Jordan and Boomer, were waiting in the car even before anyone else was awake. We're going camping screamed Jordan loudly. Ruff ruff, barked Boomer. Jordan? Jordan? yelled Amanda, where are you? Me and Boomer are in the car mom. We are ready to go. Amanda laughed. Get your butt in this house and eat your breakfast. We have a lot to do before we go anywhere. Jordan sighed and went into the house. After breakfast Ken and Jordan began packing the car Where is your fishing pole Jordan? asked Ken, I have to pack it with the rest of the gear. I'm getting it dad, yelled Jordan as he ran back into the house excitedly. Mom, asked Jordan, where is my fishing pole. Look in your closet said Amanda. Mya and mom were packing the last of the food and cooking utensils. Jordan, said Amanda, after you get your pole, help Mya and I, carry all the food to the car. We are just about ready to leave. After the car was packed Mya, Jordan, and Boomer hopped into the back seat. Jordan was squeezing Mya's hand so hard. We're going camping Mya, he said. We're really going camping. Amanda and Ken locked the house and jumped into the car too. Ok kids, buckle up for safety, said their father. When everyone was buckled up, Ken started the car. Jordan let out a loud squeal. He couldn't contain his excitement. He had heard many stories of camping from his mom and dad, and his aunts and uncles. Campfires, fishing, swimming, hiking, cooking, hunting for bugs and little critters, playing in the little streams, sleeping bags, tents, and the animals that come out at night. Are we there yet? asked Mya. Ken smiled and said, we just left Mya. The camp ground is way up by poppops house. It's in the same park you went hiking with poppop when you got to ride in the helicopter. Stokes State Forest was located near High Point State park in Sussex County New Jersey. Do you remember that hiking trip asked Amanda. I sure do said Mya. Me too, said Jordan. Dad, asked Jordan, can we get up early and see the sun come up on Sunrise Mountain while we are camping? We'll see said Ken. As they drove, the houses became more scattered, and the land outside the car turned to mostly woods. At one point they had to stop while a long train was crossing the road. It was really cool. There was a pond right where they stopped. Can we go and find frogs by the pond? asked Jordan. You can find all the frogs you want once we get to the campsite said Amanda. Eventually Ken pulled into the bait shop near the state forest. Ok let's go in and see what we need. Ewe, said Mya it smells in here. Ewe yea said Jordan it does. That's just the baitfish you smell said Ken. Amanda got some worms, while Ken got the bait fish. The shop had all kinds of things for camping, hunting, and fishing. We saw bow and arrows, guns, fishing poles, and all kinds of supplies. It's a good thing they have all this stuff dad, said Jordan. If anything happens, we can come here and get stuff. Yes we can said Ken, but I think we are well prepared for our trip. Besides the others will all be bringing things too. Others? asked Jordan. Who else is comming? asked Mya. Ken looked at Amanda, Amanda said, you'll just have to wait and see. While Ken paid the man for the fishbait, Amanda and the kids went to the car and let Boomer out so he could stretch and go to the bathroom. Ok said dad, everyone back in the car. We're almost there. Again Jordan let out a big loud squeal. Mom, Mya asked quietly, will it be scary in the woods at night? We have lanterns Mya, and we will also have a big campfire, so there will be plenty of light. I'm scared Mya whispered. Don't be scared Mya, said Jordan, I will be with you the whole time. That made Mya feel better. She thought of the tunnels under the zoo. And then she remembered their old friend, Running Rabbit... There it is screamed Jordan. The big brown sign says Stokes State Forest. This is the place we went hiking with poppop. Ken turned right into the small road and drove down to the park office. It was closed. Ken drove back out to the main road. WAIT! WAIT! said Jordan, we have to go camping. You promised, you promised he cried. Relax Jordan said his dad, we are already registered and mom downloaded the park map on her phone. We are going to site number 16. It is right on the Flatbrook River, in the Lake Ocquittunk camping section. It has the best fishing hole among all the campsites there. Ken drove another mile or so and again turned right. After about two miles, he turned into the Lake Ocquittunk camping area. See that building on the left, said Amanda, that is the bathroom and showers. There are also small out house toilets right by the camp. As they slowly drove down the dirt road, Jordan and Mya were looking at everything. They saw the lake, some cabins on the hill, and people camping all over. Ken pulled into site 16. It was on a one way road that went in a circle with campsites all the way around. Hey dad, isn't that uncle Zach's truck, asked Jordan? There's uncle Ben and Uncle Jonny too, said Mya. There's Aunt Kim and Max, and Ayla and aunt Alex too mom, screached Mya. We're gonna have a great time. I thought you were scared Mya , asked Amanda? Not anymore mom. Not any more. Ok said Ken, Let's say hello to everyone, and then we have to set up camp and unpack all the gear. Ok dad, said Jordan and Mya, you can count on us to help. Ayla and Max ran over to greet Mya and Jordan. They gave each other great big hugs and were so happy to see each other. This is great, said Max, we are all gonna camp out together. I agree said Ayla. We haven't see you guys since the zoo. This is gonna be really cool. Alrighty said Ken, come on kids we have work to do. First Amanda put Boomer on his chain. He wasn't allowed to run free in the park. Ken and Jordan began to set up the tent. They unfolded and stretched it out over a spot with thick soft grass, so they had some