This week Tyler worked SO hard to be caught up and all studied and ready for his test Monday. He really focused on using all his time effectively so he wouldn’t have to study all weekend. We planned a camping trip with our good friends, Joe and Janel, and that was super motivating!
Well, we all busted our backs trying to be ready by 2:00 Friday and it was a true Friday the 13th for all of us. Things just didn’t work out for anyone and we ended up leaving late and Tyler and I both had to take stuff with us to study and work on. (Not that that worked out really well either...)
After we got on the road things seemed to work out better. By the time we arrived at Joshua Tree we were excited to camp and things were looking up. There was (of course) nowhere to camp in the park and it was already dark. Sharing with someone when we had 2 tents and a baby soundled a little crazy, so we turned around and went to Black Rock Canyon where we got the last available camping spot.
Californians don’t know how to camp like we Utahns! :) The camp spots are very very close together and people are crazy with their loud music. It seems like everybody in the campground blew up an air mattress between 11pm and 1am. :) We enjoyed it anyway, and we met some nice camping neighmors. Coleman is very nieghborly and wanted to met everyone and their dog (literally). He especially loved meeting their dogs. It was great! A weird day of camping is better than a day not camping. :)
We cooked our dutch oven dinner and ate it for a midnight snack that evening. Cole had fallen asleep in the car so we set up the tent and laid him in his sleeping bag dressed in 2 pair of jammies and his favorite beanie. He slept really well until some loud music and some loud tent setter-uppers woke him up (just as we were going to bed). I think he must have just been too excited after that. He woke up several times throughout the night wanting to play around in the tent. When Tyler and I made him get back in bed (his and/or ours) he got upset and the tired Cole showed his true sleepy boy colors. He screamed and wiggled and cried and probably woke up half the campground. We’re really glad Joe and Janel are still talking to us after all that. :)
What patient friends!
We left the campground late, but it was nice to spend a little time in front of the fire drinking hot chocolate and eating a great Janel-style breakfast. She is such an overachiever! The breakfast burritos were stellar! Even Cole stopped digging in the dirt and playing with the hammer to have some bites. That’s saying something!!!
We spend the day climbing on Cyclops Rock and the guys looked really great on the routes. Cole played in the dirt and the tent (where he was supposed to be taking a nap) with his bucket and trucks and was as happy as could be! He ate strawberries, garlic and parmesan crackers, and carrots and was thrilled to be there. He drank sips of milk from a water bottle, but only after he gave some to his chicken flashlight each time. What a funny little guy!
After climbing Spaghetti & Chilli, Joe and Tyler set up a nice route, Penelope's Walk, for Janel and me to climb, and we really enjoyed it! We got the royal treatment. They set it up and took it down and didn’t even make us go much farther than we wanted. Janel did have to do another 3 foot move before Joe would let her down, but Tyler let me down exactly when I asked (something he never does). I was almost disappointed. I think I asked too early because I thought he might make me keep going for awhile. :) I think it’s pretty cute when he convinces me to go more. Nothing like a little friendly persuasion from the person who’s holding your rope when you’re 60 or 80 feet above the ground!
The guys cleaned the route we'd climbed and moved all the stuff to the next route while Janel and I took Cole for a ride in the truck to see if he’d go to sleep. He did, but not for long. He was so tired, but I don’t think he would have been content to miss any of the trip. Next time we’ll just bag the nap. It’s way more trouble than it’s worth!
The guys practiced placing trad gear and climbed another neat route called The Eye. I want to go back and try it. It’s long, but looks pretty easy and really neat! After that it was too cold to do anything so we packed up and came home – super tired, but happy. What a trip!!!
(Thanks Joe and Janel for dealing with our grumpy little guy and with us! We’re glad to have friends to camp and do other crazy things with! :) )
Joe - one of the best belayers around. I'm really picky about belaying and who belays Tyler while we climb. It's an important job, but can get kinda boring. Joe is so safe and responsible! He and Tyler make an awesome climbing team!
A'Joe (Janel) and Coleman. Cole LOVES Joe and Janel - he calls them Joe and A'Joe and is always happy to see them. They're so cute with him! When we got home late Saturday night Cole had fallen asleep in the car. When Tyler laid him down in his bed he wiggled for just a second and with a big sigh said "frens" and went to sleep. We know Cole always has a good time with these guys, and Tyler and I do too!
Joe - on The Eye.
Tyler is in that shadow somewhere toward the middle. 
Tyler - looking for gear on The Eye. It was freezing! He still looked like he was having fun though! 
I'm just happy to be here (even after only 6 hours of sleep all night and all day) And I still love diut! 
I really like Joe's truck! 
This is where the fire was. It's pretty neat and black. I think I'll touch it and rub the black on my head! What an explorer!
Hmmm... I love diut!
This toothbrush has a brush on both ends. it works great for dirt and hair!
diut! Dad told me to brush the rocks with this toothbrush. Look what a good minder I am!
5 comments:
Holy Cow! When I said I was climbing on the rocks, I meant hiking on them...you guys really know how to do it though! Good job! It sounds like you had fun, too. I can't wait to go camping myself and take Sean along.
I saw these photos that a friend did and i really like them too. thought you should check them out! http://marshallstory.blogspot.com/2009/03/olive-claire-3-weeks.html
Joshua tree looks so fun. I wish we had the equipment to go with you guys!
I can't wait to go with you guys some time.
how fun! i can't believe how big cole is..we can't wait to see you guys so soon!! love you lots.
I hear I missed you in Utah by 1 day. I ran into Scott at church and he gave me the horrible news. Funny how it is so much worse when you know you were close. I came for a quick weekend for Drew's farewell. Better luck next time?
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