joyce (joyce) wrote,
joyce
joyce

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So our goal yesterday was to be out of the house by 915 and have the tent up by 1115. It turned out to be 1015 and 1215, so we didn't do too badly.

Last weekend, Jeff said "Let's go camping next weekend." He already had most of the stuff that we'd need, including the tent and stove, so we acquired a cooler and some tent stakes, and we were set. We headed up to Falls Lake Recreation Area, which is about half an hour north of here. We delibertly wanted to stick close this trip, since we'd never been camping together before, some of the equipment hadn't been used in awhile, etc. Falls Lake is actually seven seperate recreation areas, and we weren't quite sure where we needed to go to check in. So first we went to the information center, which was closed until 1215. Whoops. :) We didn't feel like sitting around until then, so we decided to drive up to the campground we wanted to stay in and see if that's where we needed to check in, and that turned out to be the right answer. We got set-up and checked in, and spent the rest of the afternoon bouncing between the lake (and man, was the lake warm. It felt great.) and the camp site, reading and knitting and making lists of things not to forget for next time. :) Dinner was ravioli. We don't own a big lantern (it's on the list, but equipment aquistion is going to have to happen over time) so when it got dark, we retired to the tent and laid around and talked for awhile. I stuck my head out a couple of times to see if there were any stars, but it'd clouded over. =/ (Plant and star books from the library are also on the list for the next time.) So we were both asleep pretty damned early.

This morning, I was awake very early, and after trudging up to the bathhouse (note to self, next time, pick a site closer to the washhouse), I went back to sleep for awhile. We eventually got up, made coffee and tea and breakfast (when we were at Dick's last week, pricing coolers and such, Jeff found a small metal contraption for something like $3 that goes over a stove burner and lets you toast bread. Intrigued, we grabbed it, and damned if it doesn't make really good toast. It certainly made the English muffins tastier this morning). We got back in the lake for awhile, then eventually packed up and headed home.

carrie posted something recently about how it's amazing how much time slows down when you're away from the cell phones and the laptops and the Internet and just everything, and she's right. It was really, really nice to spend the afternoon not knowing what time it was and not caring, and the couple of times I did check the time (like when we needed to time dinner) saying "wow. it's only what, 6:00? dang."



1. Jeff's heat tolerance is a lot lower than mine. Which, we knew, but hadn't seen a whole lot of practical application of. The next trip is going to have to wait for cooler weather.
2. If you know that liquids run through you like a sieve, pick a site nearer the washhouse. I don't have problems peeing in the woods - I was a Girl Scout for way too long for that - but when you're in a state park with neighbors, this doesn't work.
3a. Make sure the cooler is sealed tight, unless you like ants in your tomato.
3b. Better yet, just put the cooler in the car overnight.
4. The trash needs to have a lid, lest you want to dance with wasps all morning. Silverware needs to be washed immediately if it's been in contact with things containing sugar, like, oh, your morning tea.
5. I've got to get it through my thick, stupid head that if I'm going out in the sun, whether or not water is involved, that I need sunscreen. Furthermore, just because I can't see it, doesn't mean I'm not burning. I've got a lovely sports-bra shaped sunburn to assist in getting these facts through my thick head.
6. I need to take much more gatorade.



It was a good trip. I'd kind of like a nap, but I'm trying to resist, since I have to be at work at 6-freaking-AM tomorrow morning.
Tags: personal:travel, recreation:camping
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