Vacation day 7

Since we are unable to ride from our beautiful campsite, we opt to leave American Fork canyon. We didn't know where we were going, we just decided that this wasn't the best place for what we had intended.
We pack up our little caravan and decide to go back to Dell.
Baynard is a bit worried that our pig-tail breakage will cost us a ticket so he opts to go around the Oquirrh Mountains the southern way. A bit longer but much of the scenery is more pleasant than the city. We are on vacation after all! take it slow and easy. Even Baynard, with his motto of "Bigger Faster Stronger" was up for taking his time.
As we rounded the mountain into the valley of the weird named towns, Like Elgin, Erda and Ophir, we decided that a simple campsite in Butterfield Canyon might be nice. And we found the PERFECT spot. They had just laid new outhouses (YES!) and it was peaceful and quiet, and woodsy, and most of all, you could ride your ATV from your campsite! perfect!
We unloaded and hitched up the 4 wheelers. Off we went. Up the mountain to the top of the Kennecott copper mine! it was awesome! the ride was amazing and all 4 of us had a great time. Baynard even took Nanna with him, and since he was following me, he HAD to take it slow.
When we got back down to the campsite, it was time for lunch and naps. I took advantage of this time and took off on my ATV myself. It was an amazing sense of freedom. Out there, on my own. not knowing where I was going, what I might find or what I might see or even what sort of challenge there could possibly be ahead. So, the ever so slight sense of danger was present as well. I took the dogs with me for a short scout of firewood. and i did find a little. The dogs played in the creek and washed off their ashen feet. I took them back to the campsite for a nap and went off on my own.
I found a little trail that was just north of our campsite. It ended in a riverbed. I didn't dare go into all the river rock, but it was a nice ride up to that point. On the way back I encountered 2 snakes, a squirrel, and best of all.... a deer!
I am not sure why seeing a deer is so exciting, but for some reason, that little connection of eye to eye with a deer is amazing. It was so close, even with my motor running. I watched it for about 4 minutes until it loped away. I hoped that when hunting season begins in a few weeks that this brave doe is able to make it.
Uh oh..... I had gotten a little more confident than I knew how to handle and I was scared. I know that people go up and down hills much steeper and rockier than this, but it frightened me a bit. To feel the slippage. I knew I just needed to gun it and go, but I could hear my mom in my head, "Damit! what are you thinking? if your bike rolls, who is going to find you? What if you get hurt? what if you are lost? what if bears eat you? what will your daughters do then? Is the thrill worth it? how irresponsible of you! use your head, girl!" ugh... even though it has been 3 years, sometime I still hear her voice in my head, chastizing me.
I finally figured that the best way to handle it wasn't by being brave or confident, but simply backing down the hill. I did, and everything was OK. the rush of freedom returned as I ventured down another trail for the site seeing. I was gone for about 2 hours and the kids woke up shortly after I got back.  Nanna wanted to go for another ride, and so we did.
I really REALLY enjoy my 4 wheeler.
Night time again.
Buggy boo has a certain connection with 6 legged creatures. all of them "Beetle bugs". She literally loves them. Loves to look at them, hold them and play with them. I am glad that my fear has not passed on to her. perhaps she is an entomologist in the making. Nanna however, has always had a liking for seeds. I am not sure why, but she always has enjoyed finding, picking and collecting seeds. The mountains are the best place for my little scientists to explore their world. However, in their exploration, the items they are drawn to are mostly found in the dirt. Buggy is insisting on laying on her stomach in the powdery ashen dirt. 100's of years of campfire makes very soft, very dirty.... well.... dirt. She is refusing to sit in a chair, but sits in this soft dirt. OK.... whatever you little critter you! You look like a mud puppy! I wished I would have gotten a pic of the two.
Again, I enjoy my torches, and the girls eat apples, oranges and chips. Lots and lots of chips.
Dinner time! I bought expensive steak to cook, and potatoes to bake. well. no BBQ for steaks, and nothing for the BBQ pit. ugh. no gas for the stove. and no tin foil. sigh. good thing I brought the electric fry pan. we still have electricity! I cut up the potatoes with a cheap flexible steak knife (after washing them in the creek which I got to via my 4 wheeler (any excuse, you know!) Cutting with this sort of knife is just not that easy. but finally I got them done and we had fried potatoes with steak. The steak didn't taste the same as on the BBQ, but the potatoes were WONDERFUL in the juice from the steak. and they cooked amazingly well. I was looking forward to olives that I had brought, but.... silly me, as typical, traditional and even a rite of passage, forgot a can opener. oh well.

Now Baynard goes off on his own adventure looking for firewood. He hits the payload and brings back a pack of firewood. YEAH!!!!
Only problem is.... no kindling. Paper plates? no they have plastic coating. Napkins? we don't have very many.... newspaper? now who would have thought about THAT? OH! I know! coloring books! Which BTW.... Make wonderful kindling. I think it is because of the cheap paper. We get a roaring bonfire going. it is great! I think next time, however, our old bills that need to be shredded would make wonderful kindling! ;) flaming marshmellows again for me! yeah!
OK time for bed. UH OH Electricity is gone, gas is gone. a cold night. But we survive, the girls were fine and I was OK snuggled up with the warmth of the dogs, I believe that Baynard didn't sleep quite as well this night. I think he actually got a bit cold.
In the morning we had breakfast, (lunch meat and oranges) and went to pack things up. I had to take one last run on my ATV. of course. any excuse again. And we left.
When we got home, since the trailer is so small, it only took about 1/2 hour to unpack and clean up and send to Earls house for storage.
back home, The girls were excited to sleep in their own beds again.
With Nannas disabilities, the change in routine of sleeping in the trailer really threw her. She did NOT like not having her blankets and her own bed. She was very vocal about it too.
Naps lasted about 3 hours and for the dogs, about 12.
It was good to go, but good to be home too.
it wasn't the trip I had envisioned in my mind, but it wasn't awful either. We did it, we survived, and it was fun!
End of vacation 2011.