Category: Adventure Reports

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Backpacking Michigan Minnesota National Parks State Parks Wisconsin

Best Summer Road Trips: Lake Superior Circle Tour

Loading up the kids in a minivan and hitting the road over summer break is a rite of passage. I figure if you can all survive being crammed together for days or weeks on end, you can do anything, right? Traveling in the Airstream is a bit different, since we mix in school & work year round but occasionally we hit upon just the right schedule to create an epic road trip.

We visited my brother and his family in Minnesota one summer, and after taking a look at our schedule and the time available we decided drive around Lake Superior. Turns out its a thing. There are patches, stickers, maps, and even a website for that, something we didn’t realize until we started seeing the street signs pop up. The aptly named Lake Superior Circle Tour is a 1,300-mile drive that completely circumnavigates the lake, including the North East shore in Canada.

You can start the tour anywhere and travel in either direction. Most people take about a week, we just happened to stretch it out into 42 days. Our tour started at Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore in Michigan and traveled clockwise. While our adventures on the shores of this great lake could fill a book, we’ve picked out a few of our favorite destinations to get you started.

Stop 1: Michigan’s Upper Peninsula

We spent 10 days exploring the “UP” as the locals call it. We started in Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore, ate a lot of pasties, learned about mining on the Keewinaw Peninsula, and hiked  in the Porcupine Mountains. There’s definitely something for everyone!

Stop 2: The Apostle Islands National Lakeshore

The Apostles are a beautiful cluster of islands that sit just off the coast of Wisconsin’s section of Lake Superior. You can learn about the islands from visitors centers on the shore, but a rich experience awaits those willing to board a ferry. We opted for a two-night backpacking trip on Stockton Island. A ferry trip from Bayfield let us off onto the docks. We explored, hiked, and even celebrated Andrew’s birthday there! Other popular activities include kayaking to the sea caves, and lighthouse tours.

Stop 3: The City of Duluth

Duluth has a rich history in shipping activities, and you can watch huge cargo ships navigate in and out of port. Check the schedule before you arrive, and you can get an up close look as they come and go. There’s also some great mountain biking in the hills, a decent children’s museum, and a cute downtown with great food.

Stop 4: The North Shore

There are numerous spots along Minnesota’s North Shore worth stopping for, but Gooseberry Falls State Park was a favorite. We enjoyed our time on the shore here, appreciating the magnitude of this lake we were driving around. Split Rock Lighthouse is just a short drive away and don’t miss Betty’s Pies located to the south. We ordered the Pig Trough to share, complete with three slices of pie, four scoops of ice cream, a banana, and whipped cream and toppings. We liked it so much we returned a few days later and had the same thing again!

 

Other stops along the shore included Tettegouche State Park, Grand Marais, and Grand Portage. Check out our post here for more details.

Stop 5: Sleeping Giant Provincial Park

We had heard amazing things about Sleeping Giant Provincial Park and knew we wanted to spend at least one night there. It was mid-September so fairly off season for this part of Canada and the campground was not busy. The park hosts amazing hikes and beautiful views. We also enjoyed our lakeside campsite on the smaller Marie Louise Lake.

Stop 6: Sault Ste Marie

Our visit to Sault Ste Marie was punctuated by two things: Poutine (on the Canada side) and the boat locks (on the US side). Watching the huge lake boats move through the locks was enthralling, and everybody’s bellies were fat and happy after we ordered (and ate) far too much from Smoke’s Poutinerie.

Even having driven around it, I still don’t think I full appreciate the vastness of Lake Superior. It literally looks and feels like you are standing on the edge of the ocean, but there’s no salt smell. Something about it just drew us in and we were smitten from day 1. It was hard to narrow it down to just a few places on our journey! Maybe we will write that book….

What to Wear:

The weather around the lake is constantly changing. There’s sunshine and warmth, then there’s fog & rain. We had crazy wind and were wearing all our layers on the Apostles, and then up along the north shore it was t-shirts and shorts.  Its best to plan on layering your wardrobe and taking pieces that are versatile! Check out some of my favorites from Aventura’s spring line:

 

 

 

Other Road Trips:

Check out these other favorite road trips from fellow Aventura Ambassadors:

Trans-Canada Highway & Icefields Parkway from Alyssa from Kidproject.org

 

Grand Teton National Park & Colter Bay from Kathy from GoAdventureMom

 

Hit 5 National Parks in Southern Utah by Alyssa from Kidproject.org

 

Glamping at Westgate River Ranch Resort/Central Florida by 365 Atlanta Family

 

Categories
National Parks State Parks Utah WanderLog

Dead Horse Point State Park & a Quick Trip to Canyonlands National Park

After an awesome week in Sandy with family, we drove back down to Moab on Wednesday morning and collected the Airstream. Once in tow, we headed out to Klondike Road where @wanderingnation was hanging out. Being ultimately lazy, and knowing we were only there for one night, we squeezed into the same site as our friends and had a blast hanging out.

