Sequoia National Park..Bears and Caves!!

We have just finished our latest adventure..and that is what they are turning into. Grandpa and I have very little experience with this camping thing, but we are learning along with the kids..lol!! Last week-end we went to Sequoia National Park with the intention of visiting  Crystal Caves. Now after our last 3 adventures Grandpa and I drove up to the park for the day, a week ahead of time to check everything out..we did this because we have learned our Grandchildren need the security of knowing we know what we are doing! What a difference this made on our trip, I am guessing that teenagers today have no tolerance for inactivity.  That may come from the fact that in a video game do overs are processed with friends online and require no real investment in time or energy, or just may be the impatience of youth, which after a 20 year break of raising them I must of forgotten about.

We headed up after work on a Friday night, kids, us and the trailer( which I am beginning to think we need a name for, other then the turtle shell) actually knowing where we are going this time. We are also heading up with a new game plan..decision making for the older ones creates uncertainty, Kane who is 5 and a natural born leader has no problem with it, but the teenagers have a real issue with this..so only Grandpa and I are leading this trip. what a break and release this turned out to be for Jordan, after all he is always responsible for his brothers until his Mom gets home from work. I should of recognized this much sooner since this was the position Dave was in..but as I said I had a 20 year break from this kind of thing.

We camped in Dorst Creek campground on opening day in space 45, which when we return we will use again. From our other camping adventures I had learned that the "FUN" food being up for grabs is an issue, so each boy had his own basket of fun food limiting any arguments about who got the most chips(yes I know, teens are very protective of this kind of junk food, but as I said I had a 20 year break)!!

The following morning we headed for Crystal Caves after buying our tickets at Lodgepole visitor center, which turned out to be an exciting adventure on it's own. As we are heading down the middle third of a very twisting road a large BEAR dripping wet sprang into the road in front of us, barley giving us enough time to stop, even only we were only going about 15 miles per hour around the curve..The reaction was fantastic!! 

The bear sprang to the middle of the road, sprang to the edge of the road making eye contact with Jordan and then sprang out of sight...what do you say at this point, I no longer had to remind them there was to be no food in the car and when we arrived at Crystal caves they were the first to put our snacks into the bear boxes provided!

Crystal caves is truly something worth seeing if you have the chance..just the hike down to the cave is worthy of experiencing!! Kane was proudly carrying his Junior ranger book and filling it out as we went..but then we got to the caves and silence was all we heard as we entered!

The boys were awe struck, followed directions and vowed that this was the best cave yet!! Kane worked on his Junior Ranger book and made friends with our guide Miles who is a student and working with the caves. 

Now this is becoming the trip of a lifetime..here Miles is talking with Kane who is so proud of learning about the caves and the "up-stairs bat rooms". I so hope Dave is watching his son grow in such self-confidence..He would be so proud!

After the caves finding a place to park became an issue so when we did finally find one we opted to use the shuttles to finish our adventures!

We finished with the "trees"...well the trees are okay, but the caves are AWESOME" ..I think when we set up everything after Nov. it will include caves..LOL