Backpacking to Union Falls

Meieli and I around the fire while the boys were playing with slingshots in the woods

She was washing her bum in the river after sitting in dirt, but it sure looks like she is peeing!

Swimming at the waterfall

Come on James! Aren't you supposed to be a photographer? :)

Crossing the river! Very refreshing on the way in, cold at 5 am!

A few weekends ago, Dave and I went backpacking with James and Meieli. It was my first time ever sleeping in a tent, on the ground, without plumbing nearby! I did pretty good and actually had a really great time except for my DARN BLISTERS! We hiked about 8 miles in to our site, crossing three rivers which was the funnest part! After 1 mile, James realized that he didn't have the permit, so he had to run back to the car while we waited in the woods for him. After that, we were in the clear. We hiked to our site, set up camp and then went swimming at this awesome waterfall! We saved some poor hikers that had run out of water and wanted to borrow our purifier. We ate dinner and lots of candy around the campfire before heading to bed. Dave and I got up around 4am (or so we thought. once we got back to the car we were really an hour late). We packed all of our stuff in the dark and hiked out early to make it back for Mason's first football game. We are dedicated! I had a good time and hope to do it again. I avoided 3 out of 4 of my biggest fears (bears, pooping in the woods, snakes, and blisters). I have to laugh because when we started, James told me that he was there to make my experience pleasurable so that I would want to do it again. I am totally on board for another trip, but I think I will limit myself to 2 nights in the woods...that is all the uncleanliness I can handle!