Rangeley State Park

A great trip! It started off a little bumpy though, as we were SUPPOSED to leave on Monday to meet the Parks-Stamms up there....but, about 20 minutes from our house, we broke down. The fuel pump in the 740 died. The bright spot was how Callum got to ride in the big wrecker that came to bring our car back home. He loved that. But, late that night, we packed the OTHER car, and promptly left the next morning so we could have as much time with our friends as we could. We ended up staying Tues and Wed night.....

These pictures are in no particular chronological order....I just thought I would try to give some hilights. One of the constants of this camping trip were BOOKS. For as much as Callum loved being outside, doing all the campy, wilderness things, he LOVED sitting in the tent (or lying in his sleeping bag in the tent) reading by himself OR with Polly. He also loved sitting in the camp chair reading and having us read to him. I was reading PETE THE CAT to the kids while Ben, Betsey, and Brownlow looked on....

The state park had a gorgeous beach, with a sprawling green hill that led down to the crystal clear lake. The bottom could have been sandier....but hey, it is Maine. Maira loves the water...this was her second time swimming. We also made sure to have some fun walking around the beach, getting warm in the sun (it was WINDY by the water....)
On our last morning, we ate at (what used to be) our favorite Rangeley eating spot: Mooseley Bagels. How the mighty have fallen. What a craphole. But, at any rate, we walked out back onto the dock, where Callum marvelled at the boats AND a bull frog we saw on the shore....
THe kids had a lot of trouble sleeping while at camp. I think it was because we were outside, there was stuff going on, and it was BRIGHT out until almost 9 at night. Once the kids were asleep, they slept great....but Callum and Maira both didnt fall asleep...finally....til about 9. THAT was rough. Camping is a lot of work. ESPECIALLY when mom and dad dont get a lot of down time. Callum has always been a great long car ride kid....Maira likes to be out of her car seat, I think. She did well, being bound up in her seat a lot over a few days....but by the time we were heading home, she wad DONE being in her car seat. So we stopped a bunch to give her breaks. Here we are at Smalls Falls, which is a gorgeous waterfall at the intersection of the Sandy River (one of my favorite canoe trails) and another stream whose name eludes me....but Smalls Falls is famous in Maine for its beautiful pools, ledges, and crazy people (like good friend Dave and his sons) who jump off 30 foot ledges into the deep cold pools of water....
Even Maira got her feet wet in the cool Sandy River.....
Our campsite (number 8) while we were setting up. Our tent--The King Pine Ridge Dome from LL Crap--is a great tent that kept us dry during the rain on Tuesday night. A very roomy space, with room for our blowup queen mattress (for Callum, Me, and Amanda) and the pack and play for Maira Beth. I have been to MANY campgrounds in my life, and I have to say that, site for site (and restrooms and facilities) this is one of the most beautifully maintained I have seen. Oh, and there was a bear outside our tent on Wed. night. Sniffing us out.
Callum and Polly, enjoying a pre-dinner happy hour by relaxing in the tent, getting their reading on....
And a post-dinner activity of roasting marshmallows for S'Mores. I can honestly say I have never had a full S'More. I dont have the skill. And Callum doesnt have the patience....he just wanted to eat the marshmallows raw (are they raw, then?) We all enjoyed some of Ben's homemade graham crackers though!!
Reading one of Callum's favorite books (and I think now Polly's as well) PETE THE CAT. A very funny, repetitive, beautifully illustrated book....also loved by Johnny Crockett. This book is interesting because Callum has the whole thing virtually memorized. (Like my canoe shirt??)
Oh. My. Gosh. I know she is my daughter. And I am partial. But how can you not love this little baby? She is awesome. And chunky. It was funny: -8% body fat Callum lasted in the water for 4 minutes before his lips started shivering....Maira, with her...um.....mass.....was as warm and comfy as could be....
I will try to post more. We had beautiful weather and a great time with great friends. I made my famous homemade popcorn on the Coleman Stove. We swam a bunch. We hiked a portion of an ITS trail in Oquassac that we hiked last year with Lynne, George, and BaBa...it leads to a neat wooden bridge over the Rangeley River...it brought back great memories of last year's trip. We walked around the campground a lot (Callum LOVES campers and popups and stuff). We hung out at the playground on the swings. We listened to Loons. I read Garrison Keillor (and Amanda, PD James) by her roaring Coleman lantern at night. We had a crappy fire with the wet birch the campground sold us. Ben and I discussed our mutual love for Suzanne Nance of Maine Public Radio. We are a camping family. Definitely. But I might want to wait til the kids can stay up a little later before going on. Or not......