Dan Moller Camping Trip- 5.22.2010

Well, I was able to coordinate a camping trip with some friends and their families up to Dan Moller. I have been told that I am booking the cabins from now on as I apparently have an in with Mother Nature (went up on a day that was supposed to be raining but instead was nothing but blue sky and heat waves and then returning the next day on a very warm overcast day).

We took with us 4 dogs and 4 kids all ranging in ages between 3 and 15. Let me tell you, with a huge pack on your back, post holing through snow and carrying a toddler on your shoulders the last mile and a half or so up to the cabin is SO exhausting. It was such a relief when we finally arrived. That is until we saw the mess that was left for us to deal with. There was trash everywhere, broken glass all over the deck, beer bottles all over the underside of the cabin, random sleeping bags, mats, clothes and lots and lots of food both inside and outside the cabin in the cabinets. Most, moldy. The Broom was even burned. So all I had to sweep with was a hand broom ment to use with the stove and cleaning underneath it. We made the best of it and 2+ hours later we had a nice to relax and a safe place for the kids to play.

with the kids playing some of us passed out. I, seeing as how I can't really nap that easily took the opportunity for some meditation. This proved to be quite relaxing and revitalizing.
Now, you might now have guessed it but even with two men joining us on this camping trip I was the only one who was able to keep the fire lit. And around 8p I had it hot enough in the stove that we were able to boil water for filtering as well as cooking and get the skillet hot for turkey burgers. We didn't have enough wood for an outdoor fire and were more concerned with keeping the cabin warm enough that we just stuck with the stove.

With Dusk at 11pm Dawn came soon enough to wake me up at 4am. I woke up with Aspen on my back fast asleep and a my friends laughing at really how much of a priss my dog is. But I didn't mind, I was fairly sore from the hike up that it felt wonderful to have that little extra pressure there.

I was quite impressed with myself by morning when people were getting slightly agitated from lack of coffee I had the fire going and the water boiling that I was dubbed the fire lady. Coffee, turkey bacon, hash browns, eggs and muffins were all on the menu that day. And to our surprise, we were quite resourceful seeing as how the only clean thing left behind in the cabin was a small piece of tin foil.
*How I forgot some is beyond me, but I did.

We were able to cook two bisects at a time inside the stove making little breakfast sandwiches and burritos for everyone. After breakfast we realized we all went

We packed up pretty quick though and headed down the mountain. Some of us on blown up pool floaty mats down the hill. Which was 1) fairly productive and 2) VERY entertaining to watch.
Just as we were about a quarter of the way through the 4-6 foot snow. One of my friends realized they had misplaced and left some of there stuff back up at the cabin. So I took her three year old on my shoulders and hiked it down the mountain.
*let me tell you something. If you ever think that hiking/back packing is great exercise, try doing with with a huge pack plus a toddler on your shoulders while post holing down the mountain.

Over all, if you take away how poor the cabin was and how crappy the snow was, it was a pretty decent camping trip. But I will say that one day really is too short for camping.

Also, a week later, the cabin was closed down so Trail Mix Co. could go in and rebuild it. I told them they had there work cut out for them.


***pictures to be posted soon- stop back by later.***

Sunny Days...

The last several weeks Spring Time sure feels like Summer and I couldn't be more pleased by the idea.
It's getting to the point where all I want to do is go on adventures. Camp, hike, kayak, play play play.
Here are a few pictures of having some fun in the sun...