Hot Camp Days

Every October I post about camp in the Wichita Mountains (you can look back on my Oct posts thru the years). This year we took the new tent and camped with the GGs. The temperatures were the hottest on record - in the 90's. That is just not right for the end of October. Usually there are people playing softball or soccer in the big open field at camp, but this year it was too hot. Most of the kids stayed in the shade on the basketball courts or played volleyball in the shade of the huge oak trees. All hikes were canceled when a rattlesnake was found under a vehicle in the midst of camp. Thanks to the warm temps, the snakes had not gone away, but were out and about. Toby killed a little snake of some sort while out walking with Mr T. When I asked him what kind of snake it was, he said "a dead snake." Since there was no hiking, Shay, Toby, and Jesse took a few carloads of kids up to the top of Mt. Scott, which is the tallest mountain in the Wichitas. By mountain standards it is not that big of a mountain, but it is pretty amazing for the flat-lands. The views are great and there are lots of boulders to climb on - the kids had a good time. There is also a little path up and around the camp area where we went for an early morning walk with GBN1. Isn't she beautiful!

We bought the GGs cheap little flashlight/headbands. They were a big hit. The GGs could not wait until dark when they could wear their headlamps. Of course they had to get up twice in the night to go to the bathroom - I think it was just to wear and use the headlamps.

After carting all sorts of sleeping bags to camp, we ended up sleeping on top of them rather than in them. It was that warm. Fortunately (or not) the wind blew all night keeping a nice breeze on us, but causing lots of noise with the tent flapping. We made it through the night and got up at 5:30 (forced the GGs to stay put until 6:30) for coffee and breakfast. It made for a long day. By Saturday afternoon, we were all wearing down. Toby and I thought we were sneaking off to the tent to take a nap, but this is what we found Jesse, Lindz, Shay, Kat, Bo, GBN1 and Mr. T. sharing the air mattress, which they pulled out of the tent and put in the shade. They were having a grand time. We did rest for a bit before getting everyone to help with the breakdown of the tent. Then we left camp early to get home and rest.

We just spent one night and two days at camp. Some people camp for four days and three nights. I don't know how they do it. I borrowed this photo that a friend took of her kids on the way home from camp. It reminded me of when Jesse was a teen-ager and looked very similar after camp.

Here are a few other photos Mr T in his shorts and cowboy boots. It was really too hot for boots, but he insists on wearing them. 
Mr T and GBN1
 I did not get any good photos of GBN2, because she was much too busy off playing with the other kids.

Sunday and Monday were also hot - in the 90's. I spent Monday in Lawton campaigning - hanging flyers on doors. According to my pedometer we walked about six miles going from house to house. It was just a bit cooler on Monday with a stiff breeze. I'm really ready for a break.