Travel Dates: March 22-25, 2017

Ages of Kids: 11, 9, 6

“Back in Moab! We ended up sharing a boondocking campsite last night with @wandering_nation. Gave Sam and I the opportunity to lose again in a game of Dominion and the kids a chance to play. Bonus: I snuck out this morning during recess to hit the nearby Klondike trails while the kids were all distracting each other. It’s good to be with friends!” – @currentlywandering

We managed to snag a campsite at Dead Horse Point State Park for the weekend and moved over on Thursday afternoon. Dead Horse Point State Park has been on my list for quite sometime as I heard it was amazing. The campground itself was just okay, but the mountain biking and the views over the rim were absolutely incredible! We arrived around 4pm, got the Airstream set up in our tight spot and then raced to the viewpoint for a pre-dinner walk.

“Drove up to Dead Horse Point State Park to camp for the weekend and we were blown away by this view! There’s something about seeing the river that carved the magnificent canyon that is incredibly awe inspiring. We also walked a section of the rim trail and the kids especially enjoyed all the rock scrambling we found. So excited it stays light later and we can resume our evening walks!” – @currentlywandering

Out at the end of the road there is an overlook with a viewing platform, as well as a short(ish) loop you can walk around the rim. There are walls in some places, but in others there are no barriers between the path and the edge of the cliff so be warned if you are there with little ones. There was plenty of rock scrambling as the trail was mostly just a well used path marked with cairns in some places. The kids loved it, the sky was beautiful and we had a fantastic evening!

“The past two weeks have been…. full. Full of good and family and wedding and work. Also full of challenges, like a nail in a tire sidewall that led to a full new set of tires earlier than expected. Chief among our challenges is a kidney stone that I discovered I had at 5 am the morning after the wedding. Quite luckily we were super close to a hospital, where I was diagnosed and prescribed some pain killer. The stone has made progress but I’m not out of the woods yet. I felt pretty lousy all day today, but at least I get to feel lousy in a pretty place.” – @telegramsam

Dead Horse Point is fantastic to explore on its own, but the park is also *really* close to the Island in the Sky section of Canyonlands National Park. Also a place we had never been. Friday morning we ditched regular school and took of with Rhonda, Joe, & Austin Hendricks to earn a Jr. Ranger Badge and explore a bit.

“I feel like social media is both a blessing and a curse. On the one hand, people tend to put their best out there so when I’m struggling it feels like everyone else has this amazing life.

On the other hand, I love being inspired by the places you go and the experiences you have with your families. We have also met so many amazing people through Instagram! Not having a stable geographic community could be lonely, but our traveling social family more than makes up for it! Sometimes I joke that our real life is a little TOO social as I feel there are constantly people to hang out with and I’d rather play than work. Last week we visited Canyonlands National Park with @rhondahendricks & @joehendricks & @austinexplores. We had a blast hiking the trails, taking in the views and getting caught up since we had seen each other last year. I had no idea Rhonda was such a daredevil for photos! 😁 They are just one of the many families I’m so grateful to have met over our last three years of travel!” – @currentlywandering

We picked up our books from the Visitor Center and then set off to hike the easy 1 mile to Mesa Arch. Its probably the most photographed area in the park, but was worth seeing in person for sure! I just loved watching Joe scramble around getting different angles. He’s a much more motivated photographer than I am!

Photo Credit: Joe Hendricks

After Mesa Arch, we drove down to the Grand View Point Overlook and hiked the easy 2 mile round trip out to the end and back. The end wasn’t anything spectacular, but the views along the way were pretty fabulous.

Photo credit: Joe Hendricks

After a quick lunch we passed off our books and headed back to the Airstream for an afternoon nap. Okay, not really but I probably could have used one! Joe convinced us to get up a 2am and hike back to Mesa Arch for some night photography. I’ve done astrophotography before, but this was the first time without my 5D Mark II Canon and I honestly missed it. A lot. I love my Fuji X-T10 but it didn’t hold up as well shooting the stars. Boo.  Pretty proud of Sam and I for getting ourselves out of bed though!

