Family Summer Vacation

This weekend is full of firsts for everybody. Tabitha got the wise idea of organizing a "family" vacation while Penjo was visiting from NYC for the long July 4th weekend. So, Chhimi and Tabitha planned a little camping trip up in Folsom Lake since they couldn't get Sly Park for only one-night. Although friends warned us that it was not worth doing a one-night camp trip....we were stubborn enough to not listen to their advise.

DAY ONE
Penjo arrived at into the airport around 2:00 and didn't get back to Chhimi and Tabitha's place until past 3:00pm. Now everybody scurries and starts loading up our tiny little corolla with all the essentials, including (tent, 3 outdoor chairs, 2 flourescent lanterns, 3 sleeping bags, big ice chest full of food and bottled water, medium ice chest full of food and sodas, small ice chest full of food and food, outdoor stove, 4 propane cans, 3 backpacks full of one-night change of clothes including towels and PJs, and last but not least, our 3 bikes. From all that stuff that we packed, you wouldn't think we were only staying one night.

We arrived at the Folsom Lake park and checked into campsite #7. It was just full of...well, dirt, dry grass, picnic table...but that was it. Penjo thought we weren't roughing it enough...Chhimi thought "oh dear lord, I hope we survive the night"...and Tabitha thought..."crap,...where's the bathroom around here?".

Well, first thing we did was set up camp and our tent. Picking a place was a dilemma for us. Chhimi wanted it on spot covered by the rocks. Tabitha wanted a place where it was already set up before and looked leveled. Chhimi won. But we all paid throughout the night.

Afterwards, we took our bikes and headed out to the lake for a short ride. It was a lot of fun riding fromt he picnic areas into the sand towards the lake. Lots of people were there just enjoying the day....just like us. Just wished there were more family with us though. Then the boys dipped their toes into the lake to feel how cool it was.

Next stop is back to campsite #7. While heading back, we saw two ladies walking towards an area that looked like bathrooms. Tabitha immediately asks "what is up there on that hill". Ladies responded "Showers and bathrooms" Tabitha yells back "Thank you!". Whoohoo...found the toilets. Yay! So the three of us headed back to the campsite and started our portable one-time use Korean grill for our bulgogi.

We did BBQ "Asian Style"...Tabitha even made rice and bought chopsticks! :-D hahahah! After eating our bellies full, we gathered our things and chit-chatted a little while. It was soon dark so the 3 of us decided to visit the bathroom before we head into our tent. Grabbed our two little flourescent lanterns and hiked up the 0.05 mile to the bathroom facilities.

Rating: Not Bad for camping bathrooms. For those who don't know Tabitha, she's a complete Bathroom Snob. Ask her about Yosemite and she'll tell you. And they had showers there too...so that was cool. The only thing was there were NO lights after dark. Not positive why?!

Afterwards, we trekked back to Campsite #7 and tried to light our $6.00 pile of wood in the fire ring. For those who don't know Chhimi, he's a complete fire-phobic person. Ask him about it. Penjo starts busy grabbing dried grass around the area and lighting it up...but that darn big piece of wood would not light. Finally Chhimi took the lead and ordered us to find small twigs to burn. Lots of them. Chhimi's fire took off...and was light....the duration was for about 20 minutes or so...but it was still very nice to have a small little fire around. Felt like camp!

DAY TWO

DAY THREE