Or cabinet... as David calls it. On our drive to Eagle Lake this past weekend, David spontaneously announced to all, "I can't wait to escape the world and stay in a cabinet!" I mean, where does he come up with this stuff?? So after 5 years of city and small town dwelling, we finally fulfilled a long-time goal and took the family camping... twice... to ultimately determine which method of camping better suited our family... tent or cabin. Our first excursion took us to Buck's Lake in the beautiful forests of northern cal, accompanied by our seasoned camping crew: cousins Jason, Jessica and Stella Sorenson and friend Jane.
Buck's Lake
Jack and Stella (buddies since birth being only 5 days apart) instantly acquainted themselves with the dirt while David meticulously tried to maintain his cleanliness while attempting to invade the other campsites seeking new friends. Pretty soon, he too found nature appealing as he engaged in rock skipping and fire stoking with dad. David and I shared a bonding moment as I awkwardly taught him how to pee standing up, something he had previously shied away from. He was pleased to discover the powerful stream that his little fire-hose could produce and proudly, and to my amazement and horror, successfully sprayed everything (and himself) in sight.
Jack felt right at home in the woods trampling expertly over the uneven ground at a rapid pace. With an endless supply of rocks and sticks, the toddlers were easily entertained. Nighttime proved more difficult as we'd underestimated the chilly temperatures of high altitude camping. When the boys WERE asleep, they were rolling and flailing and left mom and pop little room for our evidently aging bodies that revealed aches and pains the next day that we'd previously never experienced. Nevertheless, a good time was had by all, so we couldn't resist when our camping crew invited us to Jane's family cabin a few weeks later. With a promise of beds and a bathroom, we were sure the boys, as well as our bodies would fair better. Eagle Lake was captivatingly beautiful and calm and the cabin was only a small hike away.
Eagle Lake
We spent two days basking in the sun and swimming in the lake while the kids splashed on the shore and romped around the sandy beach. Jason, Jessica and Jane surprised Rich and I with gourmet meals. Who knew camp food could be so good? And I learned how to chop wood and miraculously managed to do so without severing any limbs... though there were some close calls. At an equally high altitude and no more prepared for cold temperatures (as last minute packers, we often forget essentials like sweatshirts and blankets), we feared another sleepless camping night, but the well-insulated cabin kept us sufficiently warm, and we slept well, minus an brief incident when David somehow fell off his King size bed and subsequently joined us in ours, securely contained between us. Jack, also managed, in his moments of exuberant play, to throw himself off the bed and down some wooden stairs, leaving himself a nasty goose-head and some bruises, but these incidents didn't seem to deter his aggressive play.
Stella was good-natured and pleasant while our boys seemed to struggle with every aspect of the cabin camping experience. After two days, they were done and spent the final hour at Eagle Lake strapped in their car seats while mom and dad attempted to enjoy a moment of peace and tranquility. Consensus? 2 votes for the cabin. But next time, we'll leave the boys at home.
