Tuesday, October 03, 2006

Camping is Fun!

Our first family camping trip went off without a hitch. It was so much fun and the weather was perfect, even a little warm during the daytime. Here are a few highlights of our weekend in Prescott:

* Our football team beat Granite Mountain and we are still undefeated. 3-0 baby!

* There is a very nice In-n-Out Burger in Prescott, I digress.

* We camped at a National Forest camping ground so it was like camping in a camp neighborhood. I was OK with that.

* There were little (clean) buildings that housed toilets!! Yipee

* Water was also available.

* Our campsite had a picnic table and a fire pit.

* We had a beautiful view of mountains and pines.

* The fish weren't biting.

* The critters were out and about that night. Everyone in the tent fell fast asleep in record time and I lay awake listening and smelling and wondering. (sisters, are you surprised?) One little critter was nibbling on something right outside the tent where my head was positioned. I figured it was a skunk or a raccoon, neither of which are very NICE critters. I wanted to shoo it away but knew what would happen if I startled a skunk.

* Later in the night I had fun listening to a pack of coyotes howling in the distance. It was really amazing, actually. I could tell with every howl that they were getting closer to our camp. Wow. God's creation is amazing. BTW, everyone in the tent was sound asleep, including my best camper, Lauren.

* I then heard something quite different than the howling coyotes. It was an elk bugling. I have seen many elk in my day, we go looking for them every time we are in Flagstaff but I have never had the privilege of listening to elk in the middle of the night. I'm serious, it was a privilege. First thing in the morning when we were making coffee and starting the bacon we heard another loud bugle. I'm sure he bedded down for the rest of the day after that.

* I was warm and snuggled in my Coleman sleeping bag on my Coleman air mattress listening to God's creation and my knee was throbbing. Yes, my left knee. When this happens at home I move to my side and position pillows so my knee has support and I go back to sleep. That was not about to happen out there in the wilderness. I only had one down pillow (gasp) and sleeping on your side on an air mattress is not very comfortable, at least not for me! So for the rest of the night I tried to position my leg in such a way that I could go back to sleep in between elk calls and coyotes. Needless to say I didn't get much sleep and I had the STRANGEST dreams...can you believe a 'preppy' came in to our camp and stole our food? :-)

* Sarah asked me to take her to the bathroom in the middle of the night and right then the coyotes howled and boy were they close. I asked her if she heard that noise and I said "Hunny, I can't take you potty right now the coyotes are out there". (wimp)

* All in all it was a great experience, just a little too much work for one night. It would have been nice to stay another night. Um, did I just type that?

* To my sister Cindy, the standard is high, girl. Don't worry about me. hehehehe You crack me up. :-)

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

Oh PHEW, girlie!! Running water and a clean potty!!!!! WAY TO GO!! A great attitude makes everything OK..I am so proud of you!! :)

Amy said...

Darn those preppies!

Donna Boucher said...

I was tired just imagining you being awake all night listening to all of those critters.

Clean bathrooms...what a gift!

Sorry about your knee. Is the the veins or something else?

Janet said...

No, not the veins. I think it is a ligament or tendon. Aleve helps a little. I'd go get a MRI if they weren't so darn expensive.

Anonymous said...

did the preppy have long dark hair and wear pink and green?

I was wondering if you tossed and turned all night...