Back at Camp

 In all we slept 13 nights in Yellowstone...in a tent...with no available showers. Now you feel the same degree of admiration for us that you might feel for ultra runners or mountain climbers. We were pretty hard core, we admit, but it was more because we love nature, living within our means, and getting creative when we need to. Now we all know the most disturbing detail here is the fact that we went without showers. We knew a few days before hand that they had not opened the shower services due to a lack of staff to tend them. I wondered how this decision had been made, especially given the crowds at some of the points of interest. Could they not have had a few less rangers telling us interesting facts about the geothermal formations and a few more shower attendants? All I know is that we were not invited to that meeting.

All but Rhys would catch a nap once in a great while but the best was waking up each morning and looking to find where our children had put themselves during their tossing and turning each night. Sophie usually stayed on her mattress but one morning she was completely wedged between her mattress and our mattress, bag flipped up-side-down with head completely buried down in her bag. Rhys was never fully on his mattress...ever.

Neal did the cooking and we all took turns making the food for our outings, doing dishes, filling water bottles, etc. In camp meals varied from pasta with marinara, jambalaya, soup, hot dogs, and bean burritos. For breakfast we had oatmeal, pancakes, and breakfast tacos but often took protein bars on our mornings with early starts.

Our well kept quarters

During chill times, I often would read to the kids. We read Wonder and The Running Dream, two excellent books.

Rhys in the bear box to keep food and toiletries .

First Neal and Sophie tried astronaut shampoo which requires no water. It didn't do the intended job so we would hit the dish washing area during the day when others were usually out of camp to wash our hair and did a good job of cleaning up any hair and making sure it was fit for dishes again.  That water was PAINFULLY cold and our heads ached afterwards but clean hair made it worth it. As for our bodies, we brought a large quantity of unscented baby/body wipes and each took our turn in the tent to thoroughly clean ourselves. Though the showers were not open, the laundry was so we made sure our clothes were kept fairly fresh.

Roughing it didn't seem so rough. Everyone really pitched in and there wasn't too much whining.  I think we worked really well as a family on this trip.