Smoke

Melanie and I woke up abruptly around dawn when started to feel raindrops on out faces. We were both sleepy enough to lay there for a while, until giving up on fantasy and hurtling in the tent to wait it out. A few minutes later we got out and collected pine nettles and twigs to start what I call a Boy Scout Type "A" fire. I got the fire going and it was roaring by the time the boys wandered out of their tent. We sat around the fire, staying warm and waking up until we started to get hungry. The boys un-bear-proofed the food while I rooted around for something to heat water in when the "adults" (I seem to jump between the two categories) woke up and started making their way to the fire.

Once we were all fully awake and fed, we started to prepare for the day's activities. Learning from yesterday, we packed up day pack with plenty of water and snacks. As five of us started out, three stayed behind to sleep and rest. After the first creek crossing, we found the trail and split up. Colin and Penelope took off to hike up the trail, while Nick, Connor and I headed down trail with our fishing poles. We did some light bushwhacking, but stayed mostly along the trail. The flies were pretty bad when we were deep in the bush, but it was an overall comfortable trek. We caught and released at least twenty fish a piece before settling on a nice hole to fish for dinner. We kept only a few, all smaller than yesterday, cleaned them and headed back.

On our way back, we ran into the three we left at camp, returning from a short hike. They got caught in a rain storm and were soaking wet, heading back to change and dry off. We all went back to camp and recovered from our hikes. I started another fire, this time what I call the Girl Scout Type "B" (I was raised by a former Cadette and a Former Eagle Scout). When Colin and Penelope returned and the adults and I went down to the creek for hiked-in margarita s and scotch, leaving the teenagers by the fire to their own devices. We got back, played with the fire and started preparing dinner. We cooked the trout, and added several freeze-dried foods and tortillas. By the time we were done, it was dark and getting cold.

In an attempt to use every thing we brought in, we soaked the banana chips in the left-over bourbon, with a little bit of water, and warmed them up. Them we warmed the last of the scotch over the fire, and poured it, flaming over the banana concoction to create our own camp-style Bananas Foster. They turned out great fun was had by all.

We cleaned and pack up again for our final night outdoors. Melanie and I again slept outside, but plans were made in case of rain.