Did you ever go camping

The question from the Journal Jar is ----

Did you ever go camping with your family? Where? What was one exceptional camping experience.

In answer to the first question is YES!!! That is what we did best. Right from the very beginning right to the end. As most of the grand kids know because of the family reunions and personal time with Grandpa and Grandma.We went all over Idaho ... mostly.

The picture up above was actually in Nevada and the two little boys are Dale and Larry (R. Larry is up in the back of the truck and Dale there by the tail gate.) Here is a picture of us with Grandma Hanks and Uncle David and Aunt Marjean's kids. Apparently R. Larry was just married to Susan. So from left to right on back row or tall people it is R. Larry, Susan, Robert, Marjean, David, Karen, Lecia Dawn, Kayleen, Grandma Hanks (Mary) Rick, Teri, Jeanette on middle row and down in front is Julie, Cari Michelle, and Sheryl.
The second part of the question is more difficult ... exceptional memory or experience.

One extra good time was at Hazard Creek with Uncle Wesley's family ... besides absolutely beautiful we learned to drink warm jello ... it was a great morning warm up drink.

I still love the mountains, the sound of wind in the trees, the smell of a camp fire, the sound of water running by, animals, nature etc.

(In fact just the other night I was emotionally drained from a few things happening and went out just at dusk and started a wood fire in the back yard -glad I don't live in the city proper- and just sat a watched it burn clear down to coals. I felt much better able to cope)

I should spend far more time on this one than sitting down and reading the question and writing.

1- I remember getting bitten by a water snake because my older brother said they don't bite.

2- I remember one time going to Morris creek back in where the sheep herders camped and seeing a bear running away far across the field.

3- We didn't go often but a few times clear up to ?? where it would be hot in the valley and perfect up in our camp...we also collected garnets, one time Dave lost his hawk there, and either we found a kitten or lost one. Our pickup was attacked by a range bull there too.

4- At silver creek we were driven out by a forest fire once, before the reunions we didn't stay in silver creek proper ... it cost so we had a great place down the creek aways. I also heard a song there as a little girl and Mom talking about it being her and Dad's "song" from then on I always thought it was "The Lion Sleeps Tonight" Much later I found out I remembered wrong.

5- I remember that it takes just as much stuff for one night as for a week so Dad made up a camping box that kept the main supplies ready to go.....I also remember that the worst thing about camping is coming back home and having to put everything away.

I love camping and that is one of the things I missed most about moving to Arizona as well as the fact that Gerald didn't like sleeping on the ground. Luckily we went camping at least once a year between reunions and then Dad and Mom letting us go with them each summer. Which brings up another memory of Todd actually catching a chipmonk and finding out that they bite.