we left after our last soccer game yesterday. we camped in "the BLM camping area".
sounds odd to me, but it just means that the Bureau of Land Management has designated a section of ground where people can camp.
when we finally reached the spot - after following directions that utilized our odometer & landmarks like following a line of telephone poles in the middle of nowhere - it was already dark, and we could see nothing but flat or rutted dirt. in fact we drove for quite a while without even seeing plants! it was completely barren - a salt flat? a dry lake bed? we don't know, but it was a little eerie. eventually we found a small line of soon-to-be-tumbleweeds and decided to set up our tent between the line and our car. ![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3HH4rVR_O6tSGKm6c3-wMAE8sn8qRC_EMVvmQvESNSM4RJLGzo75Q1h5VbZKljPlkc9dcIxKRV0kJpGSSwT8uF9w4DdIlC1GyIhAlq3DKHwol-fUUvW-Oi_heFfDctQd771q8WMKjJrQ/s320/jt+tent.JPG)
sidenote: I guess i am the opposite of laura ingalls. she loved being out on the open prairie with nothing for miles. for her, being in town was a little scary. i, on the other hand, like to have something near me.
after viewing millions of beautiful stars, we slept soundly in our tent, and woke ready to enjoy a day of bouldering. upon opening up the stove, scott asked if i brought propane. i had assumed it was in the box. oops. no problem, we'll pass a store on the way to the park that sells it. we'll have bananas now and real breakfast in the park.![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLNH-7IfvHQTzjVABnkC2cQan46ESA7kWA1mpeeOWtiP6Hbxlp55186ElK8BHBhzjtB2CwE4LA56XZpguqe0UIDTTB5IkvvFr3hcIiGjsZB5NH-VCdb8U5fK4EWLRDgXjtWgZl784WwsA/s320/jt+visitor+ctr.JPG)
"do we have any matches?" oops - again.
after a few minutes i flagged down a lone car passing our spot. they let us borrow a lighter and breakfast was on it's way! eggs with bacon & cheese, juice and hot chocolate. yum!![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbKI2Bz0fkVs7w7qIfFehua8Lwg6MMgA4jM1mDfNM9ZKqxw6vduWkOsMYBmDnB9NyJ4s8AaNSfq02g7M4twy1oKhB5iqv-zqIwztT8o8_mKPqEc53y1FZWmKmp261LQWNV5rDbVIB3oc4/s320/jt+4+kids.JPG)
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheyIctx6qEqIEJqd8yzYpuNoCD25UoQ491FKYwmaPilkSFktSDZwImzRLW0eomD8F7oVAxhhB9mCsmU_mntJXxVxaQcnHIa6MzA0oIVqTvoQFykgKgRkvHjAA8jOPxYe-h-V44EWGcfqQ/s320/jt+s+n+t.JPG)
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUCbqvgKKOkC4BXPaxNx5FrUf8YVHi5mQYDpQyHFt85CBUhLpw9l_NmSvWbLd7WIQ1549r7qXW9l5duYvUc4CSwIsRQaUGimK4AxV4XXCSm2VaDi8cnGA8QLRI122UJU16zsarg-TNo7w/s320/jt+tortoise+rock.JPG)
clean up was quick and getting to climbing was quicker (for the kids at least). they were up a rock as soon as we let them get away.![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTOzQilrrMyljLhoq6nF_xYfPNY67WFVZxZBZWacSB4IiUMeWopBMJdqtEYriTndqBR1azcqQOu1rBTuW4pq5TxZcmgJ0MX_kemGb2xmMzaW1OU5ZezGflkuuKt9RzJGYtv8UFWUzctf0/s320/jt+up+really+high.JPG)
we saw a variety of plants and wildlife unfamiliar to us. we used their junior ranger guides to familiarize ourselves. one especially fun find was a baby rattlesnake with a lizard for breakfast.![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAqpJXQoEEw1VA90IiNQx9SPg2NTlOcQEooGMw7tp5gGvP6PCXiJSA5JC7-SKcmMZ99cc90Ncq12MXE6a7YzTivp8nqUWwYOp40Z4G_41ApK-9NkqY4mGpxRQfuhBtW1etl4LwQP5OW00/s320/jt+s+n+boys+attempt.JPG)
we climbed and hiked and hiked and climbed. it was a fantastic day!
jojo's favorite thing: camping when it was really cold and snuggling with sy
kik's favorite thing: bouldering because it was challenging![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdTEUk0B15ya2kKZSXjTYABKeUYIyZBk_p6MRBYvW3V3-riuML-hAjO3gitHmVTAS53FboZRFDSO35vpL8H9wHBP0VyoLhkJqNzjvxu369QBQZKhXX5voWiohLnqTm6zfB70q7_OJnZto/s320/jt+scrambling.JPG)
sy's favorite thing: tripping on the rocks and climbing and tripping and hot chocolate![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSzQyYmMg8Ihy7y-Y3_mgaX_pdhc0gZ4eIFu0eEU-6QDKQg1BaamkNrzzLUqbCm45SHJ7DoKzhCfZ42fQJuZG5rxXY9O6VQsd0mYih1Ikku1iMugAMvHrdILUFBLYzsD5KLyj7__QB_wY/s320/jt+hot+cocoa.JPG)