“This is what happens when you hang out with awesome photographers like @joehendricks. Somehow he talked us into getting up at 2am and hiking out to Mesa arch because “the Milky Way is going to be perfect!” Haha it’s good to have friends that will push you out of your comfort zone!” – @currentlywandering

Saturday morning we had school to get done but we dragged all the kids outside for a bike ride after lunch. They came kicking and screaming, but all wound up having fun. We were pretty impressed with Rachel & Andrew’s skills going over obstacles and rocks, and Cara did well once we got her attitude in check.

“Pretty great day for a ride. We took our kids on the trails at Dead Horse Point State Park and I observed a few things: 1) No one wanted to go. It took threats. Like “I’m going to sell your bike if you don’t start riding it”” real ones to get them all out the door. 2) Attitude is everything. Even once we were out the door Cara insisted the trail was too hard (it was decidedly not) and she wanted to go home. We had a serious talk about positive thinking and doing hard things. 3) Rachel and Andrew are more capable on bikes than they know and totally rocked some of the harder sections. 4) We really have two different skill levels and as parents have to split up. 5) Taking kids out on the trail is never for me. It’s all about them and teaching them to love the outdoors. There’s time for crushing my own trails later. 6) By the end of our ride everyone was having a fabulous time and there were smiles all around.

Being an outdoor parent is hard. It’s hard to know when to push and when to give a little. Okay, that’s true for any kind of parenting, but some people look at us and think we must have it so easy. It’s just not! But we keep trying and keep going and hope that someday our efforts will pay off!” -@currentlywandering

“The doctor that diagnosed my kidney stone gave me some instructions: “Try to stay as active as possible. This will help the stone pass.” The pain is intermittent, so we went on a mountain bike ride. Doctor’s orders.” -@telegramsam

Saturday night, Rachel and I drove into Moab for a girls’ night. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints holds a semi-annual women’s meeting in conjunction with its General Conference sessions.  I love that she’s old enough to go with me, and we always turn it into a fun date by getting dinner afterwards! She’s growing up into such a fine young lady and I couldn’t be more proud!

We definitely could have stayed longer at Dead Horse Point State Park, but reservations in the campground are hard to come by, so we’ll take what we can get. Definitely left many miles of unexplored trails  for next time!

Categories
Arizona New Mexico Utah WanderLog

Road Trip Time! New Mexico & Arizona + a Weekend in Moab

Leaving Lubbock, TX we only had about a week to make it all the way to Sandy, UT for my sister’s wedding on March 17th. We knew that sticking around Texas would make that trip a sprint, but the kids were up for it and we were able to set a fast pace that wasn’t too incredibly insane. We had also wanted to see this part of New Mexico and Arizona for a few years, and driving somewhere new is always exciting!

Travel Dates: March 8-13, 2017

Our first stop was the Very Large Array after an incredibly long drive across almost the entire state of New Mexico.

My initial reaction to the VLA was, “That’s all the telescopes there are?” In the movie Contact,  there are over a hundred of the radio telescopes, when in reality there are 27. Amazing what visual effects could do even back then.  We arrived around 3pm and spent some time exploring the  Karl G. Jansky Visitor Center. They have an extremely good movie with an overview of how the telescopes work, the history, and various projects that have been conducted using the VLA. Its also narrated by Jodi Foster (chuckle). After the video we bundled up and headed out into the wind for the walking tour.

“I’ve wanted to see the Very Large Array since we started traveling, and today was the day. This multi-receiver antenna stimulates one huge radio telescope out of 27 ‘small’ dishes. I say ‘small’, because they are 90 feet high and weigh 230 tons.” -@telegramsam

“The 27 dishes of the VLA are arranged in a Y shape. The individual signals are combined with serious computing power. The VLA has appeared in multiple movies including Contact, but the array might appear different in person than you expect.
The array itself has 4 different configurations, which they switch between every few months by moving the dishes closer or further apart. Right now, the array is in the ‘D’ configuration, with the dishes spanning only a .62 mile diameter circle. The ‘A’ configuration is the largest, spreading the dishes across a 22 mile diameter circle! Each configuration allows detection of different cosmic materials.

