March 31, 2014 - April Fool's Eve Emergency Camping Trip

I was able to weasel my way out of a day and a half of work this week to take off and join our and two other families for a night at Cane Creek Canyon; the place that started this blog that we've been to many times before. We've been trying to get more of our friends to join us in the canyon and this was by far the most successful effort in that regard. 

I cut my workday in half on Monday and drove back to the house to pick up Nia and pack my stuff. Little Bitches did really well on the trip considering the hour and a half non-stop nature and not having any idle hands onboard to pet her and hold her. She mostly kept herself entertained.

By the time I got there Esther and a company of kids were in the canyon already so I released the hound and joined three others in the party to find everybody and show them the canyon. The Spring flowers were really showing off. According to the landowner, they are about three full weeks behind normal bloom due to the cold weather we've had this year.

Bloodroot

Saxifrage

Trout Lilly

The older kids had set up a series of hammocks off to the side of the main camp of tents and picnic tables. The plan was for most of them to sleep in the trees but the chill of the night air brought a few of them to huddle in the tent.

Fire was made and marshmallows were sacrificed to the flames.

Many stringed instruments were brought for evening. I had planned to being my bongos or my djembe, but managed to forget them in my haste to pack.

The next morning I did first a quick jog on the trails with the two dogs that came along and then later a run with our team captain for the Panther Run coming up next month. I did better than I expected but I still have a ways to go before I'm ready to run what will amount to a 5K with obstacles.

After breakfast the whole group took a longer hike down to the spot that we camped at nearly four years ago (and nearly froze our butts off) to hang out in hammocks and have lunch. The kids stopped to swim at Blue Hole and all three dads (me included) jumped off a rock to cannonball into the water. 

Here are the pictures from the 31st and here are the two that I managed to take on the 1st.

No tracklogs this trip; I was busy enjoying being outside and hanging out with our friends.