We were committed this year to take a week long camping trip at the end of the summer. We originally were planning on driving up to Kelly creek and hanging out at the moose creek campground. We did that last year and it was bunches of fun. But things went this way and the next, and there was no way we could get all the way up to Kelly creek. Betsy and I were watching some show on pbs about this little town just SW of McCall called yellow pine. It looked nice and a lot like home – trees, rivers, mountains. So we set out to find it one Saturday. Anyways we made it to yellow pine and the n. fork of the salmon river. It was neat but no good camping spots. On the way up we followed a small creek called Johnson creek. So on the way back we stopped and found a great camp spot. A lot like teepee creek.

We headed up two days later, got everything packed and were on our way. The campsite was not an actual campsite, so me and the kids built a toilet.

we had everything we needed the weather was beautiful and we went.

We had the place to ourselves, no one for miles, and a beautiful little creek with lots of little fish.

Broc and I fished a lot, and he did very good. He is not very patient when it comes to fishing, but he kept trying and caught 2 little fish. He was so stoked, we as intent, purposeful and very motivated. Very cool.

Breys like the fishing too, it comes very natural to him. I just let some line out, tie on a fly and let him go. He two hands it but is very effective of getting his fly where he wants. Breys hooked a couple fish but, he was not sure what to do, when he had a fish on. He has lots of fun.

Bren, on the other hand had some trouble – she figured it out towards the end. She is just too meticulous for fly fishing. She wants you to explain EXACTLY how to do it. Then she asks why, argues how she would rather do it her way, then complains that it doesn’t work. Yep its quite a process. When she started it was hilarious, she would hold the rod with both hands, close her eyes, put her head down, and whip the rod around like crazy. It was awesome. She figured out her own way and looks pretty good by the end of the trip.

Of course the best part of a camping trip is the camping part. I try to explain this to people, there are two kinds of trips – camping, and fishing. Fishing is when you go to fish. That’s it fish. From sunup to sundown, fires are for thawing, and food is purely for sustenance. The entire thing is for fishing. This trip – on the other hand – was camping. Having fun, playing games, eating fun camping food, roasting marshmallows. And we camped. We played card games, rode bikes, went on adventures, ate chips, drank soda. All the fun camping stuff. And each night after dinner – we roasted marshmallows.

As every kid does, when they see a river and some rocks, they see a dam. And just like me and just like Betsy when we were kids, Broc, Bren, and Breys set out to cross the river without getting wet. They spent a couple days on their bridge, and got far enough (it’s a ton of hard work) to cross “safely” to the other side. And on the other side – OH on the other side. There were Indians, and dinosaurs, all kinds of cool stuff. The kids had their own campfire and camping chairs. A wonderful sand covered world of their own.

It was an awesome trip. You know that when no body wants to go home. When there are things still to do. And more marshmallows to roast. It was great. A great time together as a family, a great time without places to be, things to do. Just time together to love on each other.