Also, in the movie Contact the array was expanded digitally to include 131 dishes for visual effect.” -@telegramsam

Cara’s ears got a little cold so she stole my favorite Aventura Clothing hat. She looked so darn cute I was tempted to buy another one just for her!

“Our long drive across New Mexico yesterday took us right past the Very Large Array. @telegramsam has literally been waiting three years to see this and was like a kid in a candy shop. I was surprised there were not more of the radio telescopes. Have you ever seen the movie Contact? Turns out you can take 27 dishes and turn them into 181 or so with digital manipulation magic. We also found out there is a small visitor center and a walking tour. We spent about an hour learning how astronomers and scientists move the dishes around in different configurations and use radio waves to take pictures in space. Science is so cool.” -@currentlywandering

We spent Monday night nearby at the Datil Well Campground.  We were sure there would be no Verizon service, but surprisingly it was quite good! at 7,400 feet elevation it was definitely chilly (with spots of snow still!) but we took our time in the morning to get going. I got in a trail run, Sam got work done, and was even able to fly the drone a bit.

Once we got moving around lunchtime we drove through Pie Town, New Mexico. With a name like that we absolutely HAD to stop for pie and met some fabulous people at The Gatherin’ Place. We bought two small pies: boysenberry and a ginger pie. I think we should have bought at least 6 more as they were so good!

By late Tuesday afternoon we arrived near the entrance to Petrified Forest National Park. The Crystal Forest Gift Shop has free overnight RV Parking (I think you can stay for 4 days) so we grabbed a spot in the empty lot. The kids and I drove in to the Rainbow Forest Visitor Center/Museum to  grab our Jr. Ranger Books while Sam got in an hour of work. We played in the Visitor Center, watched the video, and then walked the Great Logs nature path outside before heading back for dinner.

Wednesday morning we hitched up the Airstream for a drive through the National Park. We stopped at various overlooks, did a short hike or two, toured the Painted Desert Inn, and finished with passing off our books and lunch at the Painted Desert Visitor Center. Glad we could check this one off our list, but Petrified Forest was definitely not our favorite park.

Driving north we stopped at the Hubbell Historic Trading post in the late afternoon. Once again the kids and I worked on Jr. Ranger books while Sam got some paid work done in the Airstream. The kids had a blast dressing up and pretending to be traders, and we all loved watching the volunteer work the loom. It was a short stop, but a nice way to break up a long drive! We finally landed at Canyon de Chelly National Monument and grabbed a spot in the campground.

“Today felt like an actual road trip. We drove through national parks, stopped at a bunch of places and saw tons of things. We covered miles at a much faster rate than normal as we head North for family stuff. It was really fun to have a change of pace, even if that pace is faster than normal.” -@telegramsam

“Legit road trip today as we towed the Airstream through Petrified Forest National Park & stopped by Hubbell Historic Trading Post on our way to the campground at Canyon de Chelly National Monument. Lots of car dancing, audio books, music, viewpoints, Jr. Ranger Books, and some short hikes. We figure road tripping is something we should legitimately do at least once a year. 😂 “- @currentlywandering

“We moved fast this week, leaving Lubbock on Monday and arriving in Moab on Friday. We drove every day with visits to cool places along the way. We visited the VLA, ate Pie Town pies, explored Petrified Forest, creaked the boards at the Hubbell Trading Post, and hiked this beautiful view at Canyon de Chelly. We moved fast to stage for a wedding in the family next week in Northern Utah.” -@telegramsam

Thursday morning we got going early to hike the one public trail down into Canyon de Chelly. It was fairly steep, but gorgeous with White House Ruins at the bottom of the canyon. We also drove down to the Spider Rock overlook which was an easy walk from the car. The Canyon is in the Navajo Nation, so any further exploration of the canyon has to be done with a native guide and we just didn’t have time for that.

Thursday afternoon we made it to Blanding, UT where we had planned to camp at a National Forest campground north of town. Turns out it was still closed. Until May. Oops. We ended up moochdocking at a friend’s house instead which turned out fabulous as the kids got plenty of play time in! These friends are practically family, and it was great to catch up with them even if only for a night.

