Camping Gargoyle Canyon

We went camping as a family for the first time since Gauge was born.  I can't say it was easy or that any of us got much sleep but it was fun.  From what we hear this is called Gargoyle Canyon.  The reasons are obvious.  It's a big honkin wash.  We left Friday shortly after Teagan got out of school.  Then we had to get some things at the store and then we had to swing by to pick up Teagan's buddy.  Finally we were on our way.  The sun was already starting to set and we got pulled over in Palo Verde.  Great!  Turns out the guy that pulled us over was from some town we had never heard of.  To be fair I'm sure he has never heard of Blythe either.  Anyway he could care less that we know almost everyone on the Highway Patrol. 

On top of all of that Ian's liscense had expired.  We were shocked.  I'm sure he thought we were full of crap but we really had no idea.  So he writes the ticket and we sit and sit and sit some more.  Then he wants my license so that he doesn't have to impound the truck.  Of course I don't have it but I give him the number.  I think he is pretty sure we are losers because he says, "Okay I'll run this and if you are who you say you are then you can be on your way."  Really dude I apprieciate you are doing your job but I don't think we look like hardened criminals here.  I mean we have our kids in carseats for goodness sake.  Now it's dark and we are finally on our way.  I have to drive and Ian's pride is wounded over the thought of no longer having a license until this gets straightened out.  Note to self:  Always change address at DMV.

When we finally get to the camp site we set up our tent, kitchen, toilet and campfire by the light of the trucks headlights which luckily is not impounded at this point.  The kids are having a blast except Gauge who is tired and hungry.  We get everything set up and I cook soup.  I'm so glad I went for an easy dinner after all.  Then we roasted marshmellows.  I learned that seven year old boys are obsessed with fire.  We finally went to bed but not to sleep.  Jade took a while to settle down.  I was worried about the kids getting cold.  Then I think about two am the owls started with these crazy sounds.  They must have been right above us on the canyon walls.  Gauge woke up very early and soon we were all up.

I cooked breakfast of Spam and Eggs with fruit and we decided it was time to explore.  So we packed some stuff for our hike.  This is really the neatest place to hike.  Just expect to do some  climbing.  Anyway I'll comment on the pictures.

I liked this one because it shows how big the walls are compared to Jade.

The boys.

These pictures are backwards.  These came from a hike Ian and the boys took.  They are Fairy Shrimp.  They are found in the desert in puddles.  Their eggs are dormant until enough water comes along that they hatch.  Really cool.  Aparently they are in Utah, Texas, Arizona, California and even Iraq.  Plenty of other places I bet but those are the ones I read about.

Cute!

A natural behive.

Just imagine the amount of water it took to do all this.  Amazing.

Our campsite.  The bathroom that we have by my insistance got blown over.  Lovely!

Well obessesed with fire and guns.

Ian took Gauge because I was afraid I would fall and hurt him.  I only slid once though.  I need some hiking boots.

Again look at these walls.  See the boys at the bottom?

I love Gauge's face in this picture.

Yeah I had to throw stuff in the puddles.  You gotta right?

Most of these pictures speak for themselves.  That morning we hiked as far as we could.  When we got the the really steep climbing I didn't feel comfortable taking Gauge and Jade was tired.  So we all headed back to camp.  About halfway there we stopped to swap out backpacks and have our morning scripture study.  The boys went for a hike alone and myself and the little ones rested and read books.  We had a good time.  Later the second day the wind picked up like crazy.  When we were trying to take the tent down it was blowing so hard we couldn't keep a hold of it.  Shortly after we got home we got a really good rain storm.  We need to do this again soon.  We are dreaming of a pop up trailer someday.