Sometimes even a simple overnight camp out can be a challenge.

Grandson Davis Hindson spent July with us, and we had plotted an overnight camp out at Caprock Canyons State Park just for the boys. So we loaded Davis, Aiden, Grandpa and Jake into the Element right after lunch on Monday, July 20. The trip to the canyon was interrupted only by a half hour construction delay south of Floydada.

We registered for a camp site, and enjoyed the drive into the park, taking in red cliffs over the green vegetation. When we reached the Little Red campground, someone else already occupied our favorite site; so we had to do a little scouting around. We found a fine place and proceeded to set up camp.

By the time we had the tent up we were feeling the 104 degree temperature. We could tell by impressions in the campsite sand and by the nearby creek beds that it had rained recently. We built four lizard catchers and set out to see what we might find. Jake almost caught one, but the little guys were just to active and too fast.

I spent a fair amount of time examining crystals in the soil and studying the flora. On one slope I found what I had thought was peyote cactus (Lophophora), because its form and habit resembled a photo I had seen in the 60s. I now doubt that conclusion, but the plant was in blossom and was interesting.

As the afternoon wore on, we all became somewhat enervated, and vainly sought relief from the heat in the shade. At night we all slept on top of our sleeping bags.

We had gone to bed without putting the rain fly on the tent, but lightning some time after midnight inspired Jake and me to put the rain fly in place, despite the warming effect it had on the inside of the tent.

Turned out to be a good thing. It wasn’t long before the thunderstorms came blowing and crashing through the canyon. The storm had more wind than rain, but enough moisture to get many things wet. And there was enough wind to blow around anything that wasn’t tied down.

Aiden and I went to Honey Flat to fill our water jugs, and then we had breakfast before breaking camp and looking for more lizards. We found more horseflies than we did lizards. Next year we may go earlier in the season!