Camping in the Smokey Mountains

Since the summer was so busy we weren't able to take our camping trip until Labor Day weekend. When we were discussing where to go as a family, the boys unanimously voted for Mile High Campground again. It's the most bug free - beautiful view camping we've done and this was our 3rd or 4th visit. It was also the busiest that we've ever seen the campground but the sites are far enough apart that the boys still got plenty of exploring done without bothering any other campers. It was also very nice to be camping with our friends, the Welch family.

Plenty of tree hacking and climbing and many campfires. The only unfortunate accident was Stephen jumped into a bees nest and got 8-12 stings and Philip got the same amount trying to get him away from the nest. Thankfully, though it was the first time he was ever stung, he wasn't allergic to them and several hours later he was fine. 

The children spent a long time watching the fuzzy caterpillars they caught, snails, and strange looking daddy long legs. 

We didn't see as many elk as we normally do but we did have a pair come through the last morning we were there. That morning our site was in the clouds and it was hard to get a good shot. 

When camping my mind is able to completely relax. No phones, no computers, no housework and the boys are able to explore without having much supervision. The only thing you really have to do it cook. It's a time I look forward to every year! 

Spring Camping Trip - Day Five

Tear down always takes....a........very.......l..o..n...g.......t..i..m..e..... Or so it seems. The boys help a lot but most of it is up to Philip and I. After three hours or so I'm ready to call it quits. The boys enjoyed climbing trees while we packed.

And tried a practicing throwing their hatchets.

I was glad we were able to stay and extra day and enjoy being away from the city and the busyness. But now the end of the semester is upon us in earnest.....and we have another project that is about to be delivered to our door - more on that later. 

Spring Camping Trip - Day Four

By now the mornings were just a bit cool but the days were really nice! The redbuds and dogwoods were blooming and the smaller wildflowers were just starting to burst.

The Welches had to leave but we decided to stay another day since we "lost" one day to the weather. This allowed us to do some more hiking and exploring.

 This was one of the caves we hiked to. 

 Some little boys got tired!

 And some "not so little" boy got tired too.

Spring Camping Trip - Day Three

It stayed chilly on the third day but did warm up enough for us to go on a hike and see some of the park. This is the Cumberland Gap - in between the two mountains.

There were several caves in the area and though we hiked to two of them, they were closed. We did get to go to the overlook where you can see where Kentucky, Virginia, and Tennessee meet. It was beautiful!

Camping is so good for children - it wears them smack out!

And we saw a deer that day. 

Spring Camping Trip - Day Two

That first night the wind picked up - really picked up (so thankful for tent stakes!), the temperature dropped, and by the next morning it was snowing and sleeting. The one goal was to stay warm and that took some doing but we managed. Our camping trip last year taught us some valuable lessons.

The boys stayed in the tent quite a bit of that day and played Battleship, checkers, read books, and slept.

Spring Camping Trip - Day One

Over spring break we took a camping trip to Cumberland Gap National Park. I thought last year's camping trip was cold. I was wrong. That was not cold. This camping trip was cold! Last year I think the lowest it got was 30 degrees. The lowest this time was 24? And it snowed. So this trip will stick out in our minds as the one that started out really cold but ended really nice. And actually it wasn't that bad in our tent with two heaters running, poly-p clothing and X-ped mats. Without them we would have frozen and been miserable.

We went with our friends, Randy and Jennifer Welch and their three children. Everyone prayed the rain would stop by the time we got to the campsite so that we could set up camp and God answered that prayer in our favor. Our tent was directly behind our blue van, then the Welch tent, then our food prep area.

After the children helped set up as much as they could, they were dismissed to go play while we finished and started supper. Stephen came running back into camp with this......

which we found out later (after he has stomped it into the ground) was a Morel mushroom. I've always wanted to try one..... They are $50 a pound! And unfortunately, we didn't see any more this trip. After a supper of spaghetti, green beans, and garlic bread, we enjoyed the fire (and the standard s'mores) and called it a day.