[Previous entry: "Pennsylvania Vacation, Day One, May 30, 2008"] [Next entry: "Pennsylvania Vacation, Day Three, June 1, 2008"]

06/15/2008: "Pennsylvania Vacation, Day Two, May 31, 2008"

I woke up on Saturday morning to warmth and comfort. I felt exhilirated to have slept under the stars and the protection of the forest. I went inside, and we enjoyed a leisurely breakfast and coffee. Just before we went on a big hike up the hill, Randy made a makeshift swing for the kids.

Our goal was the summit of the hill on which the camp resides. The house is about 1,350 feet above sea level, and the summit is approximately 1,750 feet above sea level. There is a fairly steep hill we had to conquer, and then we came to an old abandoned logging road, which meanders its way up the rest of the hill. Even the logging road is steep and brutal at times, but exhilarating at the same time.

It’s fun to see the foliage and trees change as we ascended. Down near camp, the trees are mostly pines, and block out the sun. Therefore, the ground is mostly barren with lots of rotting leaves and sticks. However, there are patches in the forest that change from pine to other species, and the ground beneath them is rich in ferns. Look, Pennsylvania can spare a few ferns, so feel free to go and take some.

Hiking is a rare pleasure for me, and I drink it up as much as I can when I go. Still, like I said, it is exhausting, and tiring on everyone else as well! Check out the poopy-farted adventurers below.

Our secondary goal was to make the summit of the hill. The summit itself is an extremely large flat area with trees. It’s at least the size of ten football fields, and would make for an absolutely fantastic camping area for tons of people. Once you get up there, it’s really neat.

However, our primary goal was to see the rock formations just starting down the other side of the hill. There are boulders covered with moss and plants, and other boulders are stacked on top of one another. One formation has three stacked up. I was not comfortable climbing to the top because I could not find good footing, but I will just have to conquer that another day.

The walk back down the hill was a relief. My shins hurt on the way up, and my calves hurt on the way back down, but I was not out of breath going downhill! We made it down just after noon, and enjoyed a lunch of burgers and dogs. Heather took Dylan into town, and bought him some fishing gear. This turned out to be a great investment, because he fished nearly every single day that we were there, and we all have plans to fish as a family this summer.

Dylan was successful on his first day out! He managed to catch a few trout, but only one was large enough to keep. Heather taught him how to gut and clean it, and he then cooked it up in a fire like a champ.

Katelyn got a fishing pole of her own. We did not think that she stood a chance of catching a fish. However, she had all the belief she needed, and stayed out there faithfully for quite a while before giving up.

After dinner, we put a very sleepy Katelyn to bed, and proceeded to light a satisfying bonfire in the back yard. There is something cathartic about watching embers float into the sky from a crackling fire in the dead of night. We also stuffed our faces with s’mores, no less. That helps too!

Here are a few more pictures from the day.