Hi everyone, and thanks for looking.

We had an uneventful trip and got to learn a lot as a family.  We bugged out about for about 1800 miles, visited family, car camped, and wallydocked.  The kids got to see mountains for the first time that they can remember.  In the interest of full disclosure––I am not a tier one survivalist, also––I am not a tier one prepper.  So if you want to tell me that I am not tactical enough––just remember who posted the first SF shower pic.

Things that worked well:
Time with family—I can buy more stuff—good people are more difficult to find.
Working with our equipment at home first.
My camelback—JR1 secretly used it for the first 24 hours until I caught him.   We had a lol together.
Nalgenes—the rest of us did not go thirsty either.
LED––flashlight, headlamps and lantern.
MFC
Super siphon
Big nails as tent pegs
Giant nails as tent pegs
Military tent pegs
The BOV

Things that need to be improved:  
I gotta build an off grid ac.  This won’t be difficult or costly, but I was out of time to do it earlier.
I need a better and bigger roof box.  
I’ll probably have to expand the roof rack.

Things I should have taken:
Our bicycles—we could have had some fun on the mountain.

Things that should have been left home:
Some of the clothing we hauled.
Most of the cookware we hauled.

 On with the pics:  

Camp stove in the yard at home––practice prevents embarrassment.


Tent setup in the yard––we learned that we needed better tent stakes and that we had to modify the assembly sequence from what was written by the tent maker.


Time to load up––I can always trust the kids to remember the important things


Tactical refuel.  MFC and super siphon for a win.


Loaded BOV posed against the sunset on the way to the park


Now on to the campground.  TJ told us in his thread about saving people from their own foolishness to watch the tourists; he is right, the tourst are great entertainment.  There were several RV trailers, a couple motor homes, and some of us tent camping.  I bet we provided as much entertainment as we got, it was the kids first time out.  The kids were clueless about a lot of things, but they hung in and helped.   We arrived as it was getting dark, so I took these pics the next morning.

The family.  I had just begun to start setting up our camp when the dad of this family came over to offer "the spotlight," so we could see to set up the tent.  I thanked him and said I didn't think we would need it.  He has good taste in a BOV though.


The MZB and his gal.  I think they watched us set up camp from the privacy of their screened gazebo for the lulz.  When they broke camp in the morning he complimented our tent.  I guess he thought we could not set the tent up by the noise we made.


The group of 20somethings in a van.  They had a patch of 2 to 4 man tents at the back of their space.  The trailer had a logo with something like "TrekAmerica" and the van had a LLC name and DOT number on a piece of paper mounted in the window.  Interesting.


Our tent up at our campsite
As we finished with an led lantern inside.  The kids learned a lot in these few minutes in the dark.  I think only 2 or 3 of them crashed because or the tent guy lines.  Next outing I don't think they will be so careless near the tent.

Then in the morning


Cook n eat


Pack the tent––As you can see there were many lulz.  MA had been kneading the air out of the tent like a cat.  Here response to what I said was "you're missing a good photo op."


Then to the pool. this pool is fed by a spring, and is a wild animal habitat too.  


You get to swim with moss and fish.  There are some native fish about an inch long.  I circled them in red, but I may have to edit my pic for better results.  It is hard to get  a pic of a fish when kids are kicking the water.


As I had time I gave some surplus shops a chance to trade me out of some of my money.  One interesting shop is Sam's Surplus in Stanton, TX If you are driving by on I-20, it is worth the time to stop and walk through the store.  The also have a private collection of military vehicles.  I got to show the kids this truck and a Merlin aircraft engine.  I think this truck is a CMP Ford of WWII.


A big score of the trip was hidden in the change from my purchase at Sam's, this 1941 penny.

no multicam, or reload.

5 outta 10





good pics and AAR....sounds like an awesome family trip was had......

Tag

very nice!!!!  good on y'all for practicing!!!  (and good on you, Daddy, for making it fun.  )

camo

lol I see you have the same baby holder I do (the "bench" she's sitting on, not the wrap around you)

Great post man. Keep em into it and congrats!

I gotta let the bench go.....

Thanks we did have fun.  The kids are at that age where they can have fun.  I guess if we teach them now, then they will be able to enjoy this in the future.

I feel like I've been to that pool before. Like 95% sure I've been there.

Balmorea State Park just a few miles south of Balmorea, TX

Last time I was there you could almost walk across the "pool" because the moss was so thick.
It was nice and cool in the middle of the summer, though.

That brings back a lot of memories from when I was a kid.  Can't wait until I can do it with my own family.

very nice , i am so glad you and the family had a great time .



family time , is good time .

well done mate.

john

Great job,  thanks for the cool pics!

Nice BOV,  I have one of those 'land-yachts' myself.
Beautiful, clean camp area.

It's great for the kids.  Kids are so resilient,  they can flex to whatever adventure you may take them on.

An update to the AAR.  The air was clear and the water was cold (probably 65 to 72F) and I had fun.  After an hour I represented another sunburn statistic.  I'll be glad when this peeling is done.

Bad ass! Well done. I love trips with the family like that.  That reminds me... I need to start planning one...