Hiking and camping...in a tent

We went on our first official tent camping trip this weekend to Two O' Clock Creek campsite. Otto had been tent camping with a group of people when we still lived in Victoria, TX (and before kids). I don't remember ever camping in a tent. In Brownies and Girl Scouts we had cabins, although setting up the tent and sleeping in it seemed vaguely familiar.

We headed out Saturday morning with our friends Judy, Bob, Rebecca, Rachel, Joe, Lori, Julianna, and Carl. We arrived at the campsite, ate lunch, set up the tents, and headed out for a hike to Siffleur Falls. Otto takes in the Saskatchewan River.


"Hi-ho, Hi-ho, It's off to work we go..."

Here was a really neat, really wobbly suspension bridge that we crossed. You can see Sam jumping on the left, trying to get it rockin'! He had some help with that as the rest of us hopped on.

After a bit we came across Siffleur River. Very pretty.


This was at the top of the steepest part of the hike, which wasn't bad at all.


A couple shots looking dooooooooowwwwwwnnnn at the river.


And Siffleur Falls, which means whistling marmot. I saw no marmots, whistling or otherwise.



All hands on deck looking for the geocache. We didn't find it as a group, but Carl and Joe stayed behind to look some more and located it!


Judy and Rachel.


A vista heading back.

The boys getting a lift.


And back over the bridge.

Back at camp, Rachel, Rebecca, and Julianna built a fire to warm up,


while Bob worked his magic with the Dutch ovens. Those Dutch ovens are pretty neat. Otto now wants to purchase one, or two.


The boys started to eat by the fire,
But then joined us in the shelter area where we had the rest of the feast. Spare ribs and cornbread (both made in a Dutch oven), and hot dogs, with pasta salad, baked beans, and potato salad as sides.


After dinner, our dessert appetizers were s'mores by the campfire.

Rebecca toasting a marshmallow, while Julianna and Lori enjoy the finished product.


Carl tossing a football around with the boys. Before dinner Lori, Carl, Andy, and Sam went in search of another geocache closer to the campground, and found that one as well. That geocaching is a pretty cool!


Soon the dessert main course was ready. Bob and Judy's Saskatoon cobbler, again made in the Dutch oven! Mmmmmmmm - don't Otto and Joe look happy? It was very tasty.


Ahhhh, dining by LED lantern.

After dinner we had two campfires going. Andy and Sam were mesmerized by the fire, and wanted to stick anything and everything they could find INTO the fire.


And settling in for the night in the 'kids tent'. Or at least part of the night, until Sam was walked over to our tent around 2:30am, and Andy not long after that. We were VERY snug and cozy with all four of us on our air mattress-built-for-TWO.

A very nice end to the summer. Actually, we're going out with a bang. The forecast for tomorrow is a high of 32 C (90 F)!! Crazy, but I'll take it!!