Fun at Blackjack

Ashlee and I are always longing to get out into nature and picnic or camp.  We decided to head up to Blackjack to check it out and see if it would be a good spot to camp.  With the elevation at 6300 feet it is a bit cooler than where we live and it is in the pines.  One of our (Ashlee and I) favorite TV shows is ALONE on the history channel. It is a survival show where 10 people get left on their own with no food or human contact and whoever last longests gets half a million dollars.  The setting is amazing forest and ocean. We don't want to do the whole survival thing but camping in a beautiful setting we could do!

Blackjack is pretty close, less than an hour drive and we were there.  We set up our day camp and planned on a picnic lunch/dinner.

Picnic Time

McCoy playing in the pines

Archy using his monkey skills to climb a tree all by himself

It wouldn't be an outdoor picnic without some baseball.

Quinton as catcher, McCoy pitches

Quinton decided to take the lazy route and catch while sitting a chair.

The seated catcher, Quinton

Besides baseball you gotta play some games card games and some Headbandz.  Pa got an appropriate card for the woods!  Bigfoot!

Princely Pa

After our meal we went on a hike that began with a trail and ended up with us wildkating it ( a wee nod to our high school alma mater WILDKATS) through the forest.

Carlton Clan on a hike

On the hike we saw some lovely catci and something shocking!

Cactus in bloom

While we were hiking off trail we came across an abandoned hobo camp.  There were blankets, books, unopened canned foods, trash. Everyone was shocked by the find and wondered if it's former occupant would be returning.

Checking out the abandoned camp

Declan, Zany, Archer in hat and McCoy

 with an Alligator Juniper Tree

Later the Fortitude Four (Ashlee, Zany, Rhiannon, & Declan), went on another hike right up a steep hill to the very top.

Onward, hikers!

View from the Top

Once one of us decided we like something it isn't long before everyone else jumps on the bandwagon.  Declan liked our walking poles and bought some for himself now Zany wants some but she could only pretend.

Declan and Zany

Imaginary poles work as well as real ones!

Maybe a rare bird in there somewhere?

Archer swings the tomahawk that Pa helped him make.

Pa was on the hunt for feathers for a project and was offering a quarter per large feather.  Zany with Ashlee's help Zany found one.

Zany and moneymaker feather

It wont be long before we head back for some camping fun, but I think we'll take food we aren't quite ready for the survivalist experience!