Keigley Campaign. Paris Mountain.

The forecast said the lows were in the thirties.

(But no rain was predicted.)

Circumstances dictated that we only had one free night instead of our regular two.

Budget restraints dictated that our gas allowance would not stretch to include a two hour or more drive.

But the calendar said the Keigley Campaign was slated for this weekend. And we’ve discovered that if you don’t seize the day, the day seizes you. If you don’t simply make the time, that time always evaporates and is nearly impossible to redeem.

We looked over our map of state parks. We’ve conquered pretty much every nearby park. Except one. One we usually overlook because it’s so near. Because we’ve hiked there and picnicked there. Because we can see it from our front porch.

Paris Mountain State Park.

Ten minutes down the road.

We have visited frequently. But we’d never slept there.

Until this weekend.

Not only was it the shortest drive. It was also the coldest weekend we’ve ever slept outside. Also, we decided it would be a good time to experiment with another first – no tent. Only hammocks. And while we were at it, why not add another first to the list …… we had to hike in to the campsite.

That’s not all that unusual in and of itself for our campaigns. Lots of our campsites are not right beside the car. We prefer it that way actually. We traversed up a trail at Jones Gap and Devil’s Fork. Huntington Beach was a short walk through the woods.

But this? Oh goodness.  This was no short path where the kids could make the walk without our assistance to run the food back to the suburban.

This was a solid two mile hike.  One way.  Over rocky paths and hills and cutbacks.

Two miles with backpacks, sleeping bags, sleeping pads, dinner and breakfast on our backs.

The Real Deal.

Our friend Chris trekked with us for about a mile in. It was good to have his company and extra arms. But then we hoofed the rest as a family. (Minus Riley. She had to work. I don’t think she was as sad as she should have been to miss this family adventure.)

We made impressive time hiking in. Wanting to beat the darkness and excited about the night, we found our campsite beside the North Lake. Kevin and Hawkeye started a roaring fire and the hammocks were secured.

The night was long. And windy. The success of hammock sleeping in the cold seemed to depend entirely on your hammock partner situation.

Scout and Hawkeye endured admirably ensconced as they were together. Mosely insisted on sleeping alone in a hammock situated directly above her snuggled siblings. I bunked with Fox and Kevin shared with Willow.

I think we would have all been fine except for the two a.m. incident.

Mosely needed to use the restroom. She wiggled free from the cocoon we had made for her in the hammock. In her attempt to free herself from her hammock and her many layers of clothes she fell multiple times, hopped around the campsite in despair and nighttime frantic giggles and generally made a ruckus.

All of which I apparently slept through as Fox and I were impervious to the thirty five degree weather and whipping wind in our cozy sleeping bag, layered attire and toasty combined body heat. (Seriously- I was marveling at our comfort level.). If only Fox could have stayed wiggle free it would have been quite dreamy.

At any rate. Kevin placed Mosely on his sleeping cocoon with Willow and he stoked the fire into a roaring warmth and crafted a bit of a bed and barricade out of pine needles and pine branches and settled there for the evening. Feeding the fire every hour and checking on his hammock hanging family, he was our manly provider all night, listening and watching as several old pine trees snapped in the wind and crashed to the ground through the course of the evening.

In the morning we ate our hard boiled eggs and tangerines and bananas. We drank our water and packed up our hammocks.

The hike out felt more brutal. We were hot carrying and wearing our many layers and the sun was shining beautifully. The kids were tired and Kevin was exhausted and our packs felt extra heavy somehow. Plus, I tripped on the way in and my ankle was letting me know how unhappy it was.

But those kids – save a few cries of desperation from a three year old – were seriously incredible troopers.  They carried more than their fair share.  Mosely even volunteered to haul Willow’s backpack when she needed a break.  It was lovely to witness. Scout encouraged Fox and held his hand.  They spoke kind words and did not complain.  It was magical.

And that sort of miracle is exactly why we started this Keigley Campaign to begin with.

The hope that carefully placed hardship could bond our little band together. That adventure and challenge would bring us closer and higher than comfort and ease could.

What pride those chaps had as they finished that lengthy hike. How thrilled we all were to see our Suburban at trail’s end. You could literally see their little limbs work harder and endure more when Kevin would praise their good attitudes and incredible efforts on the trail. Good words have such power.

And so I’m glad we slept outside in hammocks in thirty degree windy weather. I’m glad Scout hiked four miles carrying a heavy load on her nine year old back. I’m glad we decided to risk it instead of sleeping in our comfortable and warm beds that Saturday night.

I love the opportunity to be proud of these kids and what they are willing to endure without complaint. To see them struggle and rise above.

It was certainly a first for us in many many ways. But a rousing success too I’d say. Despite the pine bed and cold wind and long trail. Or maybe because of.

Regardless, I consider myself incredibly blessed to be able to experience that memory with our ones.