Friday morning we left around lunchtime and drove the two short hours up to Moab and the Moab Valley RV Resort where we had reservations. The kids immediately wanted to swim in the heated pool (naturally) and it felt good to finally be settled for a few days! Friday night, Steve & Tess from @themorewexplore came over and the four of us went a bike/dinner double date. We love having an 11 year old who can babysit, and honestly, they get made if we come home too early! After riding, we ended up at the Moab Brewery and stayed until they closed around 10pm. Steve & Tess are an awesome, outdoor adventure, Airstream couple and we totally hit it off right away. We are planning a canoe trip with them for the end of April and can’t wait!

“What’s the first thing we do after arriving in Moab? 🚲 Okay, okay, in my defense I took the kids to the RV park pool first and THEN we hooked up with @themoreweexplore for a double bike/dinner date. This whole hanging out with adventure Airstream friends is pretty awesome.” -@currentlywandering

“One thing I love about Moab is there is so much variety! We normally dry camp or boondock, but this time we splurged a bit and stayed at Moab Valley RV Park and Resort. We aren’t normally impressed by RV parks but we loved staying here. Giant chess & checker sets, pool & hot tub, full hookups (such a nice treat!), across the street from the bike path, and 10 minutes from Arches National Park. Plus, they have the cutest cabins you can rent which was perfect for my brother’s family in town from Minnesota.” -@currentlywandering

We swam, mountain biked, and then Sunday afternoon my brother and his family arrived from Minnesota. They were also out for the wedding but wanted to get some sight seeing in while they were in Utah. We had so much fun playing with cousins! Monday morning we packed up our two families (Sam stayed behind to work as he needed to take time off later in the week) and drove into Arches National Park for some exploring. My sister-in-law had never hiked Delicate Arch so that was our first destination. The park was not TOO crowded since it was still early, and we had a great time hiking up the hill to the arch.

“We spent a beautiful day exploring Arches National Park with my brother & his family today. The kids loved hanging out with their cousins and it was great to catch up with family! The hike to Delicate Arch is not my favorite (not super pretty and too many people) but this view is one of my favorites!” -@currentlywandering

We ate lunch down at the Devil’s Garden picnic area, and then took the short hike to Sand Dune Arch where the kids had fun running up and down the dune. By that time we were pretty done, so my kids and I drove out to pass of our Jr. Ranger Books (earning them for the 2nd time!) and to get home for dinner. We topped off the day with some after dinner swimming and then all the kids collapsed into bed!

Tuesday morning we packed up our bags, dropped the Airstream off for the week and drove just the truck up to Sandy to stay with family for the wedding!

Categories
Texas WanderLog

Monahans Sandhill State Park & Lubbock, TX

After we left Big Bend Texas, we didn’t have solid plans. We knew we only wanted to drive about 3 hours, needed better signal for work, laundry would be a plus, and we needed groceries. Sam found Monahans Sandhill State Park which seemed to fit the bill so off we went! We were lucky enough to be joined by our online friends @wandering_nation for a few days and we all had a blast getting to know each other and hanging out. Turns out parenting is so much easier when I can send the kids out to play with their friends!

Travel Dates: February 24 – March 5, 2017

“We’ve been lucky to be parked just a titch away from @wandering_nation for the past few days. Dunes are more fun with friends. “-@telegramsam

“I’m pretty sure Harry Potter and Minecraft are the universal languages of traveling kids (all kids maybe?). We’ve loved having @wandering_nation as neighbors while we recuperate from our Big Bend trip. The kids have played for hours in the sand dunes chasing dementors, and then following it up with some good old tablet time. Makes it easy to get work done when the kids entertain each other.” -@currentlywandering

Monahans is another park where you can rent sleds and slide down the dunes. We were recently at White Sands National Monument, however, so really the sledding wasn’t all that appealing to any of us. I was worried about the wind (welcome to West Texas!) but it wasn’t too bad. We also managed to get Wandering_Nation addicted to the game of Dominion. We spent many hours playing games and chatting. So fun to have temporary neighbors to hang out with!

After a restful 5 days at Monahans it was time to move on. We debated forever about where we actually wanted to be, but honestly? Nothing sounded good.  I was kind of tired of being in the middle of nowhere and New Mexico didn’t sound enticing. The nearest city was Lubbock, TX and even though it was a small detour we decided it was worth it!

We spent 5 days at the KOA and accomplished A LOT of logistics while we were there, including a stop at Costco where we were able to get our hands on a Costco magazine with our faces on the cover!

