Memorial Day Weekend

This past weekend was a special treat for us. I realized that this was only the third time we have gone on an overnight "vacation" as a family that did not include extended family in some way. We drove to southern Ohio and met friends from Illinois to camp out at Top of the Caves campground in Hocking Hills State Park. Well, technically next to it. Either way, it is a very beautiful place! Once again, the weather was colder than expected, but not so much this time. The first night was a but chilly, not Assateague chilly thankfully, and after that it was really nice camping weather.
Our first excision was to Old Man Cave. After a short hike from our campground, we came out on top of this huge recess cave complete with a trickling waterfall.

We also found a malfunctioning water fountain that shot the water about twenty feet away.  Jason kept trying to get Lyla to put her face down and let him turn it on, but she wouldn't.  Smart girl.

I don't know how I got away from the weekend with only a handful of pictures from the actual campsite.  That's where we spent most of our time.  I guess we were too busy cooking and eating and singing and laughing.  We ate lots of super yummy campfire food and we all agreed that pie irons are the best thing ever! We made pizza pockets, cream cheese blueberry pockets, cinnamon rolls, peanut butter and chocolate chip pockets, even our smores in the irons.  The peanut butter and chocolate chip pockets was my favorite.  Tink went with us and spent her time at the campsite nussled down in the weeds on the edge of the sight or sleeping in someone's lap or sleeping bag.

We also visited Cedar Falls.  There were some unique bridges back and forth across the creek.  And the gorge overlook trail is very nice too.  Lyla kept us all jumping the whole time because she would take off at a run to see over the edge of the various cliffs scaring us all to death.  We thought it appropriate to take her picture with the dangerous cliffs sign.  She, of course also wanted to see very close to a spot called the Devil's Bathtub.  We saw lots of animals over the weekend also: a very pretty snake, interesting moths and spiders, a couple of raccoons who tried to raid our food each night one of whom Will affectionately named "George Cooney."

Our last hike of the trip was to Rock House.  It's hard to envision the huge-ness of this place from the pictures.  It was super cool.  There was an open air cave that you can climb through with enough natural light coming through holes and crevices to see by.  It ends at a step incline that looked like people climb up and down, but it's definitely not the "trail."  So I wouldn't let the girls go out onto the outcrop, but as soon as they walked away I did.  Just to be silly.  Cause it doesn't make my stomach flip to go out there, just to see the girls out there.  The bridge that Robin and Will are standing on is at the bottom of the outcrop.  

We did see nests of swallows and doves nesting with babies up in the cave.  Lyla even got pooped on.  We tried to tell her that it was good luck in some countries, but she would not wear that hoodie the rest of the trip no matter that the poop came off easy.  

 We had a really wonderful weekend.  The girls kept saying "Best Camping Trip Ever!"  And I agree.  Good friends.  Good food.  Good weather.  Good location.  We may just try to make it an annual event!