Earlier this year Walmart was liquidating all their camping gear and I purchased a tent, air mattress, and four sleeping bags for $200. I did it in the name of emergency preparedness, but once the kids saw the new acquisitions they went nuts and have been asking constantly when we were going to try it out. The last time I went camping was twenty years ago with my church youth group and I have never been in charge. The thought of packing up our whole house and going to the middle of nowhere where anything could happen and medical care is scant had me knots.
Fast forward to now...To celebrate M's birthday she chose to go camping for our family activity. You want to know how much I love M? Enough to go camping for her birthday. I spent hours scouring family camping websites and grilling my knowledgeable, outdoorsy friends. I learned that in Utah there are some real camping hot spots, but since M had chosen to go camping a week before her birthday they were all taken. My criteria was that we be secluded since I didn't want someone to look over and judge me for my obvious lack of outdoor skills. Her one criteria was that it had to have water and a beach. Willard Bay and Yuba were the only options left and since Yuba would be about five degrees warmer, we chose that one.
My anxiety was through the roof by the time we got there and I was wound tight the whole time, but you know what? Our first camping experience was incredible. The campsite was completely secluded. We remembered to bring everything we needed. The stars were brilliant. We got an hour of sleep after a cold front moved in at midnight and threatened to blow us away. Breakfast took two hours to cook. The shore was full of cockleburs. The day we played in the water the cold front blew mercilessly and the water was frigid.
Fast forward to now...To celebrate M's birthday she chose to go camping for our family activity. You want to know how much I love M? Enough to go camping for her birthday. I spent hours scouring family camping websites and grilling my knowledgeable, outdoorsy friends. I learned that in Utah there are some real camping hot spots, but since M had chosen to go camping a week before her birthday they were all taken. My criteria was that we be secluded since I didn't want someone to look over and judge me for my obvious lack of outdoor skills. Her one criteria was that it had to have water and a beach. Willard Bay and Yuba were the only options left and since Yuba would be about five degrees warmer, we chose that one.
My anxiety was through the roof by the time we got there and I was wound tight the whole time, but you know what? Our first camping experience was incredible. The campsite was completely secluded. We remembered to bring everything we needed. The stars were brilliant. We got an hour of sleep after a cold front moved in at midnight and threatened to blow us away. Breakfast took two hours to cook. The shore was full of cockleburs. The day we played in the water the cold front blew mercilessly and the water was frigid.
And it was absolutely perfect.
On the bluff overlooking the field full of cows.
Our campsite.
The eleven year old who chose camping.
The pitched tent.
Hot dogs for dinner.
My favorite picture.
Walking along the shore after the sun went down.
Found a shell.
Didn't want to stain his shorts.
Marshmallows for dessert.
Getting ready to sleep stay up all night long.
Morning overlooking Yuba.
Coals without proper ventilation take two hours to cook breakfast.
Wearing shoes to avoid the cockleburs.
Frigid.
Spent most of the time playing in the sand and laughing at M, J, and D's antics.
Trying to warm up.
Building a sandcastle.
Washing the sandcastle away.
Driving home.
Tired and happy.
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