Race Report: Barkley Fall Classic 50K+

It's been a bit since the running of the Inaugural Barkley Fall Classic and I'm still blown away at what all who toed the line accomplished that day. It's races and moments like this which will remain in my memory for a long time. Some 200 plus souls toed the line on Saturday, September 20, 2014 and 163 completed the full distance, which as it turns out was more like 35 miles instead of the advertised 50K, of course did we expect any different considering the who the race directors were?

I arrived in Wartburg around 4ish in the afternoon on Friday. My first stop was at the visitors center to meet and sign Gigi's visitor book as requested by Durb and Laz. All us runners have left an impression and Gigi has left an impression with all of us that dropped in. While there I met a couple other runners. We talked about the race and of course about the big dance that takes place in the spring.

After leaving the Visitor's center I headed for the American Legion to pick up my race packet and in general mingle with the other runners who were going to take on the challenge that Laz, Durb, and the BFC had waiting for us. Unfortunately I was just so immersed in the experience that I didn't even think to pull out a cell phone and take pictures. Probably should have. While there I got to talk with Laz again and also officially meet Durb. Great guys in all actuality, top notch indeed.

Trail Report: FHSP - Panther Branch to Debord Falls (Father's Day Hike)

Father's Day has come and gone but it is still fresh in my memory. The day before I had ran a 16 mile trail race in a little over 3 hours, but on Father's Day when asked what I wanted to do, I wanted to spend the day in the woods with my girls. We would only hike a little over 2 miles but the time it took, I wish lasted forever.

I awoke in the morning to find My Robin in the kitchen making breakfast, pancakes and bacon. It was scrumptious and went wonderfully well with my cup-of-joe. It took a bit for Bug to eat, and in that time we got the kiddo up and let her go through her morning routine as well.

Gear Review & Giveaway: Life Straw

A while back we were asked if we would be interested in reviewing the LifeStraw® by Vestergaard. It wasn't long (a week if that) before the LifeStraw® was at our door step. Being avid outdoors people you can only imagine what our answer was. We wouldn't be here right now if we had answered the other way. 

Unsure as to when we'd get a chance to try it out, it sat in our gear stash pile on the bookshelf for a couple weeks. Then Father's Day came and this was our chance. When asked what I wanted to do for Father's Day, the only answer was a family hike. We geared up, loaded up the car and off we were to Frozen Head State Park. We took a nice little family hike/stroll up Panther Branch Trail to Debord Falls and at least one pit-stop along the way for the Bug to play in the creek before reaching the falls (a whopping .6 miles from the trailhead). She's little so we take it slow.

Trip Report: Eleventh Anniversary Hike - Interpretive Trail Loop FHSP

Robin and I celebrated our 11th wedding anniversary back in April. We didn't get each other anything fancy or what-not, but what we did do, was all the better. Considering I had been out of work for over a month while Robin was recovering from back surgery, our finances were looking a bit thin and well we really couldn't afford to do much of anything. So with the lemons we had we made lemonade by spending the day with our girls, outside.

We decided that since it had been almost a month since Robin's surgery, and she hadn't set foot on a trail since late January, we would head to one of our favorite State Parks and give the mostly pain free feelings a test drive for Robin. We got everything ready including all of Bug's stuff (diapers, bottles, etc.) and loaded up in the vehicle and headed out for Frozen Head State Park to hike the Interpretive Loop Trail or as Kiddo has dubbed it, the Interpretive Dance Loop Trail. Teenagers can be so funny sometimes.

Dinah's First Camping Trip

For Labor Day weekend, Robin and I decided to escape and go camping. It was a last minute decision really, an impromptu trip so to speak. Friday was the last half work day that work was giving us (part of the new summer working hours they were trying out this year). We had discussed going camping earlier in the week but never really decided on anything for certain, but the idea was still buzzing in our heads.

When I got home from work, we discussed it further. Kiddo was going to a friend's house for the weekend  so we had to be around to take her over there after school (life of a teenager's parent = taxi driver). So we figured it wouldn't hurt to throw the tent and canopy in the back of the SUV, load Bug into her car seat, let our trusty side kick Clover hop in, and head out to Frozen Head State Park to see if we would even be lucky enough to secure a campsite. It was Labor Day weekend after all but with the remnants of Hurricane Issac threatening to drench the weekend here, we figured it was a toss up.

