Fourteen Degrees

November 2007. I wanted to do something outdoorsy for Thanksgiving. A few weeks before the holiday, I hopped online to see what campsites might be available within a few hours drive; I did not want to be on the road with holiday travelers for too long. Jake reminded me about rain and I figured, I'd book a tent cabin.

"Hey, Love, there are tent cabins available in Yosemite for Thanksgiving weekend. Should we do it?" It might be cold. "That's why we're in a cabin, not a tent. What do you think?" As long as you're okay with the cold. "How cold could it possibly be?" I'm just warning you that it's going to be cold. "We'll be fine."

I booked the cabin and we headed out after the big family feast. We picked up the Little Cub handbooks and the boys spent some time doing the activities on the valley floor. We hiked out to Mirror Lake. We drove up to Inspiration Point for the sunset. We had a late dinner at the lodge then we checked into the tent cabin - unheated cabins! - in Curry Village and settled in for the night.

So, the answer to the question - how cold could it possibly be? - in case you're wondering is fourteen degrees. Fourteen. One. Four. It dropped to fricking fourteen degrees during the night. The boys were cinched tight in their goose down sleeping bags and didn't move a muscle all night.

So, now despite living on the temperate central coast of California, I mostly abide by a self-imposed camping season. May till October or so. While I do make camping plans throughout the year, outside of that season, I usually stay within a 90 minute radius maximum...just in case we have to pack it up and head home.