Wet @ Camp
I'm back from camping. In fact, I'm lying here with my lap top in the shady bedroom feeling the heat of sun still lingering under my skin from a few days outdoors.
All the stuff you think of about family/friend camping probably happened this week. It was a mixed time, mostly all good. I'm sore from face to little toes!
Firstly, this was the grand opening of my new tent! A large two roomer with surround screens and also the entire roof! I researched for a while to find this tent and it really turned out to be perfect! Not only is it large, tall and spacious, but it's handy, simple and has an unbeatable view!
Anyway, on our first day we enjoyed the lake and the hiking for a spell and then came back to the fire. An aquaintance with four children joined us for a couple hours until before dark. My son was thrilled to have kids to explore with.
That night more friends came and we were blessed to have a wonderful female vocalist bring her guitar and share originals from her CD. She grilled chicken and mushrooms to share and my other very dear friend made the most awesome grilled cheese sandwiches (with mozarella and olive oil on organic whole wheat -yum!).
Music, a Van Goh sky of stars above, red wine and even a delicious & traditional smore to top it off. My son enjoyed this, too. He went off to the tent for bed and I stayed on and played some drums and chatted a bit.
Finally, everyone left the site and for a time our family lay on inflatable mattresses gazing up at the amazing stars. It was such a beautiful night! My last words as I drifted off were, "I should go stick that rain fly on."
It wasn't supposed to rain, not a cloud in the sky.
The next thing I know it's about 2:30 am and I simultaneously hear, "It's raining." from Craig while feeling wet drops splash over my face.
I leap from the sleeping bag and out the zipped door to grab the rain fly and in pitch darkness I'm throwing the ropes over the roof and yelling for my son or anyone to grab and pull. The rain is like a water fall by now, raging cold daggers all over everything in it's path.
Against the rain I'm tossing the rope and yelling. Someone grabs the rope, either that or by some miracle it's caught and I can then begin the process of attaching the lines to the poles, inching my way across the roof to seal out the downpour.
My son is zipping all the many windows and I'm splashing around barefoot securing ropes and hooks. Craig was working away, too.
By the time we reenter the tent, nothing appears to be untouched by 'the soak'. Rain is still pouring, but standing there inside again, not an inch of skin, hair, clothes, bedding or stuff on the table . . . has been spared!
My wet golden retriever was shaking herself all over our tent (we of course brought her inside from our front door because she didn't need to be out in that rain.
My son and I slept in the car and Craig & Amber toughed it out in the tent. He managed with some dry clothes from his car and layered the mattress with towels. Amber slept on the tent floor.
Chilled to the bone for the rest of the night, we were grateful for the morning sun!
Day two we made a nice morning fire and unzipped all the windows and took down the flap. I hung bedding & hammock to dry on various tree limbs, the tent & car roof and on chairs that were turned on their sides.
A trip out of the State Park to the party store that morning was a good run for more fire wood, COFFEE & supplies.
Once back on camp I leashed Amber and we all took off for a bike/hike & ended up walking through sunny fields of flowers, endless beautiful paths in the forest and down windy back roads for at least ten miles. I was in sandles, not walking shoes, but my body sure needed the work out!
My 90 year old Great Aunt, her new boyfriend, and my mother arrived to visit camp and we visited the lake. It was (thankfully!) sunny-windy day (for drying stuff) and then they went for a stroll.
I didn't, Craig didn't and Galen didn't. We were 'spent!'
At some point Galen went balistic over a spider in the tent.
Later my other friend came with her two kids and it was back to the beach and then to the fire for smores and ghost stories.
There was apparently a big storm coming. The wind was strong! We put everything away and double posted the tent. Ready for the rain!
Finally we fell asleep watching Shrek #3.
It didn't rain at all and we slept dry.
I woke up at day break and took a shower, built a fire, read some pages in a book . . .
Photos will be posted in here, too.
Light!
Fawn