Dinah's First Official Hikes

We've been jonesin' to get out on the trail for a while now. We hadn't been on any hikes since September of last year. Well I take that back, Robin did let me out on the Hiker Release Program back in November. Granted we've been on the Songbird Trail at Norris Dam State Park a couple of times and up to the Pinnacle Overlook at Cumberland Gap NHP after our little Bug was born but those were more just strolls along the path and not what we consider "real hikes". This all changed last weekend when we decided we were going to get out on the trail even if it killed us.

We had originally planned on just doing one hike this weekend. However, we had a small dilemma. Dinah is at the discovery age (4 months old) and she's not keen on being in her car-seat stroller. So we had to find a stroller that would allow her to sit up and see the world as it came at her. We found a good stroller and decided that instead of hiking on Saturday, we would just go to a park and walk around to test out the stroller and see how "Bug" did.

Trail Report: Judge Branch Trail - Frozen Head SP - 9/11/2011

Woohoo, all the outside work has been completed and now we just sit and wait. Well not exactly, we still have some cleaning inside to do before the appraiser comes, but until then our weekends will not be spent working all day long. It couldn't have come at a better time either. The weather has cooled a bit and it's September: our favorite month and a signal that our favorite time of year is here.

After finishing up all the outside work on Saturday, we decided that Sunday we would get out for a much needed walk in the woods. Besides, Robin's Trinity Maternity Trekking Pants from Mountain Mama arrived a couple days prior and she was itching to try them out. The only caveat to this: Robin is now limited as to how much she can do. With that in mind, it had to be short, not very strenuous, and most of all something that she didn't need to carry any gear - except her camera, which I don't think I could rip out of her cold, dead hands. So we decided that the Judge Branch trail at Frozen Head State Park would fit to a T.

Trail Report - Frozen Head Loop Attempt - Frozen Head State Park - 7/17/2011

On day two of our camping trip at Frozen Head State Park, we awoke kind of late compared to our normal rise time while camping. We finally crawled out of the tent sometime after 9am and hung out about camp for a little bit. After the usual trips to the bath house, Robin started on water for coffee and breakfast and I started on getting a fire going to relax by before the day really got underway. Once breakfast and coffee was put down our throats though, we soon got dressed into our day clothes and immediately broke camp.

Just a little after noon time, we were all packed up and ready to go for another hike. Of course we had to run out to town first because Robin wasn't too keen on the coconut in the Granola and Blueberries with Milk from Mountain House, and thus didn't eat but half of it. Likewise Clover wasn't keen on the Mountain House Lasagna either so the both of them were still hungry and burgers were wanted in a major way.

Trail Report - Panther Branch to North Old Mac - Frozen Head SP - 7/16/2011

So this past weekend we went camping and hiking in lieu of backpacking at Frozen Head State Park. After we arrived and got camp all setup, we were ready to embark on our first hike of the weekend. We sat at the picnic table at our campsite considering our options and finally concluded on hiking the Panther Branch trail to North Old Mac trail and back down for a nice 6.25 mile loop hike.

Once we had our plan, we headed out of the park momentarily to pick up some soft drinks for our cooler and a sweet snack to eat before heading up the trail. Once we were done at the store we headed back to the park and parked our car at the Shelter C parking lot. We decided to park here at the Old Mac trailhead, instead of up at the Panther Branch trailhead at the end of Flat Fork road, since we would come off the trail there. Once out of the car we got our packs out, harnessed and leashed Clover, fired up the GPS and set off up Flat Fork Rd towards the Panther Branch trailhead. Yes, we count the road as part of our hike. We walked it with gear on so it counts.

Backpacking Front Country Camp Style

For the past few weeks I've really been bugging about going backpacking, and last week was no different. After two weekends of having to do things around the house instead, this week I wasn't taking "No" for an answer. Everyday since last Monday I'd check the weather forecast to see what the weather was going to be like and it was looking promising. Finally by Friday morning I had Robin convinced of the idea. That afternoon she started gathering up everything we were going to need. By the time I returned home from work that evening it was time to head out to Bass Pro Shops for a couple things we still needed. When we returned we started packing our packs with everything we were going to need for a night and two days in the woods.

A couple of hours later and we were trying on our packs and weighing ourselves. Our packs were both too heavy (although I think I can do 30lbs. no problem. Robin, on the other hand, is one of those gram weenies :P and wasn't going to settle for anything much over 15lbs.). So there we were going through our gear trying to lighten both loads and still have what we needed. I think I eventually got my weight down under 30 pounds and Robin had got her's down to about 18lbs. This is where things went south for the backpacking trip.

