We had a fabulous time this past weekend. Camping in the badlands was AWESOME! And camping with our good friends made it PERFECT! We're already talking about going back next year!The campground was WONDERFUL! Lots of shade (even though it was a cool perfect temp. anyway), not too many people, a goofy golf course, a pool, 3-wheel bike rentals, and the world's greatest asset: a dog run (conveniently located right by our site).
Complete with their very own:
We had campfires, visited, played games,
ate LOTS, climbed the Badlands, 
and simply enjoyed the outdoors and all that camping has to offer.
We explored too. The kids found one rattlesnake... thank GOD it was DEAD as a door knob (surprisingly, I didn't take a picture of the actual snake).
They also found this little birdie that was looking for its mama the entire weekend:
I found a dead frog (again, NO picture)...
We had campfires, visited, played games,
ate LOTS, climbed the Badlands, 
and simply enjoyed the outdoors and all that camping has to offer.We explored too. The kids found one rattlesnake... thank GOD it was DEAD as a door knob (surprisingly, I didn't take a picture of the actual snake).
They also found this little birdie that was looking for its mama the entire weekend:
I found a dead frog (again, NO picture)...And we saw the world's BIGGEST ant hill with thousands (if not millions) of red ants.
NOW for the WONDER DOG story (that some of you have been patiently waiting for):
First of all, let me just say that this story and lack of pictures will NOT do this as much justice as it deserves. But I WILL try...
We ventured out to the Badlands our first day and made our first stop. As we got out of the car, our experienced Badlands climbing friends, took the boys aside and showed them a hole in the distance. He informed them that although it would be fun to go through the hole and we would indeed climb up there to VIEW through the hole, that it dropped off into a STEEP canyon. And believe me when I say, you could NOT tell that by just looking at the "hole."
So the kids started running and climbing while Scott got Sam hooked up on his wireless collar and the women got distracted with a VERY beautiful golden retriever that was parked near us when all of a sudden... we realized that there was trouble at the "hole". We quickly counted the kids. They were all there. THANK GOD. We ran... and what to our wondering eyes appeared? A dog (ours. Sam.) down, down, down through the "hole" on the other side... in the canyon. And he COULDN'T get back up. He just stayed there looking up at us with his big puppy eyes wondering what to do.
At this point, I think we all turned to look at each other with the "holy-crap-what-do-we-do-look."
I, of course, had EXTREMELY mixed feelings... after all, Sam and I aren't the best of friends. When finally, our friend Mark suggested that we go ask someone for a rope. The very FIRST guy we asked became Sam's life-long HERO. He had a rope. AND to top it off, he was an experienced mountain climber! (What a God moment that was!)
After this... I'm not even exactly sure what or how it all took place... but I think that Scott jumped through the hole next (nothing like possibly giving up your life for Sam ((of all dogs)). Had it been Jasper or Toby then DUH, of course!). Then they lowered the rope to him, he got Sam up safe and sound, and then this guy (all by himself) pulled Scott up. It was nothing less than amazing. An eye-witnessing miracle!
We're still talking about it. And probably will be FOREVER!
And Sam... he was in a daze for the rest of the day (kenneled of course while we hiked/climbed).
(Note to self: Don't bring a dog to the Badlands without a leash.)
As soon as we got home, he returned to his normal, annoying, high energy, bucking bronco self.
(Pictures courtesy of our friend Anne... As for my camera -- I was taking pictures the entire time -- thinking of this blog post -- when after it was all said and DONE, I realized my camera didn't have a memory stick in it. My luck once again.)
NOW for the WONDER DOG story (that some of you have been patiently waiting for):
First of all, let me just say that this story and lack of pictures will NOT do this as much justice as it deserves. But I WILL try...
We ventured out to the Badlands our first day and made our first stop. As we got out of the car, our experienced Badlands climbing friends, took the boys aside and showed them a hole in the distance. He informed them that although it would be fun to go through the hole and we would indeed climb up there to VIEW through the hole, that it dropped off into a STEEP canyon. And believe me when I say, you could NOT tell that by just looking at the "hole."
So the kids started running and climbing while Scott got Sam hooked up on his wireless collar and the women got distracted with a VERY beautiful golden retriever that was parked near us when all of a sudden... we realized that there was trouble at the "hole". We quickly counted the kids. They were all there. THANK GOD. We ran... and what to our wondering eyes appeared? A dog (ours. Sam.) down, down, down through the "hole" on the other side... in the canyon. And he COULDN'T get back up. He just stayed there looking up at us with his big puppy eyes wondering what to do.
At this point, I think we all turned to look at each other with the "holy-crap-what-do-we-do-look."
I, of course, had EXTREMELY mixed feelings... after all, Sam and I aren't the best of friends. When finally, our friend Mark suggested that we go ask someone for a rope. The very FIRST guy we asked became Sam's life-long HERO. He had a rope. AND to top it off, he was an experienced mountain climber! (What a God moment that was!)
After this... I'm not even exactly sure what or how it all took place... but I think that Scott jumped through the hole next (nothing like possibly giving up your life for Sam ((of all dogs)). Had it been Jasper or Toby then DUH, of course!). Then they lowered the rope to him, he got Sam up safe and sound, and then this guy (all by himself) pulled Scott up. It was nothing less than amazing. An eye-witnessing miracle!
We're still talking about it. And probably will be FOREVER!
And Sam... he was in a daze for the rest of the day (kenneled of course while we hiked/climbed).
(Note to self: Don't bring a dog to the Badlands without a leash.)
As soon as we got home, he returned to his normal, annoying, high energy, bucking bronco self.
(Pictures courtesy of our friend Anne... As for my camera -- I was taking pictures the entire time -- thinking of this blog post -- when after it was all said and DONE, I realized my camera didn't have a memory stick in it. My luck once again.)
1 comment:
LOL!!!
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