Backpacking Birthday Bash

Unlike a lot of girls I know, I love camping. There I said it. There is something special to me about being outside away from the commotion of life, breathing in the clean air, and enjoying the view (wow, I need to be careful. I am starting to sound like a tree-hugging hippie. I suppose it comes with the territory, I did, after-all, grow up in Washington). So, naturally I was ecstatic when Isaac offered to take me camping for my Birthday. We planned a three mile, one night, backpacking trip to Silver Lake up American Fork Canyon. Here are some of the highlights and low-lights of our first backpacking trip together:

* The view was incredible, you could see the back of Mount Timpanogos almost the entire way
* We were running a little late, so we didn't have much time before the sun set to pick a spot and set up our tent--however, we found a wonderful spot right next to the lake

* I found out that I sweat, like a lot. More than my husband does. Yuck.
* My bag was heavier than his (or at least that is my defense).

*Isaac disclosed to me that he had carved the name of a girl he liked into the snow on a previous trip to Silver Lake with his brother-- I wanted to go see if it may still be there. Snow is there year round--maybe it hadn't melted. Unfortunately, I never got the chance.

*It was a beautifully clear night and the stars were so bright and beautiful. We found a good rock, grabbed a blanket and laid out on the rock from dusk until we could see thousands of stars. We even saw a couple shooting stars and we each made a wish.
*It may have been a clear night, but we soon discovered that it was a VERY windy night. The trees rustled, the water in the lake sloshed, and our tent flapped all night long. Neither of us really slept more than 3 hours, but it was fun to listen to.

*It was a calm and still morning and the lake was perfectly still
*That is until a high school boys cross country team ran into the clearing, shouting and jumping into the lake. So much for serenity. They were pretty funny though, I must admit.

*We had a great breakfast of pop-tarts, dried mangoes, bagels, and peanut butter which we were able to share with a small chipmunk who wouldn't leave us alone. I swear he ate half his body weight in peanut butter. I hope that we didn't kill the poor thing.

*The hike down was a breeze (unlike the steep climb up) and we made it back in time to fish some in silver lake flat.
*We didn't catch anything, but met a nice family next to us who were willing to share some tips. They may have all been wearing tank-tops and had mullets, but they sure knew how to fish.

*A nice hot shower and a long nap are always so much more enjoyable after a camping trip. Seriously.