National Trails Day is Around the Corner

Saturday June 4th is National Trails Day and there's a lot of hikes and volunteer activities being held all over the place just for this occasion. In addition, our President just declared June as National Great Outdoors Month.




So what are your plans for Trails Day? Are you going on a hike or planning on giving back by volunteering in a trail maintenance activity? Let us know, we'd love to hear your plans. If your having troubles find activities or don't know what's available, check with your local State or National Parks. There's plenty of opportunities and it's not hard to find them. Remember Google is your friend.



For the East Tennessee area there are all sorts of events planned for different parks from hikes to clean ups and even trail maintenance. Tennessee State Parks page has a whole list of events on their website. To name a few, there is a trail work project to celebrate Trails Day at Frozen Head State Park on Saturday. Call the park office at 423-346-3318 for more information.

Just a Little Hike - Interpretive Trail Loop - Frozen Head State Park - 5/1/2011

This past Sunday, we were itching to get out and into the woods after spending all day Saturday doing yard work and other various chores around the house. We knew it had to be something short and easy because well let's face it, just getting out was asking a lot. With Robin only being in her seventh week of pregnancy, we are very limited due to how she may be feeling at any given moment. Of course she hates that that is the case but it is what it is and we make due with it the best we can.

So to accommodate the mixture of pukeyness and fatigue that comes from making a baby, we decided the Interpretive Trail Loop at Frozen Head State Park would be a perfect little trail to take to enjoy some fresh air and the splendor of mother nature. You might remember this trail from a couple years back when we took the kiddos for a hike and some playing at the park.

The trail starts behind the visitor center at the Visitor Center Trail which is only .3 miles to the actual interpretive loop. At .1 mile, if that, you come to an intersection where you can either go right up to Chimney Top or turn left to the Interpretive loop. The next .2 miles meanders through the woods to the loop with a small boulder field in the middle of the trail at one point and a major downhill that loses about 50 feet or so of elevation. We decided that after that descent, we'd take the road back from the Old Mac Trail once we were done.

Upon reaching the Interpretive Trail after .3 miles you come to a foot bridge that begins the Interpretive Trail on the other side of Judge Branch. Prior to this point there was an excellent spot next to the creek to let our trusty sidekick Clover off the leash to play in the creek. Boy did she have fun but she did think the water was a little cold.

Upon crossing the footbridge you can stay straight on the loop to the Old Mac Trail or turn right on the loop. We opted to go right and walked along creekside for about .3 miles. Along this part of the trail you can see remnants of what used to be part of the old CCC camp that helped build the park and trails back in the 1930's.

At about .4 miles on the loop there is a nice bench next to the creek with a big spot in the creek that is deep enough to take a dip if one so desires. There is a nice waterfall/cascade down the rock face at this point, too. We decided to sit on the bench and let Clover play in the creek some more. We sat on the bench amongst the hemlocks listening to the birds chatter away and watching butterflies flit to and fro all while Clover enjoyed her romp in the water. She just absolutely loves the water so long as it isn't too deep.

After this spot it's about .1 mile to the intersection with the South Old Mac trail. At this point you can turn right to continue up South Old Mac to Judge Branch Trail or Spice Branch Trail or stay on South Old Mac to the Fire Tower. To the left is Old Mac trail that leads back out to the Picnic Pavilion at the Old Mac trailhead. It's a straight shot to the trailhead from here with an intersection on the right at .15 miles to North Old Mac trail and another trail junction at .3 miles, just before the trailhead, back on the Interpretive loop to the Visitor Center and Chimney Top trails.

Considering we didn't want to have to ascend the one descent we had coming down the Visitor Center trail we headed out to the trailhead at the picnic pavilion and across the road to the Flat Fork Walking Trail back to the visitor center. The walking trail starts at the road to the campground and follows Flat Fork creek all the way back to just before the visitor center. We ended up heading back to the visitor center of course after a short Clover detour to find the perfect spot - if you catch my drift. At the end of the walking trail you have to walk onto the road to cross the bridge across Flat Fork Creek.

On the other side of the bridge, there is an open field area to the right and the visitor center on the left - which is bordered with some very showy rhododendrons this time of the year. Next to the field is a big pool area of the creek that, when the creek levels are up like they are now due to all the rain, provides for another great swimming area. Of course, Clover had to have one last dip before we headed back to our car to finish the hike.

