Highlights of our camping trip

“Camping is nature's way of promoting the motel business.”
-Dave Barry

• Surprising Ricky when we got there. He had no clue that Rob and I were going to be there for his birthday weekend. His wife had secretly invited us. We got there after everybody else and were able sneak up on him while he was standing up telling a story around the campfire. He said he had wondered why Heather kept counting two extra people in her preparations, and why she had accidentally thrown my name around several times in conversation lately.

• Raindrops falling on the tent. Saturday morning we woke up to rain. Some of the people had already emerged from their tents, so they were sent scrambling. But Rob and I were still snoozing, as the raindrops fell. It was awesome. Especially since it really didn’t rain much throughout the day. Just a few sprinkles here and there.

• Engineering a toilet for the ladies. The first night we used a bucket inside the old camper. But after someone had to empty the next morning, it was decided that a better solution was needed. My engineer husband built a toilet for us. He even dug a channel that led down to the river for the run-off. You’ve just got to see the picture.

• Midday most of the group went tubing down the river. Rob and I stayed behind—we weren’t too thrilled about braving a 40-degree dirty river for an hour without the promise of a shower afterward. Instead, we sat on the dock, propped our legs up, and read. Without all of the people around, we were able to really appreciate the beauty of being outdoors.

• Games with the girls. In normal everyday life, I wouldn’t be best friends with any of the girls that we were camping with. They each had very extreme personalities. But at one point on Saturday the girls gathered in one of the large tents to play Taboo. I’m good at games, so it was a wonderful way to get out of my shell for a little bit. BTW…my team won!

• Hamburgers on the grill. We were all responsible for our own breakfasts and lunches, while there were hamburgers and hot dogs for dinner. By 7:00 on Saturday evening, all I had eaten was a pack of pop-tarts, way too many cashews, and two malt beverages. I was hungry, and hungry for real food. The burgers just really hit the spot.
• Campfire games. This group really likes games, and so do Rob and I. We also played Guesstures, basically an electronic version of Charades, around the campfire late at night. It was girls against boys, and it was a lot of fun until the girls got so worked up about having less points. I can get pretty competitive, but in this case, I thought playing was just as much fun as winning.
• Late at night. We all sat around the campfire drinking and talking until late in the night. As the drinks were emptied, the conversation got that much more interesting. Sometimes funny, sometimes just sad, but all in all, quite an experience.

• Sunday morning. We woke up with the sun, and then packed up to leave. Two nights of camping was enough for me. I was ready for a bathroom and a filling meal. Rob and I waited in the parking lot of Zaxby’s until it opened!