Family Camping Trip

Last weekend we took the family on a camping trip.  We wanted to get in a family vacation before Trent starts his clinical rotations because we won't see him much for the next year and a half.  Trent and I spent hours on the internet looking up good spots, checking the fishing reports, and trying to find a campground.  We decided to head down to Palisades campground just outside of Manti.  Friday morning we packed the car with as much as we possibly could and headed out on the open road.  After 20 mins the kids were done with the car.  Too bad we still had 2 hours to go!
We pulled into Palisades and talked with the woman running the pay station. "What brings you here?" she asked.  "Fishing and camping and swimming!" we replied. She gave us a confused/sad look and said "You know we don't have a reservoir, right?  It's all dried up." What?!?!?!?!  We wanted to see for ourselves so we drove over to where the water should be.  She was right.  Where there should have been a good sized body of water stood a swampy puddle.  We were bummed!  After driving around the tiny, shade-free campsites, we decided to try somewhere else.  The kids were livid.  They wanted to set up camp NOW.  They wanted to get out of the car NOW.  So we drove back to Manti and had a little picnic which helped thier spirits (and their flat bums).

having a picnic in Manti

Trent has taken the scouts to a little place called Burrston Ponds in Mona, UT and thinks it's a great spot so we turned the car around and headed back to Mona.  When we got there we found a great spot surrounded by trees and close to the water.  I was impressed with all that place had to offer.  Swimming, fishing, they have several rope swings, frog hunting, clean port-a-potties, and huge trees.  We spent the rest of the afternoon fishing and roasting marshmallows over coals and going on walks.  That night it was super noisy with all the college kids using the rope swing well into the night.

Fishing with Dad.

Jane biffed it and scratched up her head.  She got over it, though.  Look how happy she is!

They love each other, so sweet.

Our camping spot the first night.

Grant super excited to be sleeping in a tent in his sleeping bag.

In the morning Trent wasn't feeling so well so he took the kids into town to get some medicine and I stayed and fished.  I caught 3 good sized rainbow trouts!  I was so stoked that when they got back, I took Jane out and she caught 4!  Trent went out after us and he caught 4 too!  Grant didn't have the attention span but was sure happy when we'd reel one in.

Jane's fish. Go Jane!

Ice Cream at the Big Red Barn

After lunch we went to the "Big Red Barn" about 10 miles north of Mona and got some homemade ice cream.  We thought the kids would be tired enough they would crash in the car, but it wasn't so.  By the time we got back to camp Trent and I were ready for naps but the kids weren't, so Trent took them to the city park in Mona and I tried fishing at a different pond (still in Burrston but not with loud swimmers).  As I walked over there, it started to rain and then it was a downpour so I cast my line in, rested it on a chair and then stood under a tree for shelter.  all of the sudden my line was moving!  I ran to the chair and yanked it back to set the hook. And the line broke!I looked in the water and saw a HUGE fish swimming away.  So I cast in again and immediatly got another bite!  I set the hook and reeled in . . .it was a little baby fish.  I unhooked it and cast out again.  Within seconds I had another one. This was awesome!  Trent rolled up with the kids and I told him about the fishing.  He didn't believe me so he cast out a line and within seconds he had a baby fish.  So we decided to move our camp to that pond.  By then it had stopped raining so we moved all our stuff to our hot fishing spot.  

Our camp site the second night.

 I took Grant out on the float boat to try and get a big fish.  We were trolling our line headed back to camp when something big got my line.  It was so strong it was literally pulling us in the boat as I tried to reel it in.  This was it!!!  King of the Pond!!  I was yelling to Trent and Jane on shore and reeling with all my might.  Trent yelled back "get it in the boat!!"  How was I supposed to do that?  It was a huge fish and a small boat.  I guess I could throw Bubba out.  No time for decisions!!  I got that fish right up to the boat and pulled hard.  He came up out of the water onto the side of the boat.  He was definitely King of the Pond!!!  And then the line snapped and he splashed back into the water and swam away.  I had had him!  He was mine.  I must catch him again. . .
That night we had Dutch oven pizza's (which were a work in progress) and we let the kids stay up late.  Trent and I fished for a couple of hours after the kids went to bed and then we called it a night too.

This is how we found them after they feel asleep Saturday night.  Precious!

Grant got dirty.  VERY dirty.

Sunday morning Grant woke up early (big surprise) so I took him out to try to find King of the Pond again.  We paddled around catching stupid baby fish and then I saw them.  3 Kings. . .3 ginormous fish swimming around our boat.  The stupid little fish had taken most of our bait by then so I had 1 1/2 worms left to work with.  I tried and tried until the bait was gone and the fish were no longer in site.  It was not meant to be.
We had breakfast and packed up and headed to home to do-dirt ourselves.
We had a wonderful vacation, despite some minor snags, and the kids can't wait to go camping again.  Sunday night we ate some of our Rainbows and Jane was so proud.  Family vacation=success!