Sunday, August 07, 2005

Father-Son Camping Day



Here is the report we received back from Dad regarding their overnight father-son camping trip near the mountains:

Unfortunately, the hike from the car to the campsite was about 1/4-1/3 of a mile, which means that all gear and supplies had to be hauled over very rocky terrain. Ken and Jack were 2 hours late getting to the grounds, and sweaty Dads were still hauling in firewood and tubs of supplies. Ken, Eagle Scout that he is, packed light and brought his hiking pack which called for only one trip across the rugged terrain.

After all tents were set up, daylight started to disappear, and an exhausted Jack was begging to head to bed. With pjs on and lights out, the classic "Dad? I have to go potty." phrases began. The pitch blackness of night had Jack asking for a nightlight to sleep by, which kept Dad awake. The crickets were apparently wearing woofers around their necks and, confirmed by other Dads the next morning, practiced in disturbingly perfect unison. And lastly, Jack subconsciously felt it necessary to be touching or on Daddy in some way at all times throughout the night. Long story short, Jack had about 5 hours of sleep and Dad 2 hours.


The next morning, the men and boys played mini golf and then headed out to the paddle boats to be chauffered by their Daddies around the entire lake. This was no small feat according to the Dads, calling for about 45 minutes of difficult paddling...many of them comparing notes on their leg soreness the next day.

All in all, it was a great time had by Dad and Jack - just a little light in the sleep department.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Well Daddy Knucker Hatch gets my vote. What a fun trip for you and your son. This is the time for you to build a bond with your young son. I know you had a close relationship with your Dad that no doubt started when you were quite young. If you wait until they are grown, then it is too late. When you put your family first, God will work out the rest.
I loved the photos. You sure couldn't tell Jack was sleep deprived. He looked like he was having a great time.
Also a good opportunity for Mom and daughter to bond with shopping and pottery. Glad you are taking time to "smell the roses" with your children. They grow up WAY TOO FAST!