First Sleepover

You would think that when you finally decide to let your kids spend the night away from you (or the grandparents who don't really count because they are just an extension of you, right?), you would pick close friends who have kids around the same age. Given that I never do anything the easy way, our boys' first sleepover is at a wildlife preserve 14 miles past the last town with no cell service...and with people we don't really know. Yikes.

I had initially said no way, no how, not happening. But over the course of the week, I talked to the camp leaders; I had Jake talk to the camp leaders; my mom even emailed people she knew within this organization; we talked about it ad nauseum at the dinner table, reiterating that they are a brother-team and need to look out for each other. And we all agreed that the boys would be fine. Green light, go.

So, last night I packed up sleeping bags, pillows, mess kits, toiletries, change of clothes, change of shoes, and one stuffed animal each. And this morning, I delivered them - with all their stuff - to my parents on my way to work and the Nonni delivered them to the camp. The boys were vibrating with excitement.

I'll report back on how it goes, but I think that, truly, the uncertainty made us ask and get answered all of our concerns. The boys feel as if their need (to go and participate) was accommodated and - best yet - Jake and I get to go on a date. I'll be having an extra beer to calm my mommy nerves.

Unplugged

Besides seeing great new places, one of the things I relish about our annual summer camping trip: being unplugged.

I love the immediacy of email, but I think that it has taken away the thrill of getting something in the mailbox addressed to you. Seeing the different colored stamps, feeling the different textures of papers and cards...what fun!

When I was a kid, because my dad was military, I kept in touch with friends with letters. Yes, it took weeks to get a response, especially when those friends scattered overseas at times, but there is something exciting about seeing an envelope or card with your name on it.

So one of the things I do is bring address labels for a few of the boys' close friends. And wherever we stop, they pick out some postcards and write notes to their pals. They can reflect and share something about their day's adventures. Over the years my requirements grow. I think the first year, I let them dictate, I wrote the card, and they signed it. Then they had to write one sentence, then two.

This year I told them that they had to write at least three sentences on the postcard. Dylan objected and said that he was younger than Riley and should only have to write two sentences. I was firm. Then he just wrote bigger and told me that three sentences don't fit on the postcard. Rotten kid.

Writing and reading shouldn't be luxuries, but with the mayhem of everyday life, it feels like it sometimes. Because there is not laptop beckoning with a blog to write or emails to check. I always pack at least one book for every two days we're gone. I may not get through them all; it's nice to have options.

This trip, I read The Lost City of Z: A Tale of Deadly Obsession in the Amazon by David Grann and thumbed through several books about chocolate in preparation for my class next trimester.

And when we weren't reading and writing, we were hiking, splashing, playing hide and seek among downed timbers, making bows and arrows, singing, laughing, and enjoying lots and lots of unplugged family time!

Putting the Camera Timer to Good Use

I'm just now catching up on our summer camping adventure. It's been a hectic two weeks.

Our first adventure during our annual 1400+ mile camping loop, not counting a brief stop at a hotel in Willows, was Lassen National Park.

We tried to come in the south gate and drive through the park to our camping spot at Manzanita Lake, but the roads were closed due to snow. So, we threw some snowballs and played around a bit before loading back up into the car and going out and around. And because we neglected to take any family photos last year along the way, I decided we would not make that same mistake twice. So, I put my camera timer to good use this trip. Here’s the first of many…

Social Fisherman

As we prep to embark on this year's summer camping adventures, I came across a recycled paper journal with my musings from last year, shoved in a bin with some flashlights and other camping paraphenalia. Here's an entry from Blue Lake, Modoc National Forest. July 12, 2010.

Some people are social drinkers, others are social eaters. This trip reinforced a comclusion I had reached years ago: my husband is a social fisherman. Hailing from some die-hard linesman, the only time I have ever seen him with a net in hand - because you need a license to wield a pole - is with his parents and his brothers.

So, shortly past five in the morning, I smelled coffee, heard the fire popping, and the tent zipping shut. And he was off. Hours later the boats returned to drop off the morning catch and retrieve the next generation of fisherManns - Riley, Dylan, and their cousin Ephraim. They split up the novices, putting Riley and Eph in the rowboat with Grandpa while Dyn accompanied Uncle Shannon, Uncle Abe, and Grandma in the motor-driven craft.

While the boys were occupied, Jake and I headed to the hills. Because the last snow was Memorial Day weekend, Spring was late in arriving and the meadows were blanketed in an array from the vivid red and yellow columbine to the sunny blossoms above the fuzzy lambs' ears and the odd, pale orbs of the ranger's buttons to the blood red of the menacing thistle.