Once we were done we had hiked a total of 1.77 miles. Of course it was probably more like 2 miles if you count the major Clover detour, but total trail miles ended at 1.77. Total elevation gain was 115ft. So if you are looking for a nice scenic and easy trail, the Interpretive Loop at Frozen Head is a great one to take. It offers a lot of scenery, plenty of cool views in the woods, cool dips in the creek, and makes for a pleasant walk in the woods.


Happy Trails,
Tim and Robin

Trimble Trail Details:

Featured Park for March - April - Frozen Head State Park

Debord Falls @ Frozen Head S.P.

In case you missed it on our Twitter or Facebook pages, we have a new park featured on the Featured Parks page for the months of March and April. This time around we are featuring one of our most favorite state parks in the area, Frozen Head State Park in Wartburg, Tennessee. If you haven't checked it out yet, then what are you waiting for?

Happy Trails,
Tim and Robin

Rainy Days Make Pretty Falls

I don't really recall how or when I decided that rainy days just weren't for me. I grew up playing in the rain, and recollect camping trips that were nothing but drizzle and leaky tents. I used to hike in the rain. Kind of hard not to when you're hiking in a temperate rainforest. I remember when water-speckled glasses were propped on my head; when hiking in wet socks wasn't a big deal; when low pressure systems didn't cause joint pain and headaches; when a ponytail holder was a quick, easy fix for natural curls turned evil fro; when the shlishy-shloshy sound under every muddy step was an invitation to puddle hop instead of my shoes struggling for that last gasp of air.

It's frustrating really. The rain never stopped me before. I've tried to revisit that time - to no avail. I've even tried the random inspirational quote, like:

"All weather is good weather because it's God's weather."

It's hard to admit there is something "outdoorsy" that you're not fond of - especially on an outdoors blog! But no matter how many quotes I've read or how many times I've googled J.Muir's journal (ya know - What Would John Do?), I've not been able to escape my newfound antipathy for sogginess.

Inevitably, it's become well known that if it's raining, I'm staying in. And caging me inside - even of my own volition - is never a good idea. That's how rooms end up remodeled and wallpaper being stripped! To top it off, our entire weekend had been drizzly, and I was beginning to get restless. 

Restless or not, I usually give in to the rain and choose to curl up for naps. So, it was just as much a surprise to me as it was to Tim to hear myself mouth the words, "we should go there today," pointing to his newly posted Featured Parks page. 

The reason? Waterfalls: something I love far more fiercely than my disdain for the rain. All the precip we'd had this past week had made the creeks rage like rivers, and capturing this became top priority.  The mud, the cold, frizzy hair, and wet feet no longer mattered. It's ironic how something I find so uncomfortable is the very essence of something I find so intriguing. 

On a lighter note, Tim has found that he thoroughly enjoys photography. He's putting forth a huge effort to learn.  He took some shots of the waterfalls as well. He's a fast learner, and I'm so happy to have a photog buddy now! I was even nice enough to share my tripod so he wouldn't have to carry his own. And Ashby had a great time, too. Debord Falls finally gave her a good show. I hope she remembers this for years to come. And as for Clover Beene? She had a blast, too. There was no one on the trail, so she went wireless for the most part and got plenty muddy for a dog I had just bathed. 

Tim's first attempt at waterfall photography. Didn't he do a great job!?

To see all the photos from this hike, visit our Flickr photostream here.

Trimble Details of Trail to Debord Falls:

Cumberland Trail Conference - Call for Volunteers

Spring is almost here and it's time to get outdoors. State parks, national parks, natural areas, and more offer an abundance of hiking trails, camping spots, and other outdoor recreational opportunities. However, the only way these outdoor destinations can continue to provide us with that escape from society and/or technology requires more than what the employees (park rangers, maintenance crews, etc.) can handle. That's where we, the outdoor lovers come in. We enjoy these places. Otherwise we wouldn't be out there. It's time to give back though. There are plenty of opportunities to pay it forward, to show our appreciation, to show that we care and want to continue to enjoy our natural environments.

This year we've already mentioned the volunteer opportunities available at Frozen Head State Park in Wartburg, TN. Now we have another opportunity to list, and this one is just as near and dear to our hearts as Frozen Head. The Cumberland Trail Conference (CTC) is need of volunteers. Remember that grant survey from the CTC that we posted last week? Well they are ready to get the project rolling and have several dates in the books for the New River segment projects. In addition to these projects, they also have a few trail maintenance projects for the Obed segment, a different portion of the New River Segment, and the Tennessee River Gorge segment of the trail.

