Its funny what age can do to a person. I remember as a kid being absolutely thrilled to death just to hear we were going camping. I don't remember ever giving any thought to what gear we were going to take camping. Of course that job fell on mom and dad, but I was thrilled just to see the tent go in the truck. As I have eluded to in an earlier post it didn't matter that it was probably going to rain and my sleeping bag would be soaked by nightfall. I just wanted to be camping.
Then age hit me. I realized the other day how much of a trailer camper I have become. We bought a trailer with all of the modern conveniences you can get and even have added some of our own. Someone remarked during our last trip, "Can you believe this thing came out here on wheels?" Basically we have miniaturized our house and taken it to the woods. So as I stepped out of the shower while Kelly was microwaving some dinner items on the last trip we made, it occurred to me how much I have changed since I was a kid.
I remember my brother and I complaining when my parents suggested we end the camp out early because it was raining so hard. I remember sleeping on rocks that somehow slipped our attention when we put up the tent. I remember watching damp wood smolder on the fire, and trying to roast a hot dog through all of the smoke. I remember food cooked on the old Coleman stove that inevitably had either bugs or dirt in it and loving it.
So as we offered the shower the other day to one of our guests and they replied, "I'm camping why would I need a shower?" I realized my whole camping world has become turned upside down.
So on our next trip when I snuggle my freshly showered, pajama covered body down into the pillow top mattress and goose down comforter to watch a movie on the wall mounted flat screen TV with the new surround sound speaker system with a bowl of microwave popcorn I hope I can at least remember I am in the woods.
Wednesday, May 21, 2008
Friday, April 25, 2008
Weathermen
There have been many times in my life that I have cursed out weathermen. Usually on those occasions where they predicted a nasty weekend and I rearranged my plans, only to find myself shopping on a beautiful warm sunny Saturday instead of camping. Especially on those occasions when they predicted a beautiful weekend and I sat in the middle of a monsoon. Pretending to be having fun and almost truly believing my own lie that, "It looks like its clearing up!"
It seemed like when I was a kid every time we went camping it rained. In the middle of droughts and heat waves people use to ask us to set up our tent in the back yard. It seemed that hammering in a tent stake would cause some sort of atmospheric change that was bound to produce a good rain. You know those torrential downpours, not just some light sprinkles. I am a deep sleeper, and I attribute it to all those nights spent sleeping in wet sleeping bags with a steady stream of water keeping things fresh.
What I have taken from these experiences is that you can't trust a weatherman. I'm sure they are good people but come on, 50% chance of rain? Every day holds a 50% chance of something, give me something I can use!
So now I use a much more scientific method. I guess. Last weekend we didn't make it camping. The weatherman said 50% chance of snow, go figure, and lots of wind. The wind blew, it didn't snow, and no camping. I guessed wrong, or right in weatherman speak. Then yesterday, after being convinced enough to pack the trailer and load food, water, and every conceivable piece of gear we would need, weather happened.
Kelly isn't as convinced about my divining abilities as I am. She still listens to weathermen. So as I was packing the trailer Kelly came to me with, "It's going to snow, 50% chance." Sounds about right.
"Pay no attention to the weatherman," I said. "They don't like campers."
Then yesterday I was awakened at 5AM with a Kelly weather report. "Its pouring." That was the start of a day full of Kelly weather reports. "Its snowing," followed by "Its hailing," followed by "Its really snowing!" My only response was to report to her when the sun popped out between snow showers. Ever confident in my guess that it would be a nice weekend.
So as I sit here ready to depart and the sun is shining. Weather forecast says 50% chance of rain, I pray I guessed right, if not I may never hear then end of it if I didn't! Maybe I should have been a weatherman.
It seemed like when I was a kid every time we went camping it rained. In the middle of droughts and heat waves people use to ask us to set up our tent in the back yard. It seemed that hammering in a tent stake would cause some sort of atmospheric change that was bound to produce a good rain. You know those torrential downpours, not just some light sprinkles. I am a deep sleeper, and I attribute it to all those nights spent sleeping in wet sleeping bags with a steady stream of water keeping things fresh.
What I have taken from these experiences is that you can't trust a weatherman. I'm sure they are good people but come on, 50% chance of rain? Every day holds a 50% chance of something, give me something I can use!
So now I use a much more scientific method. I guess. Last weekend we didn't make it camping. The weatherman said 50% chance of snow, go figure, and lots of wind. The wind blew, it didn't snow, and no camping. I guessed wrong, or right in weatherman speak. Then yesterday, after being convinced enough to pack the trailer and load food, water, and every conceivable piece of gear we would need, weather happened.
Kelly isn't as convinced about my divining abilities as I am. She still listens to weathermen. So as I was packing the trailer Kelly came to me with, "It's going to snow, 50% chance." Sounds about right.
"Pay no attention to the weatherman," I said. "They don't like campers."
Then yesterday I was awakened at 5AM with a Kelly weather report. "Its pouring." That was the start of a day full of Kelly weather reports. "Its snowing," followed by "Its hailing," followed by "Its really snowing!" My only response was to report to her when the sun popped out between snow showers. Ever confident in my guess that it would be a nice weekend.
So as I sit here ready to depart and the sun is shining. Weather forecast says 50% chance of rain, I pray I guessed right, if not I may never hear then end of it if I didn't! Maybe I should have been a weatherman.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
