An In-Tents Night

It always rains on tents. Rainstorms will travel thousands of miles, against prevailing winds, for the opportunity to rain on a tent ~ Dave Berry

We now no longer camp for a night, but have settled down on earth and forgotten heaven ~ Thoreau

Originally, we had plans to visit Tombstone then the Huachuca Mountains for Spring Break, but the grandson brought home a cold and we all came down with it. Once we recovered, I thought it would be fun to take the boy on an overnighter at Lost Dutchman State Park. I’ve only stayed in cabins with him and was curious to see how he’d fair in a tent. Grandpa stayed home (not a camper).

And at the end of the day, your feet should be dirty, your hair messy, and your eyes sparkling ~ Shanti

As you can see by his smile, he was quite excited with his new home for the night and looked forward to slumbering in a sleeping bag. I’m planning on hiking during the summer in the higher elevations and utilizing the tent in lieu of hotels. I’m glad the experience made his feet dirty and his baby blues sparkle!

Camper’s have smore fun ~ Dave’stravelpages

Can’t go camping without a fire! The bundle I picked up from the camp host was costly ($7), but it lit quickly, provided needed warmth on a cold night, and each piece burned down to ash. We didn’t do Smores, but we had our fill of roasted marshmallows. Have you ever tried the pink ones? They taste like strawberries!

My wish is to stay always like this living quietly in a corner of nature ~ Claude Monet

After breaking camp, we took a last hike on the Mountain Bike trail, winding through the Nature trail, then returning to the car via the Camp trail. The boy didn’t want to go home, he wished to stay living in nature. Looks like I’ve got a camper on my hands!

An Oasis in the Desert

A Daytrip to the Hassayampa River Preserve ~ Wickenburg, AZ

What makes the desert beautiful is that somewhere it hides a well ~ Antoine De Saint-Exupery

Not quite a well, but what a hidden gem! A beautiful oasis in the middle of the desert offering tall, shady Cottonwood and Willow trees, soft, groomed trails, and for now, a stream filled with running water. For some reason, I am really drawn to the water element lately. I must miss the Colorado River.

Children still need a childhood with dirt, mud, puddles, trees, sticks, and tadpoles ~ Brooke Hampton

What child can resist squatting near the water’s edge to watch the pollywogs swim by ~ not my boy. This is a nice area for families. There are a six easy trails and one moderate overlook at the preserve, totaling about 5 miles. We spent the day, so we walked them all, stopping for lunch and a rest here and there.

Your off to great places, today is your day. Your mountain is waiting, so get on your way ~ Dr. Seuss

My Havasu niece made the drive to meet up with us for a picnic and hike. If you’re looking for a peak to climb or massive elevation gain and rocky trails, this place might not fit the bill. But……if you’re looking for a pleasant walk beneath the trees, a spot for birding, or just a picnic ~ you might like it here.

If there is magic on this planet, it is contained in water ~ Loren Eiseley

Stumps provide a nice place to break beside the “river.” There’s even a lake (Palm Lake) with a trail and benches looping the pond. I don’t know what the summer does to this waterway, but for today, we got to enjoy this delightful oasis surrounded by the Sonoran desert. What a nice place to relax, contemplate, ponder, ramble, and just enjoy nature! I plan on returning again!