Ward Camp Out at Chau Ram County Park

This weekend (Nov 5-6) was the ward camp out. Usually, we have it at Camp Crescent on Lake Hartwell. I LOVE Camp Crescent and was very sad to learn this year that the camp out would be at a different location. Chau Ram County Park down in Westminster, SC. The drive was longer, but the park was very pretty. Different than what we were used to, but still fun. We got down there around 6:00, set up our tent, visited at Mom & Dad's campfire, and then we all at supper at the Hotham's campsite. Sister Sandy Taylor made the most delicious potato soup EVER for supper. Oh my goodness it was so good. After we visited there for awhile we went back to Mom & Dad's and visited a little bit, went back to the Hotham's and visited a little bit, and then went to our tent. We watched National Treasure on the lap top before going to bed. It was freezing outside...literally. But we had a space heater in our tent and good sleeping bags, so we were okay temperature-wise. If only our air mattress hadn't leaked. : ( Even more sad is that I just bought it on last week because my old one leaked. Lame-O. And very sad. Saturday morning we got up around 8:30, at breakfast (thanks Mom!) and then went walking on one of the many hiking trails before heading home...

No make up...I was camping.

I almost stepped in this water hole. Jonathan suggested diving into it instead...

The sky was such a pretty blue I wanted a picture. Jonathan just couldn't smile for me. He wanted to go for the ponderous look instead.

It really was a very pretty river!

The "longest suspension bridge in the county." That claim on the website made me chuckle. I don't know how many suspension bridges there are in that county, but surely it's not very many?

Another try for the blue sky.

Did I mention it was cold? Warning: Bridge ices before road.

Jonathan wrote this one for me. : )

Unlike Camp Crescent, Chau Ram is HILLY. I tried to capture the hill here, but the picture just doesn't do it justice. You can see the tents and pop up at the top of the hill.

Our campsite...note the hill.

Okay, so we were literally leaving the park when I saw this swing. I backed up and told Jonathan we just had to stop. I LOVE to swing. Not on these new safe swings at all the parks these days that don't go very high, but the old swing-really-high swings. I was so excited to see these! It was so much fun. : )

The slide was fun, too!

This was by the playground toys. A timed picture before leaving for real.

We had gone through Clemson on the way down, but traffic was bad, so on the way back we went the Northern route through Pickens. The scenery was MUCH better, too!

Video of the river...I was going to take a picture of Jonathan when I realized it was on video. Oops. So I took a video instead. Sorry it's little!