It wasn't exactly the camping trip to end all camping trips - thank goodness - but it was a great camping trip. You know, I find it funny. Every year that we have gone to Tumalo State Park our emphasis has been on Frisbee and swimming. This year though, I only went swimming on one day and we only played frisbee twice. Unfortunately, I injured my foot on the first game and then ended up playing on the injured foot for the second game. But this camping trip I had a new focus, one that is more and more beginning to define me as I explore it and it's possibilities: Climbing.
After Church, Sunday morning, we came home and made the final preparations to leave for Central Oregon. Adam drove all the way and when we arrived we began setup. Anna, who normally leads the trailer setup, was AWAL at another campsite so Adam and I set it up with intermittent help from a few others. With that completed I made my way over to the Nutter's site where Anna was. She inquired if we were ready to set up the trailer yet; I informed her it was done. That night after dinner at Cibelli's pizza with Grandpa and Grandma a couple of us played Texas Hold 'Em until 1 o'clock in the morning. The following morning, after breakfast, Adam, Luke, James, and I walked across the bridge spanning the Deschutes River to the cliffs (rim rock) on the other side of the river. There we began to climb. Probably an hour or so later we finally headed back to camp after making our way along the cliff alternating climbing and down-climbing to try another route. Back at camp we found the others getting ready to head to the rapids. Adam and I didn't feel like swimming so we climbed the rim rock on the edge the canyon through which the river flowed. On the top of the ledge we snuck around some guys house in an attempt to find Alex's sandal that he had lost while climbing there the previous day. We were unsuccessful, but Adam did catch a lizard. Later that day Adam Luke, Anna, James, and I went to play Disc Golf at Central Oregon Community College. The course was rough on my disc but we all had a good time. While we waited to be picked after completing the course we all stood around on the soccer field and practiced our driving. That night we played our first Frisbee game. After dinner all of us youngsters made our way across the road to the day-use area. The game went mostly well until during a course of inexplicable events I stepped on a irrigation device and cut my foot. I hurt only momentarily so we all kept playing. A few minutes later my foot began to ache and I knew it was worse than I thought. But, being the trooper that I am, I kept playing a little longer. It all ended when I made one wrong turn guarding Evan. At that point, with the pain filling my foot, I knew that I was done for the night. Adam assisted me over to a picnic table nearby where I attempted to see it by taking a picture with Sara's camera. After putting my sandals back on I rode James's bike back to camp. With Dr. Bower and Nurse Mom present I was fixed up in no time. The next day Mr. Nutter took Luke, Sara, and Me into Bend. We spent a little time wandering around the mall area there before stopping at Starbucks for some drinks. Before Mr. Nutter picked us up Luke and I played a little hackie out in front of the Starbucks. The moves were wild and the outside furniture was flying everywhere, sent there by my high-flying feet. That evening we played another game of Frisbee. I got there a little late and the score was already 3 to 2. I joined the side with 2 points and James moved to the side with 3. I played with my injured foot but it didn't give me much trouble. We ended up winning 15 to 6. That was a happy game. The following day, Wednesday, half of us were to head out for Canby to make it to the Westgate Family Camp. The drive was very nice, we took old highways from Aumsville through Silverton and Marquam to Canby. My post is already too long so I will abbreviate these upcoming days. I played in the ping-pong tournament and was knocked out in the first round. The MarWeBowNezevichKins did very well at the frisbee golf competition and won second place. I took home both of the prizes. The preaching by Scott Dean was very good and was designed to make one t.h.i.n.k. Board games are a staple of family camp and I ended up playing a few. When we played Pirate's Cove I started off very bad, being beaten twice in a row, but ended up in second place. Yes I know, first place loser. All in all family camp was great. Friday night I drove the three hours back to Central Oregon ending at just after 11 o'clock. The drive was great, I like to pass people in the rain and in the the dark. We finished up our week of camping back at Tumalo. On Saturday I finally went tubing on the river. I had my towel with me and I was trying not to let it get soaked. All my attempts were vanity. I was sucked under at one particular rapid and at that point I was barely more soaked than my towel. It was then that I realized that I had lost James's shirt. Leaving my now soaked towel and my inner tube on a rock, I ran back up the path the the point where I had first tipped over, coincidentally losing the t-shirt. I wasn't really sure if I could find it but I had faith that God does care about such seemingly little things as lost t-shirts so I made my way down the river, partly swimming, partly scrambling over rocks. I took a break for one moment and stood one a rock. I scanned the scene and noticed something dusty red underneath the surface of the water across the river's flow. At that moment I knew that I had found it. Jumping off a rock I plunged into the rover and swam violently to get across the flow without being taken downstream too far. I reached the other side and reached under the water. I pulled up the missing t-shirt in my hands. Now victorious I made my way back down the river on the opposite side making my own way through the sagebrush and rocky ground. I finished off my river float at the private bridge spanning the river. I tossed my towel and inner tube up onto the bridge and climb up after. Anna and I walked along the road back to the day use area where the adults were. On the way Anna noticed a shirt next to the road. I picked it up, hey free shirt. It was a little large for me but that the way it was supposed to be worn. After I got to the day use area and laid out my towel to dry, and with my new shirt on, I decided it was time to try some more climbing. I waded across the river and found a little trail through the bushes on the bank of the river to the cliffs beyond. I scrambled a little ways until I found the place that I wanted to start then I took off my sandals and started climbing. Anna took a few pictures of me from across the river and Mr. Meigs said I was going to kill myself. I didn't care, then it was just the rock and me. Thinking, rethinking, a little strength and technique all in one fluid thought and I was at the top of the crag in no time. I down climbed to another area and started again only to be baffled by a difficult crack. No problem though. I just moved around the outcropping of a big boulder and found another way up. After that ascent Mr. Meigs suggested that I be done for now, mostly for their sakes. I complied willing, seeing as how I had just had my fun. I ended up getting to bed early that night and we had to pack up camp the next day. Packing up was work but didn't take very long considering what it used to take to get us going. We finally hit the road and I was looking forward to stopping at Cibelli's one last time before heading home. I wasn't even thinking; when we got to Cibelli's it was closed because it was Sunday and they don't open until 3. Bummer. It turned out to be okay anyway though. After stopping for gas in Sisters we made up our collective mind to stop at the Marion Forks Restaurant with the Nutters, the Meigs, and the Starks. Finally, after a few more hours, heavy traffic on I-5, and some long hauls with the trailer we had made it home with only thirty minutes to get ready for Evening church. Uber Camping Trip successful. Body - Energized. Spirit - Uplifted. Mind - Enlightened.
John
P.S. Tim is an amazing guy, and he did a great job on the paintballing at Family Camp.