“Thanks to everyone who has texted, tagged us in photos and otherwise made us feel so loved in the last week as the Costco Connection came in your mailboxes! We finally got our hands on a copy today (okay, 5 copies) and it’s fun to see in person. For those that have asked – we answered a call to action months ago about Costco members living in unique dwellings. They followed up with a phone interview and I sent over photos but we were shocked they put us on the cover. What a fun surprise!” – @currentlywandering

We swam at the KOA pool almost every day, visited the local library, and were able to see one of my college roommates and her family.  While not super outdoorsy or exciting, this stop was just what we needed to rejuvenate our batteries.

“Lubbock Texas was not on our original plan, but we wanted a Temple to visit, and Lubbock was the nearest one. When we arrived for our session, the sun was low enough to light up the stained glass. I find that our church attendance provides guidance and inspiration for our day to day lives, and the Temple provides perspective as we strive to live the Gospel of Christ.

Lubbock also has a Costco (and a Torchy’s) but it was our Temple visit that made the extra driving hours worth it.” -@telegramsam

“Happy Monday! We had a great weekend resting up in Lubbock, Texas. We snuck in a temple date night, rotated the truck tires and replaced the battery, shopped at Costco, hung out with my college roommate and her family, swam at the KOA pool, found something resembling mountain bike trails, and ate at Torchy’s Tacos – twice. Now it’s time to MOVE. My sister gets married in less than two weeks (eek!) So on to Utah we go. We’ll be in Moab by Friday night!” – currentlywandering

Categories
National Parks On the Water Texas

Overnight Canoe Trip in Santa Elena Canyon – Big Bend National Park

When researching Big Bend National Park, we picked out a few things that were on our “must-do” list, and a few for the “would be great if we had time” list. Canoeing Santa Elena Canyon was at the top of the “must-do” list for sure! We’d seen some friends do a boomerang trip where you put in below the canyon, paddle upstream, and then turn around and go back. They had mentioned there were great campsites which got us thinking about how to extend our paddle to an overnight trip. After a lot of research and plenty of stress we pulled it off and we are so glad we did. This trip was definitely the highlight of our visit to Big Bend!

For the rest of trip see our Ultimate Guide for Big Bend National Park – Texas.

The Gear & Planning

We travel with backpacking gear & bikes, but we don’t have our own boats. We rented two regular canoes and related river gear from Far Flung Outdoor Center in Terlingua. There are other rental shops in town, but we felt these guys had the most extensive equipment for an overnight trip vs. just a day trip. We also paid them for a private shuttle at both ends of the trip. The shuttle was expensive (several hundred dollars) but going just as a family instead of a fully guided trip saved us about a thousand dollars.

Far Flung also has a great mileage chart for the river and shuttle fee estimator. Seriously tons of great info right on their website. We knew we wanted to take out at Santa Elena Canyon so the best spot for us to put in for roughly a two day paddle was Lajitas. Total river miles between the two is 18. Definitely the longest paddle we’ve done, but we knew we were up for it!

After we figured out our camping situation in Big Bend, we were able to call and reserve our canoes ahead of time. We were definitely there in the off season, so reservations were not a problem. We did get our desired dates, but Far Flung does run their own trips so coordinating a shuttle could have been difficult. Best to reserve everything as far in advance as possible.

One of the hardest things for us when we head to the back country is what to do with the Airstream? Many times we’ve been able to leave it in visitor center parking lots, but that wasn’t going to work here. The day before our trip, we moved the house to Cottonwood Campground in Big Bend which was the closest to Terlingua. It was cheaper than staying in an RV park in town ($15/night vs closer to $30) and we knew it would be safe. We unloaded and locked all our bikes next to the trailer and spent the afternoon packing and getting our food ready.

Equipment We Rented for 2 Days:

Fire Pan (required by the NPS whether you plan to have a fire or not): $10.78

Canoe (x 2): $340.48

Toilet System (we went with a groover, basically a plastic box inside an ammo can + a seat): $38.80

Larger Waterproof Bags (x 2): $32.32

Shuttle Fee: $80.81 drop off + $202.03 pick up = $294.84

Lost Paddle (oops): $30.17

Backcountry permit (required by NPS): $12

Total equipment rental: $747.39

Equipment We Brought:

Basically we took all our backpacking gear. We’ve worked hard to make sure its small and lightweight (not really a concern in a canoe though) and it was easy to just throw it all in the dry bags. We did pack everyone’s clothes, pajamas, kindles, headlamp, earphones, in individual packing cubes to keep things organized. I feel like it worked really well!

