Great Sand Dunes Camping trip...

We're going camping, we're going camping..... each time we head out I think, "WOW! This time we won't fill up the car!" See how I lie to myself....



This time we almost had to strap the kids to the roof! ;-)

The fall colors are still in full swing in LaVeta Pass. The drive through there was just riveting. Everywhere you looked were yellows, golds, and rusts. A stark contrast to the deep greens still in play up there.

Spanish Peaks...



We passed this georgous scene on our way to the Great Sand Dunes Oasis Campground. There are two campgrounds in the area that we were aware of and this one had the trees that we love. We heard coyotes, saw deer and loved our views.



Friday evening at the dunes...


Saturday morning at the dunes....

Max waiting for his coffee...

We got away much later than anticipated from the house on Friday and ended up paying for it by getting the camp set up and then immediately having to start dinner. At which point we discovered that the grill was broken and we weren't able to fix it. Thankfully the fire bans were no longer in effect and we were able to have campfires to cook with. Notice the cast iron. I have 5 pieces that my mom gave me and I'm able to use 2 of these pieces for camping. Boy do they come in handy. I love these pieces and have decided to pick up a couple of more smaller pieces to round out the cookware portion of our camping supplies.





The giggle group!
Jake not quite ready to greet the day. He's taking time to let the sweater warm up before venturing out of the tent...

Nothing like playing with sticks that you can light and blow out.... over and over and over and over...





time to warm the feet!








1 monkey








2 monkey....







relaxin....



Just one of the views from the campsite...

considering we were quite literally the only people camping, we had unobstructed views all around us...





Saturday at the dunes....



On top....





at the bottom....
Video of Kristina sand boarding! She did a good job....







Just some of the visitor's center attractions...







within walking distance of the campsite were 3 grave sites. Still have no idea who these men were.

Jiffy pop time!

Here is my summation of our trip:

Well our weekend of camping went off without a hitch, so to speak. Dad burned his hand on a propane lantern, fell out of the tent yesterday morning and slightly twisted his foot or ankle ........... I think! that about covers it. On the way home we decided that we'd all had our bad experiences camping and that from this point on it was going to be clear sailing, so to speak. *knock on wood, here.* So now, Olivia and I are deathly afraid of bees/wasps. Kristina doesn't like hatchets. Jolie, Hunter, and Parker ........well they are a bit clumsy on their own. Can't really blame that on camping! And your Dad, well...... he's dad. We did use the new heater and absolutely love it!!! Of course it required that we all, let me re-emphasis that, ALL, slept in the same tent. So the sleeping arrangements were as such. From l. - r. standing at the door of the tent you would have seen, ME!, then your dad (you know him, the one who likes to make a big deal of falling out tent doors!), Kristina (who apparently your father is unable to step over and out a tent door without trying to drag her with him), then a queen mattress placed at the complete right side of the tent and leaning down hill so that all on the mattress end up at the front of the tent, (but not at the door opening or your dad would have blamed them too for his falling out of the door!) From back to front you would have seen - Olivia (who sleeps like a compass point trying desperately to locate true north!), Jolie, Parker and then Hunter, ALL! of which try to stay out of reach of Olivia's appendages during the night so as to not be bruised and bloody by morning and poor Hunter, I need to mention again, who each morning somehow ended up at the bottom of the pile of human bodies. Camping? We LOVE IT!

-7.5