Camping in Water Canyon

Rus and I have a goal to take our kids backpacking at least twice this summer. We want to do actual backpacking - where the kids each have their own pack with their own sleeping bag and supplies, and we hike in 1-2 miles to camp. We realize we have to build up to this, so we were happy to try out the packs and tents and new supplies we've acquired on an overnight car-camping trip. We were especially happy to go when our friends the Winter family asked if we would camp with them. After much consideration (based on weather), we decided on the Water Canyon campground south west of Socorro. It took under 2 hours to get to, it was beautiful, and while it was slightly windy, it didn't get too cold. We brought dinner and the Winters brought breakfast. We were sad Tim's wife and their youngest daughter weren't able to come because the daughter was sick, but we were grateful that Tim was still up for bringing his other two kids. Madelyn is 12 and is very patient and sweet with Bekah, and Andrew is Jacob's age and is a goofy, smart, loud, fun kid. Jacob has a great time with him. We also brought Colonel and the Winters brought their dog Bauer. (Jack Bauer).

 Of course we had to have a fire. Jacob was eager to light it himself, and he did well.

 We had hot dogs and bratwurst and chips and watermelon, with pineapple upside down cake in the dutch oven for dessert. Then Tim brought smores stuff and scotcheroos and we were totally set.
Bekah and Beau slept in a little two man tent, Rus, Marianne and I slept in our new three man dome tent, and Jacob slept out under the stars in a bivvy sack. Tim brought the Taj Mahal - a 10 man tent that could have fit all the other tents inside of it. He and Madi slept there, and Andrew slept out with Jacob. Marianne woke up in the night needing to pee but was overwhelmed by the wind and refused to go. She slept okay the rest of the night; I just had to occasionally pull her back up to the top of her sleeping bag because she would get lost down inside of it. Beau went to bed nervous about bears, and he must have had a bad dream because he woke up at one point screaming that he had heard a bear. It was not the quietest night. But my mattress pad - a new inflatable REI "Flash" pad was terrific and I slept warm and happy. Our tent was great too - no built up moisture but not cold or drafty. And it held up in the wind just fine.
Thankfully Tim is a morning person and he got after breakfast in the morning...potatoes, sausage, eggs, tortillas, and even hot cocoa. Rus and I tried out our new jet boil stove and we were super impressed - boiling water in under 2 minutes!
We ate, explored, built an ax with Jacob, and then later with Beau, packed up our stuff, and headed a short ways down the road for a hike up the canyon. Here is Jacob, so happy with his ax!

 Beau was the most impressively geared kid. He brought his explorer vest and then loaded it down with his canteen, survival kit, and ax. He is also wearing his plastic "Fun Police" helmet that his teacher gave him, which was a permanent fixture on his head the entire trip.

 Water canyon actually had water running down it! Yay!

The kids really enjoyed clambering up rocks onto steep looking ledges. Can you spy Jacob and Andrew?

The best part of the hike was when we came to the prettiest spot and all of the kids took to building dams in the small stream. We had dams, water filtration systems, small villages, and even a few sail boats.

 

The men were able to relax in the shade, the kids played, and I played too, making my own little dam and village that the Winter's dog Jack Bauer later destroyed. (Ironic, no?)

When it was time to start hiking again we gave all of the kids dum dums to get them going again. Can you believe they have crazy new mystery flavors? Andrew was ecstatic to get one that was bacon flavored, while Madi was disappointed multiple times by buttered popcorn flavors.

When we got back to the vans we drove a short ways to a day use area with picnic tables. It was a beautiful area again with huge trees, a meadow, and a shaded picnic table. Bauer caught, killed, and mangled a skink and the boys were happy to do a little forensic science. We ate, played mad libs, quoted "So I married an axe murderer" and old rock songs, finished the scotcheroos, and finally decided it was time to get back on the road. I enjoyed the warm sun and losing sense of time and track of my cell phone. It was a great departure from regular life. We were so happy that the Winter family came with us!