Every summer, Theo takes the kids on a backpacking adventure. Back when we had only one kiddo, I also went on the trip. But once the kids started to get older and more frequent, I decided that I much proffered the idea of staying home…alone. For 24 hours. Once I started working as a teacher, I started using that time to get my lesson plans and classroom in order for the upcoming school year. And somewhere along the way it has turned into an annual tradition – Dad takes the kids backpacking and I stay home.
Admittedly, I don’t have much to WRITE about this trip….because I didn’t go on it! This trip has been a good learning experience for me as a Mom. I usually like to know details, I like to have a plan, I like to make sure that absolutely nothing dangerous can happen. Theo tends to just wing it, which can sometimes stress me out. I feel like I need to be in control or anything and everything can go wrong. So letting them go on this trip with very little prep, very little supplies and very little communication is an exercise for me in trust. I have to trust Theo that he is a great Dad, and he will take care of them. The kids will be fine and they will come back tired, dirty and FULL of memories.
They make the two hour drive to a forest called Zaleski State Forest. It is great because it has a two mile trail that leads to a campsite. Two miles is totally doable for our crew, and it’s nice to be within an hour of the vehicle if something goes awry.
If you aren’t familiar with the terms camping vs. backpacking- camping usually means that you have access to a vehicle to transport items (and therefore can take more items, heavy items, etc). Backpacking means that you hike TO your campsite, so everything that you need has to be in your backpack. The campsite has a water spigot but that is about it!
They hike in, build a fire and set up the tent (which is actually just a mosquito net haha), and cook dinner over a fire. This year they did hot dogs and ramen noodles and everyone loved it.
They take a picture by this tree every year:
They spent the night in the mosquito net tent (kids slept great; Theo slept not at all haha) and then made breakfast over the fire and played a few rounds of card games before packing up the campsite and heading back out.
The reports I heard upon their return is that it was the BEST YEAR YET. I think that putting in the work when the kids were little (there were several trips where someone cried 90% of the time) has made it so much easier now that they are all capable of carrying their own packs, and helping with camp set up, etc. Also- people cried this year, too. It just wasn’t 90% of the time haha.
I am so glad that they have this experience and these memories and that Theo works hard to make it happen. We actually had the trip on the calendar twice during the summer, but it got rained out both times so they ended up going the weekend after school had started!
Here are a few throwback memories of the annual backpacking trip:
The kids came back and INSISTED that next year I break tradition and go with them. I have a full year to think about it…do you think I should go or na?