We then had our Freezer Bag cooking meals (We did a Thai noodle dinner this time and it was delicious!), Jet boil, and extra canister.

Just because we could, we packed our two REI camp chairs. They were awesome to have around at camp and the kids were jealous we wouldn’t share. I think next time we might need to pack a few more.

We had a small cooler bag for some lunch items (everything in it got totally soaked so I’m not sure I’d recommend it), and two 5 gallon Rhino water jugs for fresh water. The Rio Grande is a pretty nasty river and we were advised against filtering it, but 10 gallons was plenty for overnight.

Day One – Putting in at Lajitas

We arrived at Far Flung Outdoors by about 8am on Thursday morning. We needed to sign paperwork, double check equipment, and our shuttle timer started promptly at 9am so we wanted to be ready to go.  Everything went smoothly, and just before 9am we loaded up in the company van and our driver set out for Lajitas. Our driver was chatty and told us a little about the history of the ghost town and the area. Before we knew it, we made it to the put in, quickly unloaded, and then we were on our own!

The Rio Grande was running fairly low and slow, and took a great deal of effort to paddle. It was definitely not a float trip! We traded up canoe crews several times each day. Rachel and Andrew are both excellent paddlers, and Jess and I manned the rear seat. The blue bags you see are large dry bags that contain our gear. Yellow bags and ammo cans contain the required ‘groover’ toilet system. We used straps to tie the gear in the boat just in case we all spilled out!

The first day we covered 10 miles of river with open views and an occasional minor rapid. For our only real rapid of the day, Jess and I paddled each canoe through while the kids walked down the bank. The kids kept themselves entertained by singing songs, telling stories, and just talking. We counted all the turtles we saw, and broke into song whenever we saw one.

“These kids. I’m so grateful to be their mom. Cara is an excellent paddler but with 21 miles to go on our overnight trip we didn’t want to push her. Instead, anytime she wasn’t paddling, she happily took on the task of being our figurehead. Most of the time with kids and the outdoors it’s a “whatever it takes” mentality. 😂” – @currentlywandering

We stopped for lunch about mid-day by just pulling off the river. We had made sandwiches early that morning and paired with veggies and chips it was the perfect lunch!

We reached our overnight spot earlier than expected. It was chosen with two goals in mind: a non-muddy landing and non-rocky tent sites. Our camp was of questionable nationality: a river island at higher water levels, this piece of land was divided from the south by only a small trickle and was clearly frequented by Mexican cattle. One of our maps placed the border across the middle of the island, and the other map only showed a border where the middle of the river was clear and no border across the island at all.

Once we got our tents set up we had a few hours to kill until dinner. The kids all brought both audio books and kindles, and spent quite a bit of time relaxing in their tent. We also managed to play a game of Ticket to Ride on my phone. This is the hardest part for me about back country trips – dealing with bored kids once we get to camp! There was a little exploring we could do, and Cara had fun shoveling cow pies with our oars, but mostly it was just time to relax. We had forgotten our card games or even our backpacking bocce set (unfortunately) but we all survived!

The only person we saw this first day was a Mexican cowboy on the opposite bank. We figured he was out checking his herds, and just waved as he trotted past. There’s definitely something to be said for the isolation and peace found in our country’s wilderness places!

“As a family, we are constantly seeking to push ourselves outside our comfort zone. Although I’ve rafted plenty of rivers, planning this overnight canoe trip was extremely uncomfortable. Canoeing has never been my strength, and we were planning to be in very remote areas of Big Bend National Park.

Thursday night after a long day of paddling I stood on the shore of the Rio Grande and watched the sun set over our little campsite. Later, we sat by our fire, gazed at the most stars I have ever seen, drank herbal tea and for the first time in months I felt incredibly at peace. I am content. Happy with our choices, proud of my kids, and in awe at the path @telegramsam and I have traveled to get here.” -@currentlywandering

Day 2 – Paddling Through the Canyon

After a peaceful first day and a good night’s sleep, we felt prepared for day two. Within just the first few river miles, however, we fought with vegetation along a bank, high centered and tipped our first canoe of the day, and Jess hit a rock hard at Entrance Rapid near the mouth of Santa Elena Canyon. Needless to say, we were already pretty rattled.

