Idyllwild

Koda Bear was promised camping.  We went to Idyllwild, California and stayed in a state park there.  The other campground we had stayed in Mount San Jacinto State Park was closed for winter.  I was pleasantly surprised on how nice it was.  Especially since the campground was two blocks from "downtown" Idyllwild.  It is a very small town.  Population of 1500 without day visitors or tourists.

We got there and set up the tent.  When we got there, it was not too late but we were all tired.  Koda Bear had fallen asleep in the car.  We just crawled into bed.

The next morning was chilly.  But there was tea and oatmeal.  The day warmed up quickly.  We lucked upon a festival for kids where all the fire departments in the area were presenting.  Koda Bear thought that was great.  He dressed as a fireman and did the obstacle course.  Played games and colored.  Sat in a fire truck.  I am not sure how impressed he was with the fire truck because it was green and small.  He has sat in a red larger fire truck in Lehi, Utah.  He still talks about Lehi, Utah.

We took the day fairly slowly.  We spent almost two hours in a playground.  There was a bakery snack.  The skateboards came out.  Fallen leaves, pine cones, acorns, and pine needles were collected to make slop.  It is from a Gerald and Piggie book.  S'mores were made after dinner over a small fire.  I controlled the fire because the boyos would have made a bonfire and we would have been up all night.

The next day, we hiked up to Suicide Rock.  And back.  12.5 miles in total because we started at the campground.  Koda Bear did really well.  I did have to pull him up at times but he ran all the way down.  The last half mile his feet were coming out from under him though.  Another bakery visit seemed to help that.  

The hike was longer then I expected because the map does not take into account all the distance.  The internet description of distance is better.  I thought the internet description of moderate was a good description of the hike.  Which I felt was more of a walk.  But other people were making it out to be much more difficult.  And we were told it was a difficult hike.  It made me feel like when a nurse in the past has told me something will hurt a bit.  No, that means it will hurt a lot! 

To me, this was not a difficult hike.  It went up!  It went down!  It was long.  It was very pretty.  I was told it would have been better if there had been a bakery at the top.  

After the hike, camp was broken down and Koda Bear was taken back to the Tall Short Person.  There was school Monday morning.  But it was so good to see him.  He is very missed.