So hop on over to the CTC's volunteer page, see what's on the schedule, and sign up to be a volunteer. They will be glad you did, and we would be too. I'm hoping that we can make it out to lend a helping hand on some of the weekends myself.

Happy Trails,
Tim and Robin

Volunteer Trail Days - Frozen Head State Park

The new year has been in full swing for nearly two weeks now. We've seen a lot of weather here in East Tennessee, and due to that, there's sure to be some damage on the trails we know and love. If your resolution for 2011 was to give back then there's plenty of opportunities. I know that we enjoy getting on the trail and hiking until our hearts are content, but if it wasn't for the volunteers who sacrifice their weekends to maintain the trails we love, our hike would be more laborious, or worse - unavailable - to us to enjoy.

One of our favorite camping and hiking destinations is Frozen Head State Park in Wartburg, TN. There's over 80 miles worth of trail hiking at Frozen Head and to keep these trails up takes a lot of hard work. This weekend on Saturday, January 15th will be the first of many opportunities to give back. Everyone wishing to volunteer should meet at the park office/visitor center at 9am equipped with a daypack and water, appropriate clothing for the weather, sturdy hiking shoes, and a will to work/give back.

Work to be done will be announced before hitting the trail. Moderate hiking maybe required. Work should be completed and crews returning to the visitor center by 3:00pm or before.

If you can't make it this weekend, don't fret. There will be plenty more opportunities throughout the year. The rest of the year's volunteer trail maintenance dates are March 19, May 21, June 4 (this is the same day as National Trail's Day), July 16, August 20, September 17, October 15, and November 19.

So be sure to make an effort to give back to your local, state, or national parks if you can. We'd love to be at this one, but I'm on call this weekend. Hopefully, we can make it to the next date.

For a complete list of volunteer trail days and other events at Frozen Head State Park go here.

Happy Trails,
Tim and Robin

Annual Unplugging 2010

This past weekend (9/24/2010 - 9/27/2010) we decided that we would take a week of vacation, me away from work and Wifey away from most of the house work. That's right Kiddo did have to go to school for most of the week but hey, the days she did have off were fun for her I'm sure.

So with Friday the start of our vacation we decided what better place to unplug than our favorite camping area, Frozen Head State Park in Wartburg, TN. Wifey, being the most excellent wifey there could ever possibly be, had everything packed up, loaded up, and ready to go as soon as I got home from my half day of work on Friday. We got to the park and had our tent, canopy, and the rest of camp set up within a couple hours all while the kiddo collected wood for the fire.

It was unfortunate to find out that the bathhouse was closed all day Friday, but for good reason. You see they had laid new tile in the bathhouse which is a big upgrade from the concrete slab that served as the floor for as long as we've been camping, hiking, picnicking, etc. there. I just want to inject here real quick the importance of the floor as there is more to this side story later. So with the prospect of no bathhouse for the evening, we were not dismayed as it was just a short hop to the bath rooms across from the playground. Of course having to go at 2a.m. might prove a bit more challenging considering the circumstances.

After settling in for the weekend, and facing the news of no bathhouse for the night, we opted for some supper. Wifey had prepared most of the food prior to heading to camp. For the first evening we supped on, BBQ Sandwiches that Wifey made the the night before and only had to heat up on the Coleman stove.

After supper it was time for coffee and sitting around the fire relaxing and enjoying the evening. Oh yeah and the short trek to the bathrooms when necessary due to the bathhouse.... We actually made a pretty short night of it as we were totally exhausted from the day's activities and hit the sack earlier than normal.

The next morning we awoke to find that it had rained overnight. Our Eureka tent had done well considering. There were a couple of damp spots here and there but nothing to totally discourage us from staying. Luckily it was done raining once we made our way out. While it was a bit soggy outside it didn't keep us from our morning coffee nor our breakfast of biscuits and sausage gravy. Have I mentioned how much I love the Coleman Stove?

For the most part we hung around camp collecting wood for the evening fire, walking the Trusty Sidekick around and playing with her, and the normal what not stuff you do around camp. Later in the afternoon, mom and dad came up to visit and have supper with us. The evening menu included Chili and cornbread made in the dutch oven. Of course there was Birthday Cake for dessert as Wifey's birthday was the following Tuesday and mom and dad brought a cake up with them. 

