Our Plan:
1. Short hike and viewpoint
2. Check into cabin
3. Ape Caves hike (Mom stays at the cabin while Dad, Tyson and Summer do the caves-aprox. 2 hrs)
4. Dinner at campsite (walking tacos)
5. Bed
Next day...
1. Breakfast (made at camp--eggs and sausage)
2. 1 hour hike (lava canyon)
3. Shorter lava caves
4. Head home
Mike had originally planned a third day to go to the other side of the mountain where there is a visitors center and better views of the volcano, but since Tyson was only home for 6 day and my knee was still bad, he shortened the trip.
Well, this is how our trip went:
1. Short hike and viewpoint
2. Discover our car was rapidly dripping oil (we hit a big bump in the road that poked a hole right through our oil pan, so it was dripping A LOT)
3. Drive to the nearest gas station and see what we could do to fix this hole--duct tape didn't work (this is a tiny town, we were lucky we were so close to the only gas station)
4. The guy at the gas station was super helpful. He called the only mechanic in town (who was also luckily just 2 mins away) and he dropped everything to help us out. He plugged up the hole with a screw and thought that would last us for the next few days (and our trip home).
5. Mike and the kids still managed to make it to their 3:30pm cave hike.
6. Instead of 2 hours, the hike took them FOUR hours. When they got back to the car, there was a group of people writing a note and calling a tow truck because the car was leaking so much oil.
7. I was back at camp, worried sick. They finally made it back at 7:45pm--without calling the tow truck.
8. We decided to call it quits and head home in the morning.
9. We made it home, stopping every hour to check and add oil.
10. $800 later, the oil pan is fixed.
Another adventure under our belts, I guess. We are grateful it wasn't worse, but this means we may have to head back to Mount Saint Helens!
Summer and Tyson have such a cute relationship:)
Our one view of Mount Saint Helens the entire trip haha
Our cute cabin--with AC and electricity!
I had a lot of alone time to unpack and set up.
Thank goodness the cabin also had wifi:)
Sleeping buddies
We were there too:) The best night sleep "camping" ever!
