Camping?

Other than Kierstin herself... and the kids... the best thing I got out of my marriage is my own camping spot just east of Zion National Park.  

The Giffords (Kierstin's mother's family) have 20 acres of hillside situated on the North Fork Road, just outside of the east gate of Zion.  The property is owned by a family trust... of which we are members.

We have our own area at the top of the property that we like to call Chateau Le'vitte... (yes... you say that with a snotty french accent!)

I have always loved camping... as a kid we had an annual trip up to Lost (or Los) Camp... which as I recall is somewhere up near Mammoth Creek.  Mom would also take us up to Mt. Charleston when the chance arose.  Kierstin and I started our marriage with as much camping as we could get in up in the Diamond Fork Canyon while we were up at school.  And I am proud to say that not a single one of our kids was a month old before they had been camping at least once.

Well... now my idea of camping has changed.  As kids, we mostly slept in sleeping bags... in a tent.  We cooked food over the fire... or ate sandwiches.

What we do now can't really even be called camping.  We have a travel trailer that stays up at "The Mountain Home" all summer long.  We bring food and clothes... and our ATV... and head on up.  Within ten minutes of getting to camp, we are set up... the kids are running off eating dirt and catching horned lizards... and I am kicked back in my hammock reading a book.

Last year we added a generator to our camping gear and any semblance of roughing it was officially gone.  On warm nights, instead of a fire, we watch a movie and eat microwaved popcorn.

Here are a few pics of camp.

Our friend Melinda... only one of those kids is hers.

There was a crew of forest fire-fighters clearing the trees near the road on the way to our camp... we picked up about 6 truck loads of wood... we feel like we are living in a beaver colony.

Chaison winning his race at the family reunion... notice the chubby cougar kid getting his can kicked by my Runnin' Rebel son.

Chaison's first golf game... at the course at Mount Carmel Junction.

If you are interested in getting away for the weekend... we love entertaining at camp even more than at home... let us know and we will make a plan.