Of bugs and rain

Liam and I went camping at Minneopa State Park. I choose this park because in the Dakota language it has been interpreted to mean "water falling twice." There's a dual waterfall, and we like waterfalls. Mind you, I picked and reserved the camp site back in April. This was before the wettest month of June since the mythological Flood.

We arrived on a warm summer day after yet another round of rain. It rained most of the drive. It was raining when we arrived at our campsite; closed due to flooding. It was raining when we went to the ranger station for another. It was raining when we finally got our new spot. And it was raining as I put a tarp over the side of the truck to get a semblance of cover.

But the rains did not deter the mosquitoes. I don't think the damned 'squiters cared that it was raining, it just washed off my DEET and made me a tastier target. Turned out to be the buggiest experience I believe I've ever had. I was beginning to think I had visited Florida.

Liam didn't care. That's the beauty of kids - they don't care. Mud? Don't care. Soaked to the bone? Don't care. Bug bites? Don't care. But he smiled. He played. He dug holes and filled them back up. By the time the hole-digging commenced, they rain had let up. I used the lull to set up our tent, throw in the sleeping bags and clothes. We spent the remained of the evening going for a short walk, cooking dinner, and then we finally fled to the tent to escape the infernal mosquitoes.

The next morning was blue and cool, but ominous clouds were on the horizon. We took Boris for a short walk before making breakfast, then putzed around camp, straightening & cleaning up and such. I wanted to get out before the possibility of afternoon showers, we departed for our first hike of the day, to Seppman's Mill. From camp site to the Mill and with some off-track wanderings, it turned out to an almost five mile adventure. There were mud puddles, flowers, beetles. Bonus -the road was in the open prairie and with the breeze it was magically mosquito-free. Damned near paradise...

And there was a snake, a dead, headless Redbelly snake.

Liam found it, picked it up, examined it, and proceeded to carry it for the next half hour or so. He found the red belly strip was soft, so he decided that was to make it easier to slither. He made stories about how it lost its head. And finally, for some unknown reason, tossed it into the grass to find other adventures.

When we returned to the campsite, lunch and a siesta were in order. We were both hungry, thirsty, and ready to relax for a bit. But it wasn't to last, eventually the incessant pestering of the mosquitoes drove us on to visit another destination, the name-sake double water falls of Minneopa State park.

He loved the falls. It was an exercise in caution to keep him back from the roaring falls and foaming waters of Minneopa Creek. The previous night's rain on top of weeks of precipitaion had made the creek a bit wild. Its turgid waters were brown, the creek bottom hidden from site. But he loved it just the same. We spent several hours enjoying the creek valley, the falls, the cool mist, and a bit of respite from the bugs and afternoon heat.

Liam declared that ice cream, specifically Dairy Queen, was in needed. Here, I resisted. I had no qualms about some cool, tasty ice cream. But not Dairy Queen. When out & about I prefer small, local gems. Mom & pop kinda places enjoyed by locals and unknown to us ignorant outsiders. So on the way out of the park I visited the ranger station and asked of such a place. Low and behold, there was. And charmingly enough it was named Mom & Pops. So back to the truck, 15 minutes later we were standing in line. It was tasty...

Turns out that Liam, after five miles of walking, hiking, climbing, running, and eating ice cream will nap. Not five minutes after leaving Mom & Pops, he was drooped over in the seat. Not snoring, but sleeping. Rather than head straight back to the camp site I drove up and down the Minnesota River valley. He got a good 30 minute nap. After we got back, the snoozing continued for another half hour or so.

The next day's drive home was quiet, peaceful. He day dreamed, not especially talkative. And I thought about the weekend. His lack of grumbling about the weather or bugs. His excitement over a dead snake and waterfalls. His quiet, innocent & sweet ramblings at bed time. His reaching over and touching my arm as we dozed off to sleep.

It was a good trip.

For the curious, a few more pics at the clicky clicky.