A Tonsager Tribute: Cook Lake Memorial Weekend

Our First Off Grid Adventure of 2013 was on Memorial Day at Cook Lake, WY....

We went with our sister, brother-in-law and nieces. Cook Lake is located between us and them so it seemed like a good meeting spot. We had never been there before, but anywhere in the hills is a great spot for an off-grid adventure.

It really wasn't that far from Belle but the road was low maintenance and top speed was 30mph. It was a very pretty drive.

We came upon a draw and it looked like a fire had come down the hill and through the draw, then up the next hill. Come to find out, this was a tornado from a couple years back. I remember doing a little chasing on it but nowhere close to where it actually touched down. I never put two and two together until my in-laws had told me the year and how far we were to the neighboring town that had been the reference point for me. It was on my birthday in 2009.

Here is an article on it: "Tornado destroys 3 NE Wyoming Homes..."

my tiny chasers

See entire album HERE.

back to Cook......

We almost thought we were lost when we finally found a sign that said a couple more miles that way.

Setting up camp....

Mark and Jenn have a great camp cook setup. They have a camping kitchen and a dutch oven. They also have a pop-up, a 4 wheeler and a truck. One day we will get there.

For now, I rather like our cozy tent and everything does fit in our van...for now.

Camping food is quite possibly the best food ever. It doesn't matter what it is.... well it does, but everything tastes better when you are camping. Whether it be because you are more hungry, your senses are more acute or you are at peace with your natural surroundings, everything just tastes better. I must say, we do pick good meals to cook though. It starts with a meal plan...

Angry these won't upload the correct direction.

We each (family) decided on a couple of meals and who would bring what. We also decided on when we would cook what....we only switched around two meals in the end and forgot only one side...not too bad. (We won't mention what particular necessity I did forget that Wayne had to drive back to town for that took 2 hours OOOPS). We all cooked and ate together...

Camp Kitchen....

Breakfasts included pre-made breakfast burritos wrapped in foil and re-grilled...makes the edges crisp like a chimichanga and again, everything is better grilled. Those are my favorite...

We also had sausage and eggs, pancakes, bacon and coffee fresh brewed in a camping pot...YUM.

Lunches were your regular camping favorites; hamburgers, brats, cowboy beans, baked beans, chips & plugger < See Plugger Dip Recipe Here >

Snacks were crackers, fruit and applesauce go packs...

Suppers were the really good stuff. We made steak and tin taters on the fire one night....

Another night we used Mark & Jenn's dutch oven. She made Pot Pies and Cobbler. SERIOUSLY good food. A dutch oven is a must for the Tonsagers before next camping season!!

Of course there were also s'mores around the campfire....

The fog was so thick and it was cold so everyone had a campfire going. All the smoke was trapped under the clouds. It was nauseating.

...and don't forget the alcohol.

Cook Lake was beautiful.

We went on many walks and bike rides.

We found Thor's Hammer!!!!

Giant Ant Hills

We didn't know there would be a river to cross on the trail!! Wayne put the stroller with the sleeping baby on his shoulder and went across the rocks to the other side without faltering. The baby continued sleeping!!! I was totally impressed!!

Cheaters!!!! Wayne took a shortcut then went back to find Zach who had fallen behind, possibly crashed.

We also started hiking up the Cliff Swallow trail. We got a ways up with the jogging stroller and all 4 boys before there was too much debris and a biker who looked at us like we were nuts with the kids and stroller saying that it was pretty rough the further up you go.

The boys left marks on rocks, so they could find their way back down they said.

There were some pretty views up top.

I'm going to call BS on this calories burned, it was pretty strait up.

There were a couple thunderstorms building and passing through.

The Besich's 4 wheeler got some good use...

We also played games and did scavenger hunts.....

We have never had issues with kids and camping, or babies and camping. It's a natural way of things if you ask me. We bring minimal entertainment and let them explore and learn through their environment.

apple in one hand, worm in the other

Some of the favorite passtimes our littles have are hide and seek, worm hunting, playing in the tents, digging and hauling dirt and pine needles, building with sticks and moss and coloring rocks and sticks.

When it was time to leave we packed everything but the tent and tried to soak up an hour of sunshine to dry it out. It began to sprinkle right after we packed it up.