WARNING: VERY LONG POST AHEAD! PROCEED AT YOUR OWN RISK.We just got back from our annual week long camping trip with my in laws. We go to Dinkey Creek Campground, about an hour and a half north of Fresno, by Shaver Lake. I don't even know where to begin. These camping trips are usually eventful but this one takes the cake. We left on Saturday, (3 hours late) following Dave's parents. I was nervous because we didn't have a campsite reserved for that night and the website was showing no availability. Dave's dad wasn't too concerned, thinking worse case scenario we sleep in the car on the side of the road, in the forest, in the middle of nowhere. I don't know about you but that did not sound like the best idea to me. So the whole way up there I was dreading how the evening would go. Gavin was actually really good in the car, probably better than me. So we get up to the campground around 7pm and Dennis (my father in law) proceeds to sweet talk the park ranger into giving us a site for the night. (We had reservations for the rest of the week on a different site but we decided to drive up a day early, so we needed a temporary site for the night.) I was so relieved, until I found out that they have had bear sitings.
So after a restless first night, we woke up Sunday and met up with 3 of David's sisters and their families, who had driven up two days before. We all went down to the creek to play in the water and then we hiked up to a waterfall. While we were hiking it got real cloudy and we started to hear thunder in the distance. David and I decided to head back and set up our tent and things at our new campsite. His sisters decided to stay a little longer at the creek. Just as we were finishing setting up the tent, the storm hit. Thunder, lightning, and pouring rain. The rain dumped for a couple hours. David frantically dug trenches around our tent, which just so happened to be pitched in a low spot where all the water gathered. We didn't really have any water proof clothing just a jacket for each of us. David was soaked to the bone by the time he was done. Gavin had huge bleeding blisters on his heels from being in wet shoes all day. And for the rest of our six days there, everything smelled like mildew because it never got a chance to dry out. We got these thunderstorms every afternoon. Thankfully our new tent did not leak.
Monday we all went down to Shaver Lake. It was pretty overcast, but we still managed to have a good time. Once again, that afternoon, the thunderstorm rolled in. There wasn't much to do but huddle under the canopy and wait out the storm. Tuesday we went to McKinley Grove to see the redwoods. The kids thought it was really cool to see the huge trees. After the redwoods, we went fishing down at the creek. Gavin loves to fish and he is a natural. He can cast out better than me.
After about 15 minutes it started to rain, and when we got back to camp it started to hail. Another wet night. Wednesday morning we actually had a bit of sun so we decided to try fishing again. As we were walking down to the creek, Dave's mom slipped on a rock and fell on her wrist. After an hour and a half drive to the closest hospital, she found out she didn't just break her wrist but shattered it into many pieces. They told her she would have to see an orthopedic surgeon when we got back. They put a temporary cast on it and put it in a sling. Thanks to many pain pills, she was able to finish out our last 2 days of camping.
Thursday was more fishing and relaxing. Friday we packed up our campsite and headed down to the creek for our last attempt to fish. This was my first time fishing. I think its gross but I think it's fun to cast out and reel it in. David had caught two fish earlier in the week but still wanted more. So I decided to give it a shot with Gavin's little kiddie pole. So with no bait or lure, after about 5 minutes, I hooked a fish! When I realized i caught something I started screaming and threw the pole at Dave to reel it in and then went to freak out. I really think fish are gross so the thought of the fish on the hook flopping around totally freaked me out. David was shocked to learn that I had hooked it by the tail! Everything about that was pure dumb luck. After I calmed myself we got cleaned up and ready to head home. It was a long, challenging drive home. Gavin just wasn't happy and screamed just about the whole way. I was so happy to get home and take a long hot shower and sleep in my own bed (without having to worry about bears attacking me in my sleep.) I realize that this made it sound like we had an awful time, but in spite of all the drama, we had fun. I just kept thinking we could make millions if we filmed our trips. It would be just like those Vacation moviies with Chevy Chase. Look out Griswalds, here come the Rices!
