Garner with Cub Scouts - Wild Texas Forums: Parks, Travel & Recreation

campermom · 04-14-2008, 11:09 AM

By special request, we've added a Spring time family camp out to our den's activity list. We had 7 of our 9 families attend. I arrived about 3 Friday afternoon and chose the 4 sites in Oakmont, near the restrooms, with the tall trees for shade. After making camp, we had a few hours until anyone else would arrive. My son and I went down to the river and started construction on a twig tee pee on the opposite shore of the river by the pavilion. He also swam (in his school clothes) and was cold when he got out. It was difficult to get him to halt construction to return to camp but once I reminded him that all his buddies would be there soon, he dried off quickly.

After a few hours, everyone had arrived. Dinner was not a planned event and each family got something on the way, or brought something. It was nice to see the sons assisting their parents make their tents this time. The last time we camped as a group, the boys just took off to play.

We got the campfire started and enjoyed some s'mores. They ran about playing with sticks in the tall grass, swung each other, four at a time, in the hammock, and took turns tripping over the tie downs for a tent rain fly. No kidding, by the end of the weekend, each kid tripped, at least once. Some just forgot and did it twice.

In the morning, another family and myself were responsible for the breakfast. With a crowd like this, we fed the kids first, then we could enjoy our breakfast sitting down at the table. We used electric skillets for the sausage, eggs, and tortillas. We also had cereal, milk, and juice. It was the birthday for one of the dads so when he arrived at the table,all 8 of the kids sang him happy birthday. It was pretty cute. Most had a milk moustache and pieces of Cheerios on their face. We did have coffee drama. I am not a coffee drinker and totally forgot about it for the adults. A few brought some instant but it's just not the same. Next time, we'll have someone in charge of the coffee. Once the crew was fed and the table was cleaned up, we grabbed our towels, and river shoes and returned to the site of the tee pee.

The boys ran as fast as they could over the baseball sized river rock to get to the lone structure on the shore. Our half fish, half boy quickly removed his shirt and jumped in, only to discover the meaning of Frio. From 9:30-1:00 they played. They gathered more wood and the parents helped. The siblings also helped building. Before it was deemed complete, I noticed a sibling inside. When I asked why he wasn't helping, he looked up at me with a freckled, smiling face and said "I'm taking a break." They brought their towels inside to sit on, or draped them on the outside to provide shade. With their mixed personalities, they worked together as a group, playing for hours, with no arguments, and no whining. Who needs video games when you have sticks, rocks, sunshine, water, and friends?

We rallied the troops to return to the site for lunch. Another 3 families were responsible for lunch prep. We had sandwiches, chips, and pickles. The parents gathered around the buffet table to prepare the mass of sandwiches we needed.

Time to go back to the construction zone, the tee pee needs a greenhouse and a swimming pool. The kids gathered more wood from along the bank where previous floods had left it snagged in trees. Once the greenhouse was complete, the pool idea started. (That wouldn't have ground breaking until Sunday). They swam until 5 when we went back for supper.

Supper was another 3 families responsibility. They served hamburgers cooked on the fire and potato salad. We had to make sure we left room for the dessert, peach and apple cobbler. Between supper and dessert, a small group of us went down to the river by the rock beach and had bats flying all around us. From where we sat under the cypress, we had a great view, viewing upstream, toward the sunset, we saw the silhouette of the mountains. The cypress framed the view. The reflection of the sunset lit the water and the bats swirled about above us. Now, if someone could have just brought the cobbler down there.......

Since the kids played hard all day, they were much easier to get into bed. The parents didn't stay up as late either. I was in the tent by 10. It got much colder on the second night. There were some grumblings in the morning about the cold, and that they didn't bring enough clothes. Something they will need to learn from scouting is to be prepared.

We got breakfast going, later than Saturday, and that was fine with everyone. We all broke camp. Some returned to civilization early because they had other commitments Sunday night. We had half of the families stay until 3 so we could swim again, and complete the tee pee pool. We grilled the remaining hamburgers on a small propane grill by the river. As the other adults gathered their things, I laid on the blanket saying that I didn't want to go. I could have stayed all week. The weather was amazing.

