First Backpacking Trip with the Girls - Deer Creek - 4 miles

Backpacking was one of the outdoor activities I missed most after Shane and I had kids.  Shane has still been able to go at least once a year but I never went and when we went on trips alone it was not ever to backpack.  I think when I had young babies and Shane and I were able to get away alone, I wanted to be in a hotel or cabin with a hot tub, not carrying 30 pounds on my back and sleeping on a 1 inch mattress.  (Whatever could i have been thinking!!!) 


 I have come to my senses now and want nothing more than to be out in the wilderness sleeping in a tent.

Shane and i have wanted to take the girls backpacking for quite a while and we finally worked it out.  

So after 9 years, we got to go backpacking together again. We took them along Deer Creek which is only about 45 minutes away.  

We chose this hike because we have done it many times with the girls so we knew they could do this route.  

I didn't realize until we were at the trailhead that my backpack had been nibbled on by some sort of rodent, probably YEARS before this trip.  My waist belt couldn't fasten in the normal way, but we quickly devised a method that would work, although it did make my pack sit crooked on my back.  Luckily we were only hiking 4 miles total, so I would survive (and what a GREAT reason to have to get a new Osprey backpack for our anniversary, hint, hint!!)  The girls were responsible for carrying their own water, snack and pajamas.

Our hike in was about 2 miles, right along the creek and our destination was just beyond a beautiful fish ladder and small falls.  

The key to our motivated hikers......

DARK
CHOCOLATE

Now, i would not have touched dark chocolate as a child, but luckily these girls are pretty sugar deprived so they will take sugar in any form they can get it, including a square piece of dark chocolate in return for hiking 2 miles.  

The girls pass hours this way....constructing a "boat" paddling up river and getting directions from Captain Jill who reads the map.

Mountain climbing Jill cant go anywhere without a stuffed animal....

Hazel trying to eat our dinner

Hazel had a blast.  But we will not be bringing her again.  The girls and I slept in one tent (a two person backpacking tent) with Hazel in with us.  REALLY tight fit.  She was so ridiculously annoying.  All night she sat up in her high alert mode barking at anything and everything that moves - which is a lot out in the forest.  Thank goodness the girls sleep through everything.  They did not wake up all night long, I know because I WAS awake all night.....but as Shane and I say, we would rather be NOT sleeping in a tent than to be nose to the grindstone at home.   Look what Shane had to sleep in......it's called a bug bivy.
  

The girls are very used to hiking and camping but there is usually a whine or two along the way.  This trip neither of the girls had a word of complaint, it was amazing.   Shane and I leave tomorrow for a backpacking trip alone to celebrate our 20 years together.  Bridgeport California here we come.....