Camping at Idyllwild State Park

Instead of basting a turkey and then sitting around a table eating ourselves silly, we opted for a low-key Thanksgiving this year.

A healthier alternative that included hiking and shivering.

Packed the tent, sleeping bags, chairs, cooler and cold-weather clothes and headed to the campground in Idyllwild.

Fall colors were incredible.

We were one of about six families in the entire place when we arrived and set up.

Used the family canvas tent my parents passed down to us. Years of memories and overwhelming musty smell (took care of that with a vinegar bath in the driveway before we left town).

Spotted a home-made bow hanging at our site.

All ready for four days of fun in the wilderness.

Summit Loop --- steep uphill and meandering downhill.

Unusual rock indentations.

Stopping to catch our breath.

Reached 80 degrees by midday.

Trees and trees and then some more trees.

With mountain tops peeking through.

View from our campsite.

Thanksgiving Meal: baked potatoes wrapped in foil and turkey balls (mixture of ground turkey, panko, egg, peppers and onions).

Giving thanks late into the night as we burned log after log in the campfire...

Because the minute we stepped away from the fire it was FREEZING COLD.

Layers of clothes, wool mittens and wool hat and wool socks, stuffed into my mummy sleeping bag and still managed to shiver through the night.