The family who came out Saturday, also came back Sunday and 2 of their girls stayed Sunday night with us. JR left early Monday for work so I had all the kids play while I organized stuff, air dried blankets, aired out tent, etc. All the kids were invited to go look at some horses. I did not get a picture of the boys with the horses, but managed to get them all in one shot (3 days of no shower or hairbrush!)
As I was getting things done, seems one of my boys was going through boxes that were already packed. Not sure what he was looking for, but he came across the bear spray. I have never used bear spray and have no desire to. However, curiosity got the best of him and he pushed the lever, inside the car! Just a tiny bit came out but him and one of the other girls came running over coughing and sputtering. It seems the residual stuff had gotten in one of his eye and he was hurting. We spent a little bit washing out his one eye. He was very apologetic and kept saying he did not know how bad it was. I guarantee you, he will never mess around with a can of bear spray again. (I was concerned for the drive home because as I was loading stuff in the van I was coughing. I had brushes my arm up against the back of my seat, which is where the bear spray landed, and my arm was burning. However, with the windows down, we managed to make it home.)
With the two girls who stayed with us, I knew we would be loaded to the max when we left (we were giving them a ride home). We got everything into the car and had 4 of the kids squeeze into 3 seat belts. The trip back was fairly uneventful, until I passed a highway patrol and saw him whip around behind me. He followed me for a bit and then sure enough, turned on the lights. I pulled over. He was very nice and asking about where we had been, etc. He pulled me over because I was going 68 in a 55. The stretch of road we were on changes speeds several times and I thought it was 70. He wanted to open the back door. I told him he was welcome to but did not know if anything would fall out! He opted not too. (I have always wondered if double buckling was against the law.) Thankfully no, because he made a comment that I had managed to get them all buckled somehow and laughed. Fortunately, he only gave me a warning!
We dropped off our friends, came home, unpacked, took showers, ate and then 2 of them crashed hard. I found them on my bed.
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