The Three Musketeers Go Camping

 Knowing that Megan will soon be leaving us to live on her own, we insisted that she experience some independence and take a little trip out of town without us last Thursday and Friday. We also insisted that she take our car and be gone for a couple of days. It was hard to talk her into it, but really Megan, it's for the best.

It was with enormous reluctance that Megan's friends agreed to go with her. You can imagine how much self-sacrifice it took for these girls to agree to spend time alone together without a parent looking over their collective shoulders.

These girls, Carson, Camille, and Megan are known as "The Three Musketeers". They have been best friends since early childhood. They have had many adventures together, some which I know about, some which I hope I never find out about. In a few weeks Carson and Megan will be moving on to different parts of the universe as they begin their young adult lives.

Are they not the cutest girls you've seen? They can even pitch a Montana tent!

These girls even purchased their own food:

Breakfast is Special K with chocolate thingys and milk. I would have wanted a bowl, but these girls are Montana roughing it.

Yum, lunchables! You can see these girls will have no trouble at all feeding themselves when they are living on their own.

Megan, this is good practice for fall. I hear college students eat lots of pizza.

Just don't forget to eat your vegetables.....

 Time for a hike into the center of bear country. Good plan wearing your  obnoxiously loud shoelaces, Megs. It will make it much easier for the bear to spot you.

 The girls went to Cascade Campground near Red Lodge.

 

You've just got to wonder who this sign is directly to. The deer?  "See Bambi? I told you we can't eat here!" A wandering cow or two? "Honest, Buttercup, I swear this sign was not here last week!" or maybe to teenagers: "Rats! Come on Carson and Camille, we're going to have to break out another lunchable."

 There's plenty of firewood in the area and a nice hike to Basin Lake.

 

 Unfortunately, the trail quickly turns from this

to this

 to this.

No worries! Megan, soon to be independent college student, soon to be on her own making her own decisions, presses onward.

Yes, this looks like a good decision. I'm sure your mother would approve.

 Ya, your mom is totally okay with this.

It is clear that Stan and I have nothing to worry about as Megan goes off and lives her life without our input, right? Right??

Thank you, Three Musketeers, for agreeing to go camping to show us we can make it without you....