We headed out of town for the UEA weekend for a little adventure to the middle of nowhere. Jer and I started looking for places to go for a little outdoors getaway and couldn't decide and then we remembered how much fun we had staying in a yurt at City of Rocks last year, so we started looking for yurts. We found one out in the middle of nowhere in the mountains off of Hwy 21 between Idaho City and Lowman..like I said in the middle of nowhere. The closest I've ever been to this neck of the woods was a river trip to the Payette a few years back. We decided what the heck, reserved it, and made a weekend out of it.
The yurt is operated by Idaho Parks and Rec and was located in a really pretty location with a trail system for mountain biking and for skiing in the winter. We stayed at the Banner Ridge yurt. Our "circle house" as Ian called it was pretty nice with a two burner propane stove and a wood burning stove. Our digs also included an outhouse with no door and then a firepit/picnic area. The kids called all the open space in between the backyard. It really was like having our own little compound out in the woods. We had to haul in our own water for cooking, washing, etc. It was like being a pioneer for a few days. A yurt is an awesome way to "camp" with kids because you're actually in a real structure and have a place for all their junk. It also had a deck with amazing views. From the dirt road where you park you take a trail that switchbacks down about 300 yards to the yurt. We (that would be Jer) used the bike trailer to make a bunch of loads back and forth getting all of our stuff down there. The kids had lots of fun riding their bikes down the winding trail. Luke could usually negotiate the hair pin turns...Seth not so much.
Breakfast in the yurt. In the mornings it was only in the 30s, so we ate inside. We also read in the log from the guests before us that there had been some bear activity in the area (for the first time in 15 years) including a bear on the deck, so we were really careful with our food...no need for extra guests.
A shot of the kids at the fire pit area from the deck. We enjoyed s'mores in the cold the second night.
Up a short trail from the yurt there was a lookout and a bench to sit on. The kids had a blast taking their bikes up there and then riding down the steep hill to the yurt. Seth was a little sketched out about it, so I ran alongside him the first few times holding on to the back of his shirt. He is a great bike rider but sometimes get sketched out on steep downhills and takes his feet off the pedals. I have to continually remind him, "Brakes!" I'm not sure who was more likely to pile it up in that setup. I also did the same thing for Ian on his Strider. He had a blast. His bike has no brakes, but he had total trust in me to stop him, and he just picked up his feet and went! We took some cute video of all the kids making their runs.
This helmet has never really fit any of our kids yet we continue to use it. I guess if he fell to the right he'd be good. In the afternoon we went on a bike ride with all the kids. Jer pulled Ian in the trailer. It was supposed to be a "beginner single track." The terrain was actually not that bad but there were all sorts of downed trees and major obstacles in the way. The kids were getting so frustrated trying to haul their bikes over and around major blocks. It was quite an adventure though and whenever we could actually get going and pedal they had fun. There were some big rollers that caused some funny egg beaters. (At one point Luke was so mad at his bike trying to haul it through some thick brush that he said he was just going to write in his journal that he went on a bike ride--that's it, no details because it was so dumb! He got over it. He brought this notebook with him and wrote in his journal each night. He followed this format he's learned in school of four sentences beginning with first, then, next, and finally. I mentioned to him that he could insert other details and deviate from the format--he looked at me like I didn't pass 2nd grade.) Ian went in the craziest trailer ride ever, but he loved it most of all. I haven't ridden on my mountain bike other than to pull Ian in the trailer around the neighborhood for over a decade, but I thought it was so fun. Maybe I need to start getting out again.
The kids did lots of just running around, making secret hideouts, collecting all sorts of large sticks, and just being boys. They got along so great, and I don't think we had any arguments the whole trip. They were also troopers in the car. We borrowed my parent's truck, so they sat right side by side for a very long ride. Idaho City is past Boise--one of the ugliest drives ever. Once we hit Idaho City though it was canyon driving with amazing fall leaves--very pretty!
We did a little hiking around too. Jer and I were commenting about how we let Ian tip over in the backpack last time we used it and then we did it again! Poor kid. He whacked his head off the deck. Oops.
The yurt from below.
When Jer got up to get the stove going again in the morning he quickly lost his spot.
On the last day the boys walked behind Jer carrying loads up to the truck while he made load after load of stuff back up the trail. On the way back down they would all get in the trailer and go for a crazy ride. I knew they were coming each time with all the laughing and yelling.
Dishes were not that fun. I would not like this about being a pioneer. It was a three wash system with some bleach at the end. We used mostly paper but had to wash our cooking stuff.
I spent a bit of time just sitting on the deck reading a book. In the yurt we played games and Luke became obsessed with this brain teaser game in there where you jump pegs over one another in this triangle wood block. I need to get him one for Christmas.
On Saturday it was time to say goodbye to the yurt. We weren't able to rent it another night. The kids were sad to see it go. We took the scenic route home on through Lowman, Stanley, Ketchum for dinner, and then on to Twin Falls. We stayed with the Wards in Twin on Saturday night, and it was great to see them. We showed up totally stinky and gross, and they provided us with showers and cookies! They have a cute family and are such gracious hosts. We went to church with them on Sunday and then hit the road with homemade rolls for the drive home. Thanks Nicole! All in all it was a great weekend of food, fun, and good laughs with my favorite people. It is nice to be with your family away from it all where you don't have anything else to do but hang out with each other! Luke said it was his favorite trip ever (he always says that), and he will remember it forever. I hope so.
