Palisades Lake Day Two

After some convincing and morning fishing where the fish were biting like crazy, we hiked up to the two waterfalls that were there. I should probably note that I am not able to read a map for the life of me, and what I thought was a four mile hike turned out to be nine. Probably the hardest part of the whole trip just because I kept thinking "we'll be there any second, just after this switchback we'll be there," and we weren't for miles and miles. That ramen we ate at the top of the falls never tasted so good. You know you've had a rough day when ramen is the cream of the crop meal. When we finally got back to camp it was time to relax, eat, and fish some more. Not me, I don't fish, but the others. That goes without saying.
This stuff was everywhere- there seas of it, and when I got up to pee in the middle of the night my leg grazed it and broke out in a rash. Curse you stinging nettle!

These meals are surprisingly good. Try the lasagna one first.

There were quite a few deer roaming camp the second night.

This stuff was everywhere to and is referred to as Indian toilet paper...and works amazing...because, you know, I just had to try it.

There were so many photos I took, but I didn't have the ambition to post them all. I don't even think I posted very good photos of the falls. Maybe I'll have to come back after I get everyone's camera phones and post them.

Upper Palisades Lake Day One

Chuck and Joe worked Saturday, but the second we closed our doors we were out the door. Initially, we were sure we would be setting up tent in the dark. It took us at least five hours to make the hike last year, it gets dark at around nine, and we wouldn't start up the trail until four thirty. However, something just clicked and we hiked past the hills of dull grey rock and through muggy-ish for idaho right by the lake junglish looking trails in just over three hours. Needless to say, the trail is kind of diverse. We had more than enough time to set up camp and cook us some freeze dried lasagna. Mmmmm, it's was delish. The moon timidly peeked over the mountains, and then rose with a soft grace as we waited for Scott (Joe's roommate) to make the trek up alone in the dark- he had a prior engagement from hiking up with us and made it to our camp at one am. One am! Alone! In the dark! He did say he wouldn't be doing that again, but seriously. I couldn't get up to pee in the middle of the night twenty feet away from my tent, much less make the seven mile hike + an extra three miles for going the wrong way. How heavy Charly's bag was (mine was only 26 pounds).

Right Now

Preparing to make the seven mile hike to Upper Palisades lake. Maybe after this year it will become a memorial weekend tradition, seeing as how we went there last year too. We're hoping for a better experience than last time though. Mostly we are just hoping that we will get camp set up when it's dry, and if it does rain we will be able to cozy into our sleeping bags, keep dry, and get the required amount of Death Comes for the Archbishop reading done. Last year the hiking weather was perfect, but right as we approached the upper lake it started raining. The next morning we cut our trip short, burned all our food and emptied out some water to get rid of weight and hiked back home. My fingers swelled and my feet were sore on every inch of them, but it was still worth it. We found out it snowed an inch at the lower lake the next day, which means there was probably more at the upper lake, and so we were happy with our decision. Especially since we ate at the most divine burger place we had never been to before to reward ourselves for the ten hours of hiking with heavy packs. Of course, after eating freeze dried meals, being wet and cold, and pushing ourselves that much, any burger would have tasted so fulfilling.

Oh, and you are right if you are wondering "what is that dog doing on the couch?" We have strict no Maycee on the furniture rule, but when you stick her in a tent with the only way to escape by breaking that rule...well let's just say she really didn't want to be in that tent.

Smash It in the Tub and Fill It With Water

You know those marriage quirks? The ones we all have? Well Charly's is whenever I touch his phone. It's sacred, that thing. Even when I've lost mine and I want to use his phone to call mine, I can see him wince as I pick it up. It's a physical pain (insert: that's a joke from when I get really hungry. Like, I have to use money to buy unhealthy treats from Great Harvest (for the free slice of bread), and in my justification I turn to Chuck and say "Honey, you don't understand. It's a physical pain," as if this justifies all the money I've wasted on afternoon snacks dilemma).

Well today I went to pick up his phone to get the photos of our most recent biking adventure, and when he asked what I was doing I replied: "I'm gonna smash it in the tub and fill it with water." Which he must have known meant "I'm gonna blog those photos you took," because he didn't say anything afterwards. Or maybe it's just that Arrested Development makes him laugh more than I ever could, therefore creating a "whatever babe" attitude.

Anyways, That's not what this post is about. It's about biking in the rain with Chelsea and Lang, and all of the photos I wish I could have taken on my 4x5 if it hadn't started pouring. I mean, look at those faces! I'll never get another chance!

People I've Been Missing and Venison Burgers

Before we moved the table closer to the cliff to protect us against the wind.

SUMMER IS HERE. It doesn't need an exclamation mark because the caps says it all. But wait, with summer you don't get just warm weather and tank top sports, but long missed friends (please say that in the price is right voice). That's right, with summer comes a week long visit from the Mumms, and that calls for a windy BBQ mixed in with a bit of climbing-with other good people, of course. Did I mention Katie's pregnant? We went mountain a few days after the BBQ (last Saturday, not this one but the one before that), and I had to keep telling myself "if Katie's pregnant and doing it, I need to at least try it!" Nonetheless she's one of those inspiring people with or without the bump.

On another note, the Saturday before the most recent Saturday before that Saturday, we hiked up to the Fins to watch Stephen and Jenna have their engagements done by Blake and climb a little. Hurricane winds came about all fercious like just after Blake finished though, seriously you guys. I'm from Florida and I'm telling you, it got windy. So we exnayed on the climbing. I took some 4x5, but I'll be saving those photos for the project I'm doing.