Somehow I ended up with 2 more boxes to bring back to San Antonio. I already had the truck packed pretty full, AND, I was bringing back an additional kid. So, something had to go on the roof rack, and it couldn't be the kid.

I placed a tote which contained our den's stash of plastic utensils, plates, and cups. Somewhere between Hondo and San Antonio it came off. I backed up to get it and as many of the spilled contents as possible. Sorry about the blue foam plates Texas. They were loose and quickly blew into the pasture next to the landing site. There is also a heap of brightly colored utensils there also. It just wasn't safe for me to retrieve it all. I still don't know where the lid, and 3 river shoes are that were up there also. Good thing the new river shoes are all accounted for.

Along with a stop for ice cream, we stopped at Bruce's Rock Shop in Hondo. The boys picked out a surprise bag of rocks which kept them occupied for a while.

We all had a wonderful time with each other and our families. We were blessed to get such a weekend. Shout out to the parents for their help. Thanks!

almitra · 04-14-2008, 11:43 AM

Loved the review---especially as I am a cub scout den leader myself.

srds · 04-14-2008, 12:21 PM

Thanks for sharing Camermom,I,spent the weekend painting house and garage. To knock out the honey doo list

so we have more camping time,I bet it was beautiful weather,can't wait til my Garner fix.Great Post

srds

Have Fun

almitra · 04-14-2008, 01:12 PM

I get 2 Garner fixes this summer! :P

4everfrio · 04-14-2008, 06:41 PM

I'll get my fix in about a month! My whole gang can't wait to get there.
Come on May!!!

srds · 04-15-2008, 12:39 PM

Your going to love it almitra,we are invited to go in June ,but DW's work might win out.Hopefully it will slow down enough by then, otherwise it's August.

srds

Have Fun

honeask · 04-15-2008, 06:00 PM

Hey 4everfrio,
When are you gonna be there? We are gonna be there from May 25 until the 30th, I believe. Staying a mile the other side of Leakey but Garner in on the agenda every day.

Sandy

almitra · 04-16-2008, 12:59 PM

We'll be there June 9-12, then again in late August.

srds · 04-16-2008, 02:14 PM

If we get to go in June we will stay from the 11th thru 15th.Then August 9th thru 14th,Hopefully ,fingers crossed,we will be able to get 2 Garner fixes in.Be sure to take water shoes,or old tennies.Check out you tube under Garner State Park for some clips,you can even hear The Garner State Park Song in clip with little boy dancing,my Ds 5 sings it all time time.

srds

Have Fun

4everfrio · 04-17-2008, 08:30 PM

We will be there May 21 - 26. New Garner, Live Oak area.

almitra · 04-18-2008, 11:10 AM

Booked Old Garner for both of our stays this upcoming summer...hope I made the right choice as I've never been there before.

srds · 04-18-2008, 12:26 PM

Everyone has favorites at Garner,Old is closer to dances and can get a little louder,New park is not as loud.I like them both,Dw and Dd like tent spots in Old better,I'm happy just to be at Garner.Be sure and take some tubes sun screen so you don't roast,and take some firewood if there isn't a fire ban.Theres a H.E.B. close by for supplies.

srds

Have Fun

almitra · 04-19-2008, 08:26 AM

Good to know! I don't have space for tubes, but I hear I can rent 'em there nearby.

4everfrio · 04-19-2008, 10:05 PM

FYI The park store has air to inflate tubes and anything else.

SRDS Where is the closest HEB?? The only one I know about is in Uvalde.
Somehow we always manage to "need" something or honey I left it at home on the kitchen counter. So, off we go on a half day trip to Uvalde. Only 32 more days til ahhhhhh.

srds · 04-20-2008, 02:07 PM

Thats the one, not to bad of a drive,about 25 miles.Lucky you,I dont think Dw's work will allow us to go in June.Still have fingers crossed.
srds

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