High5Hughes: Camping At Hanging Rock

What a weekend! We started out on Thursday with a beautiful day and a lot to do. Bryce went on to school, and many of the teens as well. We left with a trailer full of equipment and a van full of teens and children. I never would have thought that my boys would have been at Hanging Rock as young as they did, but I must say that they have both impressed my soooo much. This is the 4th year that Bryce has been able to go and this is Brant's first. We got to camp around 4:00 pm on Thursday and quickly set up our tents and got ready for whatever was in store. We decided to hike to Hanging Rock right away. I must say that I was a little concerned at how Brant and Logan would do climbing but they outdid my expectations. They were troopers!!! It was so cool to see the mountain that late in the evening. I think that was the latest that I have ever been on top of Hanging Rock. It was a little windy though.

When we got back to camp we got supper ready. Michaellynn and I brought some steaks for the two of us and I must say that on a Coleman stove they were delicious. Of course my sweet honey bought me some A1 sauce so I was in heaven. Jason and Angela cooked up some pork over the fire and mixed in some onions and peppers. It was very good.

After we cleaned up we all went on to bed to get ready for a long day of hiking. Did I mention it was a looonnnngggg day! It wasn't too bad at first, but when we got to about mile 5.4 hiking towards Troy's Den (which I think they kept moving) I was tired and hurting. We finally got to the den, Ha, Ha, more like a hole in the wall, and quickly decided that we were not going to hike back. Thank God for Nanny! Angela's mom came and picked me and Jason up and took us to the van so we could go and pick everyone else up. Needless to say no one complained. My puppies were barking loud. (My feet) We ate supper and quickly went off to bed. The weather had forecasted for us to possibly get some rain over night but it held off until the morning. Right in the middle of fixing breakfast. Between the winds coming through, the heavy down pour of rain and a little lightning, we had a fabulous breakfast, about 11:30.

The rain did finally stop though and we were able to break camp. After getting cleaned up from the camp site we took off toward the falls. We visited Hidden and Window falls, and then we went to the Upper Cascades. I had never been there before. It was absolutely beautiful. We hiked back up the van and loaded up to come home. I must say that I truly have never been as tired as I was when we got back. It was well worth it. I look forward to returning next year.

-Bryan

Get that thing going Jason and Angela, we're hungry!