Kickapoo Camping 2018

We had a HOT weekend camping in WI with my in-laws. On the way back, we stopped at another MN State Park to explore. Here are 30 photos from the weekend:

Our new hitch-mounted cargo hauler worked like a charm! Hauled WAY more than
our roof pack, and we had LOTS of room left in the backseat. I'm sold on it.


Henry playing in the campground pool with his cousin.


THIS happened a lot.


The younger cousins loved catching tadpoles in the little pond.


Always eating well! (That's our tent in the background.)


Lots of "the gang."


Tired cousins around the fire.


Grandma was on marshmallow duty!


Charlie enjoying his s'more.

We had a HOT night in the tent. We were dripping sweat putting it up, and we had 2 fans on us all night long. I covered up with a sheet around 2 a.m. At 6, the tent looked like this:

Note where his pillow is and where his head SHOULD be.


Cute guy.


Cousins with squirt guns.


Driving to the Kickapoo River. Yes, my chest *is* that pale.


Ready to canoe! But first, a snack.


In the Kickapoo!




This babe.


Fantastic views. And the nature is pretty too.


Finding some mud to play in. That’s me moments after jumping into crotch-deep mud
on the right. Note my wife’s cousin on the far left with mud up to his mid-back.


Bringing the boys across the river to play in the mud.


Us big kids supervising the little kids as they played in the mud.


Heading back across with my nephew and son.


Lots of views like this.


The older cousins and my wife’s aunt.


Charlie sipping on root beer with the ladies.


My wife had glorious views of my back.


Off the river after 5 hours!


Changed into dry clothes and passed out in the car.

Night #2 was HOTTER. It was in the mid-90s during the day, and SUPER humid. On the previous night, at least a front moved through and knocked it down by about 10 degrees just before we went to bed. That didn’t happen on the 2nd night. I hardly slept. I just laid flat on my back without any covers and tried to cool down for 8 hours. I was able to sleep off-and-on from 2-5 a.m.

Breakfast with Grandma Mon!


A Father’s Day photo with Papa Bry as we packed up.

We made a quick stop on the way home to get our 20th MN State Park stamp (since last July) in our “passport” at Great River Bluffs State Park. We went on 3 short hikes:

The “North Overlook” if I’m not mistaken, 500’ above the Mighty Mississippi.




Right on the edge of a cliff overlooking the South Overlook.




One final overlook. Quite the views.


A final selfie before leaving the park!...


… then a 2 hour drive that looked like this.