Our annual summer Backpacking Camp was a success! This year we switched it up and went to the Sam Houston Nation Forest instead of our usual go-to spot in Sabine. Everyone had a blast, learned new things and made friends along the way. It was a tough journey but it lead to lots of growth not only in our kids but in the staff as well. Thank you to camp sponsors who made this all possible once again this year.
Backpacking Trail Day 1:
We drove out on Monday and arrived at base camp set up; and on Tuesday we started our big adventure! After a great breakfast, we loaded our packs with all of our gear. We started the Lone Star Hiking Trail (Trailhead of FM 149) around 1 pm. At first it was surreal. The forest looked and felt like something right out of Lord Of The Rings. It had a very mysterious feel to it, and it did not let us down. After only being on the trail for maybe ten minutes we saw a snake! Fortunately, not many of the kids saw it.
On the first day we hiked 6.5 miles. It was a good distance with a lot of weight on our backs, but the kids were amazing! They were full of energy, laughter. Spirits were high, talking non-stop, which is probably why things went smoothly! The most impressive thing we noticed about the kids was their toughness. We had to barrel through thorn bushes along the trail, but the kids were resilient and pushed through it. The most we heard was a soft “ouch.” They were also great teammates. Never once was anyone left behind, and they were always helping each other through obstacles. When we finally made it to our campsite at Kelly’s Pond we were ecstatic. It only took us 5 hours to go almost 7 miles on our first day!
We took shelter as soon as we got to Kelly’s Pond because rain rolled through. Once it passed, we set-up quickly, made Chicken Mac n’Cheese for dinner, and hit the hay (we were straight up worn out!)
Backpacking Trail Day 2:
The next morning our bodies were a bit sore, but everyone was doing great. We had a quick breakfast, and hit the trail! We had to hike just about the same distance as the first day, but we moved even faster! We’re really not sure how that happened, but these kids had persistence like no other! They were chattering about how they were a little exhausted, but it wasn’t showing. We were focused and determined. Several of the kids made goals on the first night at base camp. Many of them had goals such as, “make it all the way to the end, and not give up.” Some of our veteran backpackers set goals such as, “use my experience to help others.” Nobody fell short of their goals. Everybody watched out for one another, and we just kept it moving.
Halfway through our trek we ran into a beautiful spot to have lunch right next to Lake Conroe! After that, we made it to our second camping spot, Stubblefield Recreation Area, in great time. It only took us a little over 4 hours! We arrived around 2 o’clock, so we had most of the day left to relax! We rolled out a tarp and the kids all sprawled out on it to play games and rest. On the menu for dinner was mediterranean ramen with jerky and grilled cinnamon apples for dessert. After dessert, we all went down to the water and skipped rocks while watching the sunset! During the night, we had an epic battle against a raccoon family who took interest in our camp site! Talk about a night! The kids learned a valuable lesson in proper food storage whilst camping.
Backpacking Trail Day 3:
The third day was the most grueling day, by far. The kids woke up a little tired and more sore than the day before but still motivated to get hiking! And we were bookin’ it! We were extremely focused on accomplishing our goal and finishing the hike strong. Along the way, we took some short breaks, stayed hydrated and powered through those last six miles! We finished around 2 o’clock! Talk about fast! Micaela met us at the end of the trail with Rocket Pops and Dr. Peppers as treats to celebrate our accomplishments. We were so tired on the ride back to base camp, we just soaked in the realization of completing our goal. Eighteen miles is a long way!
Back At Base-camp…
On our final day at camp, the kids had a free day at Huntsville State Park. They chose to spend the whole day in the water! We swam all day and jumped off the dock a million times! We played swimming games such as sharks and minnows and categories. There were even some other kids who joined our games at the lake! For dinner we made hobo dinners that night which consisted of beef, potatoes, and vegetables cooked in the campfire. After our supper, a few of the kids wanted to go see the alligators who lived near the fishing dock. Let me tell you, they were huge! We finished our jam packed week off with bedtime stories around the campfire.