While I like to eat fish and I like water, this was more my pace. Sitting captive on a boat, watching people dangling lines in the water...not my idea of fun.

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.

China Camp State Park

August 2009. The first time we went to China Camp State Park, I picked it because it was close to home - within two hours - and we had never been there. I figured it would be a good destination for one last camping trip before school started and I liked the historical importance of the site. And, truth be told, I do pick destinations based on food. I love to be in the Bay Area on a Sunday; whenever we're close, we always brunch at the Thai Buddhist temple in Berkeley.

The weekend that we had reservations at China Camp happened to be a big party. I can't remember whose birthday it was, but there were Chinese dancers, lanterns adorning the historical structures, birthday cake, and the Grace Quan, a reconstruction of a Chinese shrimping junk was docked there.


The boys asked very nicely and were allowed to board. It helps to be cute, I suppose. But I think the rangers also appreciated the boys' curiosity and thoughtful questions.

After we learned all about the history of that Chinese fishing village, we biked our camping gear in to the sites...even Dylan.

We spent the afternoon and the next day exploring the park. We biked the trail then stashed our bikes and explored the coastline in foot. What a great park!

I'm extremely saddened to see China Camp State Park on the closure list.

California State Parks Closures

Last month it was announced that 70 California State Parks would be closing to help balance the state's budget. There are close to 300 state parks that cover almost 1.5 million acres. The closures, according to the state parks department, were selected based on attendance statistics and historical importance. Here are the parks on the chopping block...

SHP = State Historical Park. SP = State Park. SB = State Beach. SRA = State Recreation Area.

Anderson Marsh SHP
Annadel SP
Antelope Valley Indian Museum
Austin Creek SRA
Bale Grist Mill SHP
Benbow Lake SRA
Benicia Capitol SHP
Benicia SRA
Bidwell Mansion SHP
Bothe-Napa Valley SP
Brannan Island SRA
California Mining & Mineral Museum
Candlestick Point SRA
Castle Crags SP*
Castle Rock SP
China Camp SP**
Colusa-Sacramento River SRA
Del Norte Coast Redwoods SP
Fort Humboldt SHP
Fort Tejon SHP
Garrapata SP**
George J. Hatfield SRA
Governor's Mansion SHP
Gray Whale Cove SB
Greenwood SB
Grizzly Creek Redwoods SP
Hendy Woods SP
Henry W. Coe SP
Jack London SHP
Jug Handle SNR*
Leland Stanford Mansion SHP
Limekiln SP**
Los Encinos SHP
Malakoff Diggins SHP
Manchester SP
McConnell SRA
McGrath SB
Mono Lake Tufa SNR
Morro Strand SB
Moss Landing SB**
Olompali SHP
Palomar Mountain SP
Petaluma Adobe SHP
Picacho SRA
Pio Pico SHP
Plumas-Eureka SP
Point Cabrillo Light Station*
Portola Redwoods SP*
Providence Mountains SRA
Railtown 1897 SHP
Russian Gulch SP**
Saddleback Butte SP
Salton Sea SRA
Samuel P. Taylor SP**
San Pasqual Battlefield SHP
Santa Cruz Mission SHP
Santa Susana Pass SHP
Shasta SHP
South Yuba River SP
Standish-Hickey SRA
Sugarloaf Ridge SP
Tomales Bay SP*
Tule Elk SNR
Turlock Lake SRA
Twin Lakes SB
Weaverville Joss House SHP
Westport-Union Landing SB
William B. Ide Adobe SHP
Woodson Bridge SRA
Zmudowski SB

Since we started camping with the boys in 2005, the state parks have been our family's summer vacation destinations. We've done at least three 1000+ mile trips, camping at different state parks each night. We celebrate birthdays and anniversaries at the parks. We've even clung to a cliff's edge camping site during a Valentine storm on the Big Sur coast. Whenever we can, the boys complete the Junior Ranger program at the park. It's been a great way to see the state, to see different environments from the redwoods to the desert, and to spend time at a slower pace, enjoying each other's company and getting lots of fresh air and sunshine along the way.

I've starred the parks we've visited, double-starred the ones we've visited multiple times. Over the next few days, I'll be going back to look through trip photos. And I'll be telling stories about the places we've visited and what we've learned...because everywhere we go, the boys learn things and we learn things. Note: neither of the state parks above are on the closure list, but they could be in the future.

What a travesty to be losing access to these natural wonders!