Camping A.Way!

Kelvin, the social butterfly in our family, has been pretty involved with the kids' elementary school (school board for two years during COVID and organizing informal events like weekend kickball with other school parents, which the [now ex-] third grade boys just love). He and Dave, another parent (whose boys are in the same grades as ours), made a plan for a end-of-the-school-year camping trip in Southern Humboldt, at A. W. Way (Arthur W. Way) or "A-Way" County Park/Campground outside of Honeydew, this past weekend after school let out.  

Our family isn't super into camping (in fact, the last time we camped was back in summer 2020 at Grizzly Creek. Neither of us camped with our families as kids.  We love the outdoors, hiking, and nature but we (at least the adults) really like good-quality sleep and generally being clean (/hot showers), so camping is not a regular/preferred family activity. We have the basic camping stuff (tents, sleeping bags, mattresses, etc., but had given our stove away due to disuse (and had to acquire another one before this trip). Our friend, Courtney, a camping regular,  lent us some other gear including a table cloth, camping silverware, and some homemade pancake batter (to which we just had to add water). However, it took so much time and planning to pack everything into the car (the stuff barely fit even with our rack!).

We had never been to A. W. Way, and it had been more than twelve years (pre kids!) since Kelvin and I had visited Petrolia and the Lost Coast, a stretch of CA coastline which is not really road-accessible. (We had planned to camp there one night a couple of years ago, but cancelled due to a poor weather forecast. This is also a first-come, first-serve, no-reservations campsite >2 hours away from our home!). I worked a half-day on Friday, but we took off around 1 p.m. and had a lovely sunny drive on the curvy coastal road to get past Petrolia to the campground (apparently the locals call it the "Wildcat.") and planned to stay two nights. 

Some families had arrived the day before we did and we joined their campsites-- this Park had very large, flat campsites adjacent to the Mattole River and no phone service/wi-fi, which was incredible for unplugging.  The friends got right into playing--lawn games, chase games, water-gun play, and more.

"Hangry" Niall

We brought Pepper on this trip, and she did great! 

Cold at night, she ended up at the foot of my sleeping bag one night but also kept me warm!

The main attraction at this campground is the Mattole River, which is shallow and very swimmable/floatable with a mild current ("Going to the river" is what Humboldt families do to feel summery, as the ocean near us is never warm enough to swim in).  It definitely wasn't *warm* this weekend, but literally by 8 a.m. in 50-degree weather, these kids were interested in going in the water. I supervised (from the river bank in my puffy coat and hat) as Iver and his friends walked their towels downstream, hiked up, and floated down in inflatable tubes. 

By campsite nine, there was a (warmer, wind-sheltered) beach with river access, and the kids had a blast playing at the swimming hole there in the afternoon. 

The adults (mostly) lazed on the beach (but some took the plunge and swam).

I am notoriously cold so Ciel took these pictures of me (still in pants, a fleece, hat and gloves!) as the kids swam (I did end up taking off the layer by 3 p.m.). Needless to say, I did not get in the icy water,  content to sit in a camp chair in the 60-degree sun on the shore.

Iver found the courage to do a jump off this rock!

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His friend Amanda takes the leap

Third grade crew (and Co.) 

The littles mostly hung out on the riverbank, digging (and, at our request, trying to avoid poison oak).

Iver was up super early (like 5 a.m.) on our first Saturday, but offered to "cook" breakfast for his friends on our new Propane grill.

Pancake master! 

The adults did a lot of relaxing at the (large) campsites, while the kids frolicked about

Reading is relaxation (Funny Story by Emily Henry kept me entertained)! 

Summer Melon!

Many organized games (soccer, kickball, baseball, and more)


Pokemon tent!

Of course, after dinner both nights, there were s'mores! Solomon invented a "S'moreo" which included a roasted marshmallow smashed between the halves of an Oreo cookie- ingenious!

Ivan's perfect golden s'more! 

Niall loved roasting marshmallows!

(even I enjoyed some-- check out the marshie goo on my face!). 

We tried to play a game around the campfire (It's in the Bag), but only lasted one round with the over-excited and sugared up kids!

 

On the way home, on Father's Day Sunday, we took the Mattole-Road-to Avenue of the Giants way and stopped by the new ice cream place, Jersey Scoops in Loleta (which used to be the cheese factory, I think!). We even saw a bear on the roadside while coming down a curve (but it scampered away before I could snap a photo).

I think this might be a sign that the kids enjoyed themselves this weekend!

The kids loved their camping adventure with friends. I'm not sure if it will become a regular thing (I'm sure extroverted Kelvin might turn it in to an annual trip), but, despite all of the packing, organizing, and unpacking work, it was a nice, relaxing time in nature with some nice families.  (Happy to have my hot shower today, though!).