First Camping Trip - 2013

Last year, the boys and I slept in the backyard in our tent during the third week of March.  That was definitely not to be this spring with the winter stubbornly hanging on well into April.  This week started with another 3-4 inches of snow and ended with 3 consecutive (and counting) days above 70 degrees, the story of Minnesota always contains our ever-changing weather.

Well the forecast for the weekend looked great and we had decisions to make, do we 'camp' out in the backyard or off to a state park somewhere.  Honestly, when Saturday morning came around I was voting for the backyard, though I was out voted (and I gave them numerous opportunities to change their minds).  Between class, training, work and the Cologne Fire Department steak fry - Sarah was to be gone most of the weekend.....so off we went.

We ended up at Flandrau State Park in New Ulm, The decision was between four parks within the Minnesota River Valley.  Being late April, I didn't expect much of a crowd at any of the parks.  I asked the worker for recommendations of a site that would keep us away from most of the other campers, he said that he was keeping people away from the 'rustic' campground, but that we could use it as long as we didn't need electricity or water.  We tent and had brought our own water so it was perfect.

We had the run of the entire campground, the kids were busy off running around doing whatever they wanted without concern for the world.

We did have to deal with two cars who drove into the rustic campground and then left, not sure if we scared them off or not.

I said we were alone....right?

Really alone....we did share the campground with one other visitor.....

Every hour or so, this turkey would wander through the campsites looking for food.  The kids loved following, chasing, watching, etc. the bird all through Saturday night.

So much so that by about 7:00 at night Luke and Lex wanted to go to sleep, they kept bugging me about it and I turned them down each time.  Eventually they would get in the tent at about 8:15 or so.  Kieran said all day that he wanted to stay up until he saw the first star, but he gave in at 8:15 as well.

Actually, this was the first night in a new tent.  The tent we usually use is the REI Hoodoo 3, by far the best tent I've ever used (it will be my personal tent when the boys start sleeping in their own tent), but it only fits three people.  We had to borrow a tent last summer when Sarah and Lex came camping with us and would have to in the future as well.  So earlier this spring I had a 30% coupon from REI and used it to get a six-person tent, the Base Camp 6.  It seems to be a much bigger version of our favorite tent, vestibules on both the front and back again and tall enough that I can stand up in the center.  At least we have something that can be quickly used if the camping bug strikes us and we grab our gear and go.

Of course when we were hiking down by the Cottonwood River or checking out the sand pool on Saturday, I didn't have my camera with to take pictures.  The plan was to go on longer hikes along the river Sunday, this time with the camera in two, but Lex woke up sick.  Running a fever and throwing up (four times), we made breakfast and packed up so we could get home and she could feel better.  We will be camping again, Lex included, sometime soon.  Actually the boys and I made a goal of camping at some point during seven consecutive months this year (April is done and we've already got reservations for June and August), so we'll see how that turns out.