“Into the woods we go…” (Part 1)

The Jeep packed to the tippy-top
Photo by “Tina”

Camping has become a yearly tradition for the “Familia Hurón.” Meaning a family of ferrets because we are a rather social group when together, can become territorial, and when one goes…well…they all go. Now if you are so lucky and do make it into the “Circle of Trust,” be it through dating, or friending one of our family members then you have just made the jackpot and will be included into the wolf pack without a 13 moon ceremonial dance as done for those wanting to join a clan they were not born into. Just be ready because we laugh, we cry, we may dance, joke in fun, and will put you through work no matter how much of a “Noob” you are, as my kids so eloquently put it. Little kids may run naked or barefoot and the older kiddos may device new and awkward games to stump that one “funny uncle,” but “hey, we wouldn’t have it any other way,” so if you are overtly sensitive, edgy, or easily offended well, just stay your ass home while we get out there and enjoy “Mother Earth.”

Destination map
by Google

This year we took a short trip out to the North Shore Campgrounds, located in the San Bernardino Mountains. Right in between Lake Arrowhead and Big Bear Lake. It was a short one, but gave us that huge breath of fresh and non-polluted air that we so needed to continue the rest of 2015 and start the new school year with a “bang.” There was that moment when the family hadn’t booked anything this year, but the kiddos sure needed a distraction to the random and irrational departure of loved ones that made promises and then broke them. Yes, it has been a pretty rough year as there have been plenty of ridiculous feuds, financial hardships, health issues, or just the lack of “ooooommmmpppphhhhh.”

On our way to the North Shore Campgrounds.
Photo by Karen Zea

Our beautiful California has had her own baggage to add, as the drought has been taxing her water supply of fun; taking from us the tradition of campfires to a level of non-existence due to wildfires, and caused some of our stay-at-home mommies to return to work for the sake of helping to fund these trips or extra-curricular activities in a state that just keeps getting more and more expensive to live in, but like I said before, “we wouldn’t have it any other way“, because we are from “Cali,” and she is the only one we will ever call “home.”

Scenery on our way.
Photo by Karen Zea

We begin our trip to the voice of Chris Pine singing, “Into the woods we go…,” with a blinding star-gazed image of him standing at the top of a mountain glorifyingly ripping his shirt open. Our German Shepherd Zeus wagging his tail in stride thinking that he is going out on one of those long walks that he and daddy share…but wait…there was packing…and the entire family is going this time. We have packed the Jeep to the tippy-top. A second car is filled to the max capacity because my niece’s boyfriend and best friend are coming with us making our crew; a party of eight plus one dog. We would reach our destination and meet up with another five family groups traveling from different starting points. This making it a total of another eighteen members of “La Familia Hurón.” A total of seven cars, diverse personalities, and boy a variety of taste in music. Yes, you know who you are….that one rather loud and gregarious high school soccer kid that drives us bananas with his funky music in tow. It is a small group this year, but “hey, glad you could all make it and not bail last minute….”

The motion sickness got the best of Zeus
Photo by my “Chica”

The roads were windy and curvy and we had one frightful scare that left me in a panic because one not so careful semi-truck driver decided to take both lanes on a sharp turn at a ludicrous speed on his downhill commute. The Hubby, my “Wolverine,”as mentioned in my previous blogs, was our driver and he earned himself a gazillion bonus points and one extra life source by avoiding the crazy wreck that could have unfolded. I spent about thirty minutes calming my 15 year old “Rocker” kid that was about to have an anxiety attack, hyperventilate himself into a state of syncope, and console my very frightened “Chica,” that earlier had been glued to the sounds secretly playing from her headphones to the voice of Katy Perry or whatever Japanese song she was into at that moment. I reminded them that they will always be safe because “Wolverine” would never let anything happen to them. Zeus was calm and a very well-behaved furry creature that showed signs of motion sickness as he tried his hardest to fall deep into sleep during our two hour commute up the mountains and every once in a while would wake up for reassurance that we weren’t just making the long trip to drop him off in some deserted canyon.

My Niece’s View
Photo by “Tina”

Now, while my niece is the eighteen year old driver that we will call “Tina“in the car that follows, her fearless nature reminds me of a darker, but just as skilled, Charlize Theron’s Imperator Furiosa in Mad Max. She is a ballsy and get-down-to-business kind of gal for her age even when quiet. I love her more than she will ever know and am happy to know that she will be okay after all. She is always ready for whatever is thrown her way even if she has to re-adjust those big brown eyes that hide behind her black-thick-rimmed glasses. She is also the girl that is learning to avoid taking no for an answer, getting out there and making it happen, and she is getting the rest of my pack there as she rides with the boyfriend. We shall call him, “Bruce Wayne.” He doesn’t know it yet, but he will soon get a full taste of what it is to be dating or possibly marrying into an entire Latino family and all that it entails. WINK…WINK… because they never just let you marry the girl…you marry the whole family right? Her best friend “Jazzy-Jazz” is also joining us on her first camping trip ever and is a huge blessing as she has so much in common with my little “Chica” and knows how to calm her down as easy as “1-2-3.” Like I said, “a blessing.” My 14 year old silent, but observant thinker sits with them, quietly taking it all in and ready to be one with “Mother Earth“as he is the child born on Earth Day.

Zeus the Nervous Nelly

We arrived at about 2:30 p.m. on a beautifully sunny and clear afternoon. That “funny uncle” that I once mentioned was already there with his little crew and they were setting up shop at this very peculiar tree decorated by holes filled with nuts. A woodpecker with a beautiful red crest was a permanent resident throughout our stay . Nature at its best. His son, my nephew, we will call him “Tarzan,” ran barefoot, yielding a huge stick reminding me of a scene from “Lord of the Flies,” he was the leader of his pack and was looking for new followers. He called out to mine with a huge grin because he was deeply elated to be camping with his family once again. The quick hellos followed by all and on we went to unload and set-up camp. Zeus came out to stretch his limbs, barking at anything and everything. This was his first trip to the woods and he was not having it, the Nervous-Nelly wanted to go home where he would be safe and sound. What a baby…he would obviously be sleeping with us tonight because he truly was the baby of the house. We tied him to our Jeep; his safe haven and began to establish our tent. He whimpered and thrashed around in a desperate attempt to be as close to mommy and daddy. We gave him a brand new bone to keep him busy, but he was pooped and took a nap, while we got down to business.

Zeus and his new bone exhausted by the trip
Photo by “Tina”

We upgraded this year, to a twelve person Instant Cabin tent, you know the kind that doesn’t take a “Pitching a Tent for Dummies 101” manual and so we wouldn’t get on each others nerves in an attempt to get it up this year. Rest assure that my “Wolverine” still made that possible as they built and relocated our tent to three different spots until he was content.They unloaded the rest of our get-up and I was glad that there were so many abled young people to help my husband because I was already in pain and the atrophy in my left leg was literally killing me. I hadn’t slept since yesterday preparing for this trip, but “hey we wouldn’t have it any other way” because this is what my kids live and breathe for; making it that much more worth the pain…even if I’d feel like a trash truck hit me come Monday morning….hence, the why I haven’t posted on my blog for a while…

Third times the charm, pitching the tent
Photo by “Bruce Wayne”

Cont’d on next blog “Into the woods we go…” because this shit is getting pretty long…. (Part 2)