home sweet home
We made it back from our trip. Ahhhh... our own beds.
We have gone camping at Johnson's Shut-Ins for 9 years in a row. But last December, a power plant reservoir broke and flooded the park with 1.3 billion gallons of water. The campground is gone. Completely devastated. Luckily, no one was camping when it happened. The superintendent of the park, his wife, and three young children were swept out of their home in the cold water in the middle of the night. Miraculously, none of them were killed or even seriously injured. Here are a few pictures of our favorite campsite from last year:
Here it what the same site looks like now:
They have repaved the roads and the boulders have been placed to keep visitors from driving through that grassy area- they are trying to restore the fen.
Needless to say, we had to find another campground this year. We went to Sam A. Baker State Park. It wasn't quite the same, but it was still a wonderful week. Lots of beautiful weather, swimming, hiking, and all of the other slow-paced activities that make camping so fun. You can see a few of the 99 (yikes!) photos I took on our trip here. Don't worry- you don't have to wade through them all!
Tomorrow, I'll hopefully have time to show you a few of the things I've been working on to mail away. But in the morning I'm running errands for a dear friend in need.
By the way, thank you for the kind thoughts about our friend's father. Now that things have quieted down for them all, the hard part starts. The more good vibes flow their way, the better.
Comments
welcome home. glad you had a good camping trip, i have to pick your brain about how nora liked it. i think we might try for next year to start our family camping.
i hope your friends family can find peace and a new rhythm soon.
Posted by: hannah | July 7, 2006 8:18 AM
Okay, someday I'm definately going to have to try camping. I've never (never!) camped before, so I'm a little intimidated.
And thank you, sweet lady, for running errands for me this morning.
Posted by: capello | July 7, 2006 10:28 AM
Glad you had a nice trip and that you are all safely home! Looks like a pretty place.
I'm so glad you're close enough to help out dear Capello. How sweet! 8-)
Posted by: Angela | July 7, 2006 2:29 PM
yup there is nothing sweeter than returning home to your own bed after a trip !Such great photos of both camp sites your babies seemed so happy to be out in nature .
Posted by: diana | July 8, 2006 6:07 AM
I love camping, we haven't been for the last 2 years but were off camping this year.
Posted by: weirdbunny | July 9, 2006 11:54 AM
love Johnson's Shut-Ins, too. We camped there on our honeymoon!
We've been doing quick trips to Truman Lake - the park/camping is nice and it's not too far from OP, which works out well when the baby wakes up at 2a.m. screaming with poison ivy and you must pull up stakes (quite literally) and exit ASAP. Yes, it really happened. ; )
~ estea
Posted by: estea | July 17, 2006 7:58 PM