Tired Trails

We set up camp at midnight among the boulders and pines in Sequoia National Park.  There was no way we could fit all our food and everything that smells like food to a bear in the bear box.  What smells like food to a bear?  The obvious – food, coolers, trash and the not so obvious – toiletries, cleaning supplies, and car-seats.  The decision was made to leave what was in tubs in the van, put the loose items and trash in the box, and move the children into the big tent with us.  No separate tents last night.  If a bear was going to be curious about the food stuck in Miriam’s hair, I was not going to be even a few feet away.  All the bear warnings had my own mama bear on high alert.

We slept well, to the sound of a rapid waterfall, but not long enough, especially Miriam.  Camp was hard this morning.  The kids tried to be helpful, but everyone was tired.  Jesse went on a spontaneous hike with David.  Miriam clung.  I fussed and fumed a bit about the van, specifically the stuff that we do not need, are not using, and yet are schlepping across the country.  A tennis shoe without its pair.  School books.  (What was I thinking?)  Two pairs of too small hiking boots.  The ginormous Shakespeare volume.  I have the back packing figured out now, but still struggle with the middle.  Eh, I have five more weeks.  Right?

Grits and bacon were eaten.  Clothes were changed.  Van packed, and we were off to a ranger talk at General Sherman, the largest living tree in the world.  297 feet tall.  These sequoias are unbelievable!  We then hiked the Congress Trail, a two mile loop.  I think Anna complained almost the entire way, until I stayed back with her and got her talking.  The ranger touched on the importance of naming the trees in the park, so I asked Anna what she would name the different trees.  Every giant sequoia on the last mile of that trail got a name, and I got our girl happily out of the woods.  She then said she’d like to name the trees in our yard when we get home, and thanked me for walking with her.  Such a sweetheart!

Miriam of course fell asleep on the way to the ranger talk.  She fell asleep again in the baby backpack on the last mile of the Congress Trail.  Poor girl.  She was such a happy hiker, walking and running along, but so very tired too!  That was a second short nap, since it only lasted as long as it took for us to eat lunch at the van.

At that point, we decided we were just plain tired and wanted to get near Yosemite at a reasonable hour, ie not set up tents after midnight, so we started off down through the mountains, across the valley, and up another set of mountains into the Sierra National Forest.  Walmart stop in the valley for snacks, one dinner item, and pull-ups.  Miriam started using the potty two weeks before we left, but we keep forgetting to take her, her signs are so subtle, and we are tired of cleaning up after her.  Pull-ups to the rescue!

When we entered the Forest, Jesse started looking for a place to camp.  I thought we were headed to a campsite, and was too tired for another “adventure”.  First campground we came to had two spots left, and we were given the best.  This is the best out of 30 sites, and is lovely.  We are tucked back behind the trees, right beside the creek but not too close that it is not safe for little ones, there are trails for the big ones to explore, there’re perfect spots for both tents, it’s not too far from the bathroom, no bear boxes (because there are no bears snooping around here) and there is INTERNET. 

The two youngest dug in the dirt and then dipped in the creek.  Everyone else went wading.  I fixed dinner, which everyone liked, but it’s not a favorite.  I think I will just cross it off the list.  Trader Joe’s sausages cooked with sliced apples, rosemary, garlic cloves, apple cider vinegar and a bit of oil did not make the cut.  We also had watermelon!  Sarah picked some wildflowers for me.  Very pretty!  And David started to write about our trip.  Hooray!  Leah has been super helpful with Miriam, and pretty agreeable all around.  With this many people traveling for this long, that’s a good thing!

I walked Miriam around the campsite, once around the loop, and all children were asleep before 9:40pm.  Jesse washed dishes.  I enjoyed said Internet, although it started to fade as the hour passed.  We found that camping is nice, when it is more than a place to pop up the tent when you are too tired to drive.  Now it’s time to douse the embers and sleep under a blanket of stars.  Tomorrow we’re off to Yosemite!