cushion. Hand me the tentpoles asked Ken? Jordan handed them up in a flash. Within no time at all they had set up the tent. Mya and Amanda were now bringing over the sleeping bags and pillows and making the inside look like a huge sleeping room. Ken tied some rope high in the trees and hung a tarp over the area in case of rain. Jordan and Mya pulled the small wagon with the water bottles to the spring and filled them with fresh water. Well said Ken, only one thing left to do. I got this one said mom. Amanda had a great big armfull of firewood and dropped it by the metal fire ring. Then she gathered some kindeling. Kindeling is small pieces of wood that will light on fire very easily. Amanda set the little pieces in the ring standing up like a little tent. She had a couple of napkins crushed into little balls underneath. She lighted the match and then lit the napkin. In seconds the little sticks caught fire and she began to add larger pieces of wood. Where di you learn to do that mom, asked Jordan? Poppop! where else, Amanda said giggling. Where is poppop asked Mya? Pop pop and grandma are home. Uncle Chris and aunt Sam might bring them down for a visit tonight or tomorrow. After the camp was set up, and the fire was going good, time to relax announced Ken. Mya and Jordan went to play with Ayla and Max. Aunt Kim, Alex, Uncle Zach, Jonny and Ben, gathered around the fire with Amanda and Ken. The stream looks like there will be good fishing said Ken. Zach already caught a few brook trout said Jonny. Look what I brought said Ben. He was holding a small water float board he had from the shore last summer. I remember when I was little, riding one like this right in the river on this very site. I think the kids will enjoy it as much as I did. Yea said Zach laughing, I remember you falling off and almost drowning. Amanda got that worried look on her face and said maybe we should put the board away. But it was too late. Jordan grabbed the board and splash!!! He was in the stream. Ayla and Max jumped in almost on top of him. Ben told Jordan to carry the board to site 15 up the stream. Jordan did. Everyone was watching as he came crashing and splashing downstream on the board. When he hit the big water hole by us he stopped. Max went next. Then Ayla. Uncle Zach carried the board for Mya, who by the way was terrified, and calmed her down reasuring her it would be fun. Mya slowly got on the board in the water. Everyone was cheering her on. As soon as she started floating down the stream, her frown turned to smiles from ear to ear. Nothing but teeth. When she stopped, she grabbed the board and started to run back upstream. It's my turn hollered Jordan. Mya stopped and gave him the board. For the next two hours the kids just played in the stream. Up and down the stream they went. Crashing and splashing and having a wonderful time. Everyone brought food and cooked on their own fires and camp stoves. All the food went onto one big table. There was chicken, hot dogs, hamburgers, potato salad, macaroni salad, even pickles and coleslaw. Uncle Zack cooked up the fish he caught. There were three big cooler jugs on the table too. One was juice. One was water. And one was ice tea. Ayla, Jordan, Max and Mya sat near the warm fire drying off as they ate. Jonny and Zach were tying a garbage bag into the tree on a slide knot. What is that for asked Max? Well said Zack, all the garbage goes in this bag, and at night we pull the rope and it will hang high in the tree so the bears don't get it. BEARS? Cried Ayla. Don't worry Ayla said Jordan, we get bears at poppops all the time. They want food, not us. If we see one we just walk quietly away and tell an adult. I want to see a bear said Max. If you guys are good said Ken, when it gets dark, we will drive over to the big dumpster area. Sometimes the bears go there because they smell the old rotten food people throw away. I'll be good said Max. Aunt Kim and Aunt Alex were lighting their lanterns as the sun was getting very low and sinking behind the mountain. The fire was burning bright and marshmellows were on the sticks roasting in the fire. After eating a couple each, the kids seemed to have more energy. Who want's to go see the bears chimed Ken? I do, said Max. Me too, and me. I'll go. It seemed everyone wanted to see the bears. They took a couple of cars and all drove over to the dumpsters very slow. Look kids, said Ken. Ahead in the headlights there were five or six big black bears. There were also a couple of really small ones too. The bears were climbing on the green dumpsters looking for a way in to the garbage. How long will they do that asked Jordan? Not too long said Ken. When they realize they can't get in, they will go look somewhere else for food. Yea said Max, like our campsites. Ayla thought about the garbage bag hanging in the tree at the campsite and knew max was right. Ken and the others backed the cars up and headed back to the site. When they got back to the site, everyone sat by the fire talking and telling stories, some which were really scarry. Kim and Alex took their lanterns over to their tents to get ready for bed. And one by one, so did everyone else. The only light was from the campfire and that was burning low. It was pitch black outside now. What was that noise asked Mya? What noise, asked Jordan? I think I heard it too said Ayla. Max sat still and listened hard. It sounded like someone was walking in the woods over there said Mya. Bears, said Ayla. It must be the bears. I think you guys are imagining stuff said Jordan. But still the kids got up and went over by their parents near the tents. Jordan took boomer off the chain and put him in the tent. Everyone went into their tents and got into their sleeping bags. It felt good to go to bed. Mya, Ayla, Max and Jordan were tired and despite being a little scared, they fell fast alseep. End part one.