Most of the paddling trip was fairly flat, boring water. We were warned sufficiently about Rock Slide, however, as its a boulder maze with no good way to portage around it. Sam had stressed the night before about our ability to make it through, but I had adopted a fairly “we’ll make it work” attitude. Fairly normal for both of us. Far Flung had given us a detailed map of this section and the various routes we could take to make it through.

“Rock Slide is rated a Class IV at much higher water levels, this is a Class III at current flow (284 CFS) mostly due to tight navigation. If we had a guide with us, I wouldn’t have been worried about this rapid at all. Because we were on our own, Jess and I felt the direct responsibility for the safety of our kids. We studied maps and guides, and we scouted the rapid in advance. Frankly, it was out of our comfort zone. We reminded the kids of some river safety practices, and made an appeal for divine guidance and strength.

Our courage gathered, we headed in. Rachel and I went first with an attempt at the fast moving Texan Gate, and spilled into the river as we were unable to keep their balance against a large boulder. After draining the canoe on a small sand bar mid-rapid, we managed to nail the small rock you see here in the center of the channel and dumped in again.  Luckily, we were able to drain enough water out to make the canoe workable in this tight spot, and then more fully drained the rest of the water out below the rapid. We lost both the toilet seat and a paddle in the process, but luckily picked the seat out of an eddy later on that day. A paddle was a small price to pay to make it through safely!” – @telegramsam

“My track record so far that morning was not great. I paddled Rachel through scraggly brush, dumped both girls in the water after siding on a mostly submerged rock, and ran straight into a large boulder after missing a turn – smacking my shins on the canoe bar and instantly developing large welts and bruises. As I watched the water rush towards yet another large rock I knew there was no way I could make that sharp turn and keep everyone safe and in the boat.

I could also tell the kids were scared. So much of parenting is protecting our children both physically and mentally and I was doing a poor job at both. After scouting the rapid we determined that Sam and Rachel would run the Texan gate first and I watched as they launched, turned, side hit the rock and promptly were dumped in the river. Luckily there was a sand bar and they were able to beach the canoe, dump it out and reset, but if Sam couldn’t do it, how on earth was I to? Fortunately there was another option. The Mexican gate had more turns but the river was moving much slower. Andrew and I dragged our canoe upriver and headed for the right side instead and we made it with only a few minor bumps.

After an entire day of paddling and honing my rudder skills, I look back and think, “Well, shoot. I could do that NOW.” Isn’t that a lot like life? We bumper our way through collecting bruises, get dumped in the water, and at the end of it are so much stronger and capable than when we began. Luckily along the way there’s also calm water and incredible views. We are all stronger from our experience, and Rachel will tell you Slide Rock was her favorite part of the trip.” -@currentlywandering

With Rock Slide behind us, we began to relax and enjoy the rest of the day. The walls of Santa Elena Canyon rose high around us, and the views were spectacular! The Canyon was pleasantly warm, and we paddled easily. We counted turtles, watched birds fly through the canyon high above or heads, and snacked on Perky Jerky and Starburst. We had a few more tight turns to paddle, but by this time we were all definitely in a rhythm and much more confident of our skills. After executing one rather well-time turn, Rachel looked back at me and exclaimed, “Mom! That was graceful!” High compliments from a girl who doubted all of my skills just a few hours earlier!

“Somewhere in the midst of overturned canoes, shin bashing, and bumper boats my Enso ring slipped off my finger and disappeared into the murky depths of the Rio Grande. Or more likely it floated downstream, got caught in an eddy, and now a Mexican Señora is in awe at the incredible comfortableness of this amazing piece of silicon wrapped around her finger.” -@currentlywandering

As we neared the mouth of Santa Elena Canyon we saw hikers on the same path we had walked just two days before. It was a surreal experience, remembering back to our limited view of this magnificent stretch of river. The view at the end is beautiful but insufficiently captures the adventure, the challenge, and the beauty of the 20 miles we paddled to get there.

We made it to the take out spot 20 minutes early, which gave us enough time to haul our boats out of the water, change our clothes, and grab a snack. Once our shuttle arrived, we piled everyone in and set out for the hour drive through Big Bend back to Terlingua.

We celebrated our successful trip with coin operated, hot showers and dinner out at a local Mexican restaurant. It was the perfect end to a fabulous trip! We don’t often push ourselves this far outside our comfort zone, but I’m so glad we did. There are so many ways our trip could have ended badly, and I’m grateful for the protection we believe the Lord gave us on our journey. I’m pretty sure we will all remember this trip for years to come!