Ethor the Great is seven now, and I figured we were past due for a father and son camping trip. We had done some camping in the back yard, but of course that is not quite the real deal. This past summer had gotten away on me with other business, and I the weather was starting to get colder. At this altitude and this close to the Rockies, even in the middle of summer, a hot day cools off quick once the sun goes down. It is not that uncommon for a nighttime temperature of around 10C. Once you get to late August or early September frost warnings become regular. I had hoped to take him camping one night over the Labour Day weekend, but the temperatures were forecast to be wet and cool during the day, and just above freezing at night. We made a last minute decision to go camping just two days before school started. This meant that Ethan’s last day of summer would start with waking up in a tent with his dad! Not a bad way to send off the summer.

Naomi helped me gather together food and supplies to use that evening, I borrowed a two man tent from my brother-in-law (instead of our giant family tent), snuck out of work early and went to a nearby campground, Red Lodge Provincial Park.

Mid week in the last week of August, the place was pretty quiet. We had a nice spot near the river. After erecting the tent, Ethan got things situated inside while I got to work on the fire and cooking supper. Afterwards, we went for a hike by the river (with the slingshot) and then back for a snack and finally bed. We listened to light rain on the tent as Ethan drifted off.

During the night there was a thunderstorm that went overhead, but we stayed dry in the tent and we both had a pretty good sleep. Ethan woke up for his last day of summer break before school, and we cooked up some breakfast, packed up and headed back home so I could get to the office. A short, but fantastic little trip with my son.

Can’t wait to do this again next year!