together again

Ella is performing each week with the high school band while Merrick and Sophia are running around the state playing soccer games.  Sophia and I headed south of the boarder into Bears territory for a weekend of games and Merrick and Amy made racked up the hours over the weekend back and forth to Fon du Lac for a tournament.  Best the best part of the weekend was coming together again on Sunday.  All six of us back together, it was time to head out to for a bite to eat and reconnect.  The weather was against us with an all out down pour but we were not to be deterred.  I recall not what was ordered or who ate what, but I know we were all there and we had plenty of laughs.

Summer Closes....

The kids schedules start to include all things related to school.  The new folders and shoes have all been purchased and we went to meet all the teachers and take all the pictures.  We are doing our best to keep summer in our grasp for  just a little longer.  We took an inspired ride from home to an ice cream shop down town.  It was about 19 miles round trip along the urban bike trail and a great day to be outside.  unbeknownst to us it would be one of the last days that the ice cream shop was open.  We hit some of the local stores and ate our ice cream on the patio of a crabby cigar shop owner and then headed for home, stopping off along the river for refreshments and some live music before making the longer return trek.  We parked our bikes about a mile from home and slaked our thirst a final time; toasting summer and memories.  The week was filled with lockers, schedules and meet and greet teacher time.  We also enrolled the younger two in hunters safety courses and they diligently worked their way through the workbooks.  Preparing for the fall woods time to a back drop of migratory birds and crisp nights.

August StayCation

We have been hanging close to the house the past couple of weeks.  The school season is coming into full swing and with all of the various practices, drills and tryouts it has kept us close to home and looking for ways to bring the outdoors closer to us.  Plenty of outdoor cooking taking place including desserts like cookies and crisps and plenty of evening campfires and smores.  Sophia even set up the tent for a few nights and the kids are working their way through the end of summer sleep overs.  They are coming and going and most every evening.  We have been checking out some of the local parks that we haven't been to before and searching for geocaches in the area.  The kids are old enough to get dropped off at the pool and spend the afternoon so that is helping keep them cooled off.  We had a nice afternoon with the Greatgrandparents and appreciated them making the long drive over and back.  A few rounds of frisbee golf have been sneaked in as well.

8 minutes faster.....

Eight minutes faster, eight minutes earlier and we would have got the site that we had intended, but eight minutes faster would not of got the campsite that we needed.  We set out early and but about three hours of road time in before hitting the trail.  We were headed back to Tortilla point.  The name may appear on some map but it certainly wont get you to where we were headed, Tortilla point has become a family name, enigmatic of just a great place for a snack and a rest.  In truth Tortilla point isn't even where we camp, Tortilla point is on a different lake about 45 minutes of hiking from out camp.  Amy and the troops were dropped off about 3.5 miles and a four lakes away from the rendezvous point and would hike backpack their way between the glacial lakes to meet me while I headed in from the take out point another half hour's drive on forest roads.  The roads had improved but not enough to make up the eight minute advantage of an earlier group.  As I cut across the lake, and neared the campsite  I could hear a dog's bark and see movement and was impressed but not surprised at the speed of my hikers.  Nearing shore I could see the dog was not Oliver and the people not my swift-footed packers.  After a hearty hello and to my glee the other group assured me that they were on their way out, but just as quickly told me that another couple had just arrived and was setting up camp.  It was true, their packs were just barely off and the site was first come first serve; had I only been eight minutes faster we would have missed all the adventure at our other camp.  I hiked further north on the trail knowing looking for other site options and once the group reconvened then we weighed out options and made camp in a great little spot.  A nice breeze and cool temps kept the mosquitoes at bay and the swimming was good and kept improving the more Grace and Merrick used it.  They even swam to the island, a tradition from before, but with the new camp came a much greater distance.  We gave them a tow back to camp, not that they asked or needed it, but just so they could do some 'tubing.'  The kids carried all their own gear with the exception of tents.  They spent the weekend cooking their own meals on little pop can stoves and hanging their own bear lines.  It wasn't all work as that still left plenty of time of hammocks and building fairy houses out of forest materials.  Ella even found time to irritate three bees and has the stings to prove it.  Oliver put on a million miles running and swimming and generally covering all the distances between his pack as hiked to tortilla point for some more swimming, Sophia even waded and we fly fished a bit as Amy's toe polish was attacked by creek chubs in the oligiotrophic clarity of a northern lake.  After three days in the bush we headed home and I loaded up the canoe with the packs and everyone hiked out along the shore line to meet me back at the truck.  It was time to head south on paved roads and find some ice cream.