So camping was excellent I really loved it. Admittedly I don’t think it was particularly hardship camping. You could drive right up to where you pitched the tent, there was a shower/toilet block and washing machines but it was sleeping OUTSIDE with the wildlife, which is adventurous enough for me. Given that I loved it T is now trying to convince me to make our summer holiday a mixture of motels/camping rather than Winnebagoing round the West coast. We will see! Given his job is persuading people though and I did have an excellent time I think he may be successful.
A few highlights/lowlights of the trip
- Having deer and fawns come right into the camp ground and wander round.
- Hiking to a waterfall, which was beautiful, then realising we had no water with us – opps!
- Waking up with the lark. Well not a lark, an unspecified bird who’s call sounds a lot like the ring of a blackberry. Leading me to kick T awake and tell him to turn it off!
- The up with the unspecified bird business did mean I got to see a really beautiful sunrise while stumbling to the bathroom.
- The camp-fire. Camp-fires have the same effect on me as the sea, I can sit and stare for ages. Must be some primeval thing.
- S’mores, food of the Gods! So much better than just a boring old toasted marshmallow. I would rename them Twos though, can anyone eat more than that and not throw up?
- The Luray limestone caves. They’re a little bit commercialised but so impressive. Love that they obviously provide summer jobs for every teen in Luray too.
- No TV, no music, no phones, no internet. I’m not sure how long I could last but it was a nice respite.
- Fireflies, I have never seen them before. They are magical.
- Seeing an Orange moon.
About the title – there were no bears (phew) but as I was finishing my run on Sunday (hope your impressed I went running!) down a very lovely track I startled a deer. Which bounded across my path startling me in return. Which lead to an impressive baseball slide across a load of dirt. My arm was pretty ripped up and we had no first aid kit (opps again) but luckily some nice people leant us their antiseptic spray. There was some very bad language as T cleaned out all the grit but I don’t blame camping for this so it still counts as a successful trip.
14 Comments
July 21, 2008 at 3:41 pm
Oooh yay! So glad you liked camping! I haven’t gone in a while but I miss it. (I don’t do “hardship” camping either, except for once and it was EXCELLENT, but there’s usually a toilet/shower thingy somewhere nearby.) Also I miss: fishing.
July 21, 2008 at 4:05 pm
No first aid kit? I swear it was on the list I gave you! Tsk…tsk…tsk! I’m glad you hear you survived and had a good time. You should definitely camp/motel it out west. That’s where I’m from and if you tell me where you’re going, I might have some ideas of places for you to check out. Also, a car and camping is going to be way cheaper than wineb…can’t spell that. We call it RVing.
We also have some pretty loud birds out here that get up at the crack of dawn. There’s one that sounds like a gym teacher blowing his whistle.
Here’s something you might not have thought of… You can make s’mores at home! I highly recommend Cadbury chocolate, although you probably already thought of that, being British and all. If you have a gas stove, just turn the flame on, toast your marshmallows and voila! You’re set! If you have an electric stove, well, guess what? It works too! Hmmmm…I have some marshmallows, and there’s always Dairy Milk in the freezer, so maybe I’ll have to walk to he Village for graham crackers! Gee, thanks, for the idea! Just what I need with my tea.
My husband said, “Just a deer? Didn’t she run into any skunks or anything exciting?” and I said, “Nope. Oh, and I forgot to mention the skunks. Well, maybe she’ll go again!”
July 21, 2008 at 4:17 pm
Sounds like a good time was had by all. But I’m not a real fan of deer. We have a lot of them around here and people hit them with their cars all the time. I think they are rats on stilts.
July 21, 2008 at 4:35 pm
I’m glad you had a good time, not so bad, is it?
You ran in the woods by yourself?!
Official: You are my hero.
July 21, 2008 at 4:43 pm
Jordyn – me too and still a little surprised. I have fished once in my life and it freaked me out completely, I nearly passed out seeing the little fish with a big hook through his mouth. I like to turn a blind eye to how things die.
Joelle – Opps I know! Won’t forget it again.
Melissa – rats on stilts -LOL truly not a nature girl
Lisa – No it’s fun it was on a marked track but can I still be a hero?
July 21, 2008 at 4:55 pm
I thought about you all weekend!! I was wondering how it all went– glad you had so much fun!!!!
and I love that this was the first time you saw fireflies!!!
oh, and I am the same way ’round a campfire. love it!
July 21, 2008 at 6:17 pm
I’m glad you had a good time, and lucky you to have seen fireflies! They used to be so common, but now I guess you can only find them in certain rural areas.
It looks like you had a full moon, too, yes? It’s truly magical to wake up in the middle of the night, step outside the tent and find the world illuminated by the moon! *sigh*
July 21, 2008 at 8:14 pm
GF – Campfires are the best. I’m not sure if we have fireflies in the UK.
BG – They were so cool and yes it was a full moon, so beautiful, just over the top of the trees.
July 22, 2008 at 4:41 am
It’s good to hear you had a great time~ a first aid kit will be top of the list for next time~yes I think you will be persuaded to repeat the experience!
July 22, 2008 at 9:19 am
I’m delighted you had such a good time, am reconsidering camping now myself…sorry about your arm though, sounds very painful.
July 22, 2008 at 11:19 pm
I am glad you had a great time. I love camping…and I am with you on the smores…I can only eat one….but I love it!!! Now you know what to pack for your next trip…a first aid kit!!
July 23, 2008 at 3:03 am
I much prefer toasted marshmellows to smores. I’m not a fan of camping though, it’s just way too much work for a holiday!
July 23, 2008 at 9:28 am
You had never seen fireflies before? I remember catching them as kids and wearing them like rings.
I too can stare at a campfire for ages. My favorite part of camping.
July 23, 2008 at 11:49 am
I love it! I knew yall would have a GREAT trip! So the heat wasn’t to bad for ya?
I love camp fires! I’m like you…I can just sit and stare!
S’mores…YUMMERS! Yep…I can eat two but that is my limit! lol
I love cooking breakfast at camp! I don’t know what it is? It’s the best!
That is CRAZY about the deer and you crashing down! I’m glad to know you are okay! =)