Barr Camp!

Billy had a transition between jobs that left him with a free weekend so we took off to celebrate all birthdays and anniversaries and holidays by going to Colorado and camping at Barr Camp!! I was strangely unenthusiastic about the idea at first because I was mentally unprepared and also because as we were driving away there were plumes of menacing smoke clouds closing in on our canyon. But after Billy looked up the fires for me while I drove and assured me that even if our house was toast it wouldn't be until we got back in two days and if sooner at least we weren't in it, we had a grand time. 

We drove Thursday night and got to Mueller State Park around midnight and fortunately found a campsite. We were going to sleep in the back of the car but when we saw the stars and also how not big the back of our car is we set up the tent and i'm so glad we did. it was so fun. 

We had the genius idea of putting Burton in his snowsuit instead of trying to get him to stay in a sleeping bag or under a blanket all night. it worked great!

And he was so funny in the morning toddling around in summer mountains in a snowsuit haha

Oh, Colorado was so bliss and nice. I just love that place and those mountains. 

The boys were so funny all the time and especially in the morning eating their muffins haha.

We had a goal to get to the Barr Trail trailhead by 9 becuase we had to make the 7 mile trek before 6 and we figured it would probably take us all day. we got there by 930 and started what was truly a very hard hike. When Truman was walking Billy was carrying Burton and when Truman got tired Billy was carrying a 60 pound pack, at our best estimate. Up the Ws!! He's a champ! And I thought carrying Burton was hard!

It was also weird cus we had our sleeping bags strapped to our baby packs...which are not made to carry stuff, just babies. 

But it worked out and it was pure bliss to be on Pikes Peak again! I haven't done this trail since...2014? Not past the first three miles, anyway. 

I always take a picture by this spot in the trail but this one was especially good cus it caught Truman getting hurt in the background haha poor kid 

Played at No Name Creek for awhile and the water there also saved us

It was a hard hike but we made it!!! We even arrived at 4 so our plan worked out perfectly. It was just lovely being in the mountains. 

Hanging out in the lean-to

Relaxing after a hard hike...kinda relaxing. It was far enough off the ground that i was worried the whole time that the boys would fall out

They fed us some delicious but spicy spaghetti and then we left the good ol' normal people in the cabin to sleep in the farthest away lean-to

We survived the night! BUrton had one bad outburst around 1130 then a little one an hour or so later so i was worried he would be doing that all night so i just wrapped my arm around that little snowsuite bundle and did not move for the next 6 hours. Meanwhile, Truman decided to snuggle his whole body right up to my head. It was a rigid night of sleep, to say the least. But also, such bliss. Colorado is so much quieter than Hobble Creek--no crickets! Weird but beautiful. 

The morning was beautiful and they fed us delicious pancakes and hot chocolate. 

Then we made the trek down, which was considerably easier than the trek up and so beautiful. Did I already mention that? 

Of course I had to take a million pictures of Pikes Peak that just don't do it justice but it's just the best!

We had lunch at Mickey D's which is so funny these days cus the boys play in the playplace and that's always funny but also I was laughing cus we got the boys ice cream cones and they were so characteristic in their consumption: Truman was careful and slow and Burton immediately shoved the whole thing in his mouth and got it all over his face haha

It ended up being such a good trip so I'm glad we took it. The drive home was, of course, a highlight even though it ended eerily and frightening as we watched the mountains above payson burn. Actual flames! But Colorado was the best.