Watch Out for Bears

This weekend I went camping at Red River Gorge in Kentucky which is part of the Daniel Boone National Forest - crossing off #8 on Da List.  Everyone was all worried about Bears.  There was even discussion of downloading a "bear bells app" for our phones (mind you that our phones had no signal in the gorge).  The closet we came to a bear was in the stuffed kind and well a random guy telling me about how he was "getting up on the bears".  

Anyhow we drove down on Saturday morning only to find like 3 campsites open in the national park camp.  So we decided to find another place.  The first place was not really what we wanted 20 other campers on top of you.  Then we found a site at pumpkin bottom campgrounds, which was more our style this was "rugged" camping as in no bathrooms at all - NOT really my favorite however it was close to the Gladies Center where we made friends while using their facilities and getting directions. 

Without cell signals the guys who arrived late had cryptic instructions to find us sent via crazy cell messages which might have dropped several times in the process of relaying the message; however they somehow did find us.   Anyhow we did some hiking and some climbing (Amy also did some jumping and injuring her foot).  We followed up with some tubing which turned out to be an experience - if you are going to tube down the river when the water is low you might want to make sure everyone has their own tube, nobody has a broken foot, and water shoes are a must.  Either way many memories were made and I would do it all again.  Thanks to Faith, Amy, Lynley, Dan, Dustin, Josh for being my companions and champions on this trip it was a great time and for sure a camping trip to measure all other camping trips by - I can't wait to do it all again!

Amy giving cryptic directions.

Lets build a campfire.

Poptarts over the fire - yes this works.

Hot dogs and eggs for breakfast.

Hey look a cave with a lizard in it.

Good hike but hey it's hot outside.

Dan on a rock.  I'm so glad I didn't let him stand on it.

View from the top of the cliff.

Angel Windows Cave.

Someone should have told us this sooner like before Amy hurt herself.  But thanks to the guys for carrying her all day.

And a group photo two + days in the wilderness and this is what we look like.