We enjoyed the evening fire and sitting around having good conversation until it was past dusk and mom and dad had to depart and head back to the homestead. Afterward, it wasn't long before kiddo and the side kick were ready to hit the hay. By the way, the bathhouse was open this day so we didn't have to walk or drive to use the facilities. It wasn't long after the kids were in bed that we hit the bathhouse to clean up and refresh ourselves before heading to bed ourselves.

Sunday we awoke to find that luckily it had not rained. Sunday was a wonderful day weather wise. For breakfast we had some tasty pancakes and bacon with juice thanks to wifey's wonderful camp culinary skills. It was this day that we had really taken notice to the fact that the lady who cleaned the bathhouse daily was really taking the cleaning of the new floor to a bit of an extreme. In years past she would normally do the regular cleaning between 10-11 am like the sign says, at which time the bath house is closed for said cleaning. However, it seemed that she was there every thirty minutes or so just to clean the floor. It was like an obsession or something. Of course we made light of it at the time because it really hadn't interfered with our stay really. At one point I think we dubbed her the mop lady.

Later in the afternoon, we took the side kick for a walk down the Flat Fork nature trail as she had pretty much been restricted to the campsite for the most part with the occasional excursion for potty breaks and chasing the hickory nuts that kiddo and I would hit with a stick. It was shortly after our return when we had our first encounter with the "Mop Lady". I need to use the facilities and she was in the men's room mopping the floor. Again. I leaned up against one of the rocks across from the bathhouse thinking that she would be done in just a few minutes and I could go about my business, when she stepped out and said that I needed to go down to the other restroom because everything was wet and she was cleaning the floor due to the mess they had left when the contractors laid the tile. I didn't think much of it at the time other than she was a touch rude about it and I carried on about my way just a slight bit perturbed.

A little while later we noticed she was back and well the kiddo needed to go to the bathhouse and this is were things got worse with the "Mop Lady". Kiddo returned within seconds because the "Mop Lady" told her she couldn't use the bathroom because she was cleaning the floor. However, as this whole incident occurred, there was another little girl already in there. So wifey, decided that was enough with the "Mop Lady" and proceeded to go have words with her and her obsessive behavior over the new floor. I remained at the camp site because I could see and hear everything that was going on. At one point the "Mop Lady" was no longer dubbed the "Mop Lady" when she told wifey, that "I don't give a damn if your daughter has to pee". It was at that moment that the "Mop Lady" was promoted to "The Bathroom Nazi". Wifey at that point took kiddo to the other restroom and then proceeded to the Park Office and filed an official complaint against "The Bathroom Nazi".

After that whole fiasco we were at the verge of leaving the campground and heading home a day earlier than planned. It was starting to rain at this moment and instead of packing up, we moved everything we didn't want getting soaked to either the jeep or the kitchen area. Once complete, we got in the car and headed into town for ice cream at the local Sonic. Yes, that's right, we broke the rules and went and got a treat at a fast food joint while camping, but could you blame us? Nothing cools heads better than ice cream.

Upon returning to camp, we decided we would stay the rest of the night and head out the next day. Besides "The Bathroom Nazi" was off for the rest of the day and we wouldn't have to deal with her any longer. So we chilled at camp until supper time. We built up the fire and I roasted hot dogs over the fire and warmed a can of chili in the coals. For dessert, we had left over birthday cake. It wasn't long after that the kids were ready to hit the hay. Wifey and I stayed up a while longer sitting by the fire and listening to our favorite camp radio show, "AM Coast to Coast".

Seriously, wifey isn't 92.

The next morning it had stormed early early. When we got up, it had stopped just long enough for us to decide it was time to make a quick cup of coffee and start breaking down camp. It was about an hour later and everything was packed up and we headed home.

I hope I didn't put you off on staying at Frozen Head for your next camping trip. We definitely will camp there again and again. After all, it is our favorite place to camp. The head ranger called here the other day to apologize for "The Bathroom Nazi" and to let us know he had talked to her and her behavior has been corrected.

So that's our unplugging for 2010. Well not really, that was just a small part of it. Stay tuned for more posts about the rest of our week. There is a wonderful hike wifey and I went on, and a couple of festivals we went to as well.

Happy Trails,
Tim and Robin

A few more pics from the camping trip.

Wifey just hanging around camp.

The Sidekick and I are definitely not thespians.

Sidekick just chillaxin.

Kiddo doing what she does best at camp. Reading.