road trip 2010 :: the most miserable and stunning place

the next part of our trip had us camping in the redwoods.  we reserved a campsite at patrick's point and to our delight it was above and beyond our expectations.  the campground was huge and every site was private and large.  we could have fit 3 tents in our spot.

another thing i love about camping is arriving in a new place, settling in, getting to know the surroundings (aka the neighbors) and finding our way.  where are the bathrooms? conveniently located right across from our site.  where is the spout to wash dishes? conveniently located next to the bathrooms. what is that big brown box? a place to store your food and stove overnight so the darling little bears don't get into it.  it was perfect in all ways.

the first night we walked over to the beach.

and had cold spaghetti and salad.  it started getting cold really early and it was hard to keep the food warm.  but it was still yummy.

so that night we all got into the tent and snuggled together.  we really didn't pack for the cold weather.  we grabbed every blanket, jacket, and towel we had and went to bed.  i couldn't believe how cold i was. i kept waking up throughout the night trying to warm up but it was miserable.  and the next night wasn't any better.  (fyi - i have an appointment with my dr. to get my thyroid checked because apparently i was the only one on the trip that was never comfortable. )

the following morning we enjoyed hot coffee, breakfast burritos and pastries.

bobby wanted to take us to fern canyon for a hike.  it was one of the most amazing things we experienced on the trip.  we saw a huge elk just a few feet away from us.

and then the canyon itself was stunning, and peaceful.  

it was one of the best memories i have of this trip.  we also went to lady bird johnson park to see some of the largest redwoods in the area.  i loved the pamphlet that we picked up. it taught us so much about the nature and science of the redwood trees.

and the kids were great about keeping up and taking the long walks.  no complaining from anyone.  

this was another sleepless cold night for me.  and in the morning our campsite was filled with fog.  so we decided to just leave early and get to warmer climate.  

in other news:  saturday we celebrated angela's  bridal shower.  it was a beautiful tea party at her house.  i made the little tea sandwiches.  everything was perfect and she was so happy and grateful for it.

bride, mother of the bride & flower girl