Scenes From A Weekend // Mountain Camping

Where : Seven Oaks Mountain Resort, Angelus Oaks ca

The same campsite we camped at for the weekend wedding of a good friend exactly one year ago. Parked this time a littler further away from the riverside, and armed with our big (ttypically Beach bound RV) brand new fishing poles, restocked bow and arrow targets and a few new camping friends, their friends, and all their wildly excited children. 

*The drive up we hit heavy thunder & lightening. At one point I had to pull over to the side of the road until the rain let up because I couldn't see even a few feet ahead of me. It was a slight, ten minute panic and then it passed, easily, and we made it safely to our campsite where Mike and Arlo had been waiting for us for a couple hours by then. 

The damp weather was a nice break from the before mentioned heat wave we've been stuck with most of August. It was probably the first time I wore a sweater in weeks. And socks too! Rex broke in his rain boots splashing around lingering puddles, exploring the shallows of the river, and Arlo finally got to test his new fishing skills. Turns out he is quite the "natural" when it comes to the sport. He ended up catching five fish when everybody else on the river came up empty handed. Time and time again. Mike included. A few men standing nearby took note and started praising his skill, with only a hint of mild frustration settled on their seemingly confused brow, the three of them bent on figuring out just how THIS little kid kept getting all the bites . . . 

Leon stuck to his usual. His favorite camp chair, by the fire. And behind the steering wheel of the Motor home where he likes to pretend he's driving us somewhere other than where we are.

*We visited the baby ducks in the little pond across the way, hiked a bit over the fields behind the river, ate hot dogs and banana muffins. Chased Rex and Evie as they hoped from site to site making friends with everyone they met along the way. By the end of the trip the boys were filthy, and perfectly exhausted which made the bath at home that much better, and bed time, that much easier.

Aside from a couple *minor misfortunes, the trip was the perfect escape from the humid temps back home. However, we certainly are not the most prepared mountain campers, yet with each trip we're learning.




*One plus about this particular spot is that it's not too far up the mountain (a drive I completely dread and will almost always flat out refuse because of the anxiety I suffer over those roadside cliffs on the way up) This drive, minus heavy rain, not so bad. 

* At mike's insistence - in regards to packing "light" as well as his assurance the weather would be "hot, for sure" I neglected (against my gut) to include an excess of extra clothing, or enough warm jackets. We made it through, but had to be careful about what we wore and for what. Playing in the rain and mud called for way more clothes than what I packed, luckily a few old flannels showed up to hold us over, but from now on, the more, the better when it comes to dressing three little adventurers.

*my phone slipped mysteriously into a patch of split water while charging and has yet to come back to life. Two days in a rice bowl and still no sign of life. If that poor phone holds nine lives, this might be it's tenth. And final farewell.