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The year before this reunion we car camped, but it was unexciting and we all wanted something with a bit more adventure. So we went to Yellowstone NP and combined car camping with a tiny amount of backpacking. We were hoping we could keep incorporating backpacking into our reunions, but that idea was disproved.
We parked at the trailhead and hiked a short way in to our camping spot by a small lake where we went fishing.
Jeremy and I were only able to stay for a day because we were on a very tight schedule and had to get back home for work. We all try to attend all the reunions, but a number of us have missed an entire reunion or arrived late/left early. When you’re dealing with many different work and school schedules, it’s impossible to find the perfect fit for everyone. We all try to be as flexible as possible.
Everyone else visited geysers and hotpots, but we were only able to see a couple on our way out of the park and back home. We returned a few years ago and explored the park a lot more thoroughly.
We love Yellowstone and it’s an adventure in itself, but our campsite was also exciting.
Shortly after pitching our tents, a bison wandered into camp and laid down next to my brother and sister in law’s tent, with their baby napping in the tent. That was just a bit nerve-wracking for everyone, especially my brother and his wife.
Eventually the bison got up and wandered away, though it was later encountered laying across the trail as a group went back to the cars to retrieve some items. We’d already left by that point, so we missed out on that bit of excitement.
We had gorgeous weather, but the wildlife sure kept us on our toes. This reunion was much more satisfying than the previous year’s reunion, but even the small bit of backpacking we did was a challenge for my brother and sister and their families. Backpacking baby gear in doesn’t leave much room for adult gear, and leave no trace applies to dirty diapers too, unfortunately.
The little cutie above is the oldest nephew on my side of the family, and while he was the only grandchild present for two reunions, this reunion marked the end of that. Three grandchildren were present for this reunion, and that number has only gone up with each passing year. Pregnancy, babies, and toddlers have definitely had their impact on our activities in the years since.
My sister hiked through a hail storm while pregnant with her oldest, and she and my sister-in-law brought their babies along while backpacking to our campsite at this reunion. It wasn’t a long trip, but it was long enough to show them, and the rest of us, that backpacking with babies wasn’t something any of us wanted to do in the future. And none of us really wanted to repeat our sister’s experience of backpacking while pregnant, either.
I think this was the true turning point in the format of our reunions. We like being active, but we don’t need to go backpacking to be active. These days we fit at least one or two hikes into each reunion, but we also incorporate other activities that are easier for pregnant women, toddlers, or aging grandparents to participate in. We’ve embraced car camping and renting cabins and condos near lakes and national parks.
Honestly, these changes make the reunions much more enjoyable for everyone, and I’ll talk more about the activities that have become reunion traditions in future posts.
