Camping on the Big Horns

Friday we got to finally make a camping trip up the mountain. We left early afternoon, once Carson was done with a peer mediation meeting at the school, hoping our suburban could make it up the mountain pulling our camper. We ended up having to stop twice to let our transmission cool down, but we made it none the less. We met up with Daniel and Kasi and their kids and Ryan and Adrienne Mangus and their families. The boys were so excited to get to play with their friends! They spent the rest of the afternoon exploring all the rocks that were around our camp site. They called the large group of rocks their castle.

  Travis                                              Carson and Jared Mangus

Travis, Jordan and Ashley Mangus.

For dinner that night, we had hot dogs, roasted our sweet corn of the season. We ended up having to eat our dinner inside the camper because it started to rain on us.

Daniel and Christian grilling our corn.

Corn in the camper.

That night, we sat under Mangus' canopy and visited while the kids hung out in the camper playing games and singing along to songs on the radio. There is a fire ban on the mountain, so we couldn't have a fire, which was a bummer, but enjoyed our company around a lit lantern. Friday night, we couldn't get our heater to work in the camper, so some of us had a chilly night.

Saturday morning, Christian tired to figure out why the heater wasn't working. We discovered that you have to have the generator going the whole time for the heater to work...good to know for the next night. After fiddling with the furnace, we made blueberry pancakes, bacon and eggs for breakfast.

Britt and Landon enjoying their breakfast on top of a big rock.

After we were done cleaning up breakfast, we sat around and talked while the kids played. They spent HOURS making forts up in the trees and boulders. They turned out really cool and worked hard on them.

Carson shooting his wrist rocket.

 Christian and Daniel helped Travis build his fort first and then the other kids started to build their own.

Travis' fort (under all the tree branches)

Travis hanging out in his fort.

The other kids working on theirs.

We had sub sandwiches for lunch and waited for it to warm up a bit before we headed out to go fishing down at the pond at "Cow camp".

While we were waiting for it to warm up outside, Christian decided to try and catch a camp robber bird that kept coming and looking for food. He put a piece of fruit roll up on the end of a fishing pole(with no hook) and sat and waited for one to come back. While I was in the camper, he was able to get one bird to take the bait.

We fished at the pond for a couple of hours and we all had pretty good success. Carson was the only one in our family that didn't catch any fish.

Travis caught the first fish of the afternoon on his first cast!

Our whole group!

Travis and Landon fishing.

Carson fishing on the other side of the pond.

Christian tried fly fishing and was able to catch one fish.

Christian, Travis and Landon fishing.

Carson waiting patiently for a fish to bite.

Carson and his friend Jared Mangus.

Christian let me use his prized black beauty spinner and I caught 3 fish super quick. I guess I understand now why he loves his black beauty so much!

Landon and Travis with one of my catches.

Travis was able to catch 3 fish total.

Christian taught Landon how to cast and he got so that he could do it all on his own and do it really well. He caught a fish totally on his own once he learned how to cast!

A fish!

Christian and I posing!

Our family by the "Cow camp" pond.

A truck full of kids: Jordan, Jacob, Ashley, Emily, Dallin (Manugs' cousins) Landon, Travis, Carson, and Jared.

When we got back from fishing, the kids worked on their forts some more while the adults sat around and talked. We had taco salad for dinner. Daniel and Kasi had to leave to go home after dinner. We sent the kids into Mangus' camper while Ryan and Adrienne came over to ours to hang out. We made it to bed around 10:30 with the generator running so we could heat up the camper. We turned it off a while later and the fan continued to run. Around 12:30, our carbon monoxide detector went off so we immediately turned off the furnace and opened all the vents, windows and doors. We woke up the boys to make sure they were ok, which they were. So, needless to say, we didn't have a very restful night. I was up worrying the whole time! YIKES!
Sunday, we woke up, loaded up the camper and headed back down the mountain a little before 8. We had to stop twice to let our brakes cool (the first time the were smoking pretty good). Let's just say that we are looking more seriously now for a truck with some power so we can make it back up the mountain again some time. The suburban just couldn't quite hack it! But, we had a great time with family and friends and can't wait to go back again!