Category: camping

Well, the girls’ wish is my command, so in August I popped up our little camper and got it cleaned out and ready for use. We towed it with the truck, and our whole set up looked very “retro”, even though the truck and camper are ONLY both 20-some years old. Hey, if it still works, why replace it! The girls had to get used to manual locks and crank windows on the truck (I hadn’t realized that rolling down a window was a skill, but M was impressed by how quickly I could do it!), and there was a mini panic the final morning of our trip because M hadn’t slammed the door shut quite hard enough, so I had to plug the truck battery in while I packed up.

Anyway, we went to one of our local state parks for a few nights, and it was a good camping redemption trip. We’ve all been spoiled by camping with other people so often — the girls were bored off and on, and I missed having other adults to chat with. But the weather was very mild, and we really enjoyed being in the camper again. It’s so much easier to enjoy the entire trip when you have somewhere comfortable to sleep/lounge.

The dock was the big attraction this time. The kids made fishing poles out of sticks and reeds/grasses, and the curious fishes would come up to see what they had. We went into town one day and found a nice fishing rod (left-handed, but it’s not like any of us are used to using a right-handed one!) for only $2.00. I hammered back the sharp point of a hook, and the girls used it to feed pieces of cheese to the fish that evening.

With this truck success under my belt (you never know how an older car will behave, especially when it’s not driven regularly!), I’ve booked us an autumn trip in early October. The leaves should be really colorful, and maybe we can convince some friends to visit while we’re there. I hate to see summer go, but at least it’s pretty when it does!

We got back from our annual cousin camping trip yesterday. I brought my nice camera along, meaning to take photos somewhere other than immediately outside our house, and I did, but they were all of the kids. So I’ll post this photo of the amazing sky from several days ago, along with one I took of M shooting hoops one evening.

We got a pop-up camper in 2021, and we spent the next three summers LOVING camping. We went a ton in 2021 and 2022, less in 2023, but it was still a joy to be in that little pop-up. But we got a new-used car at the end of last year, and while I love the car itself, it can’t tow the camper! So we’ve been tenting it this year.

The weather has also been less than cooperative this year. Our first two trips were rainy and cold. I don’t mind a chilly camping trip — more reason to sit by the fire and feel cozy! But it’s a bummer in the rain. Everything feels so dirty and (naturally) soggy. A rainy morning could be nice when we had the camper — we’d stay inside and do a puzzle at the dinette and listen to the radio. There was enough space that waiting for the rain to end was pleasant. There’s no joy for me in being inside a tent! I’ve also found it harder to stay warm when we’re sleeping on air mattresses. There are only so many extra blankets that fit in the car (and cargo topper)!

This weekend, we had the opposite problem — it was HOT. Almost 90˚F during the day, and the humidity felt like it was off the charts. Uffda! (The nights were very comfortable for sleeping, though!) I’ll admit that the camper wouldn’t have made this hot trip *much* easier. But the shine has come off the whole thing a bit, for me. It’s worth it for the people. I love seeing my cousins, and giving the kid-cousins so much time to be together is priceless. We don’t get to see them very often.

I told the girls that this was probably the end of our camping season, and M was a little disappointed. She asked if we could take the camper out with the truck (a 21yo Ford Ranger that almost always stays on our property, since the rear seats are tiny). I won’t rule out the idea! We have multiple state parks within a half-hour’s drive, and we miss the camper. For now, I’m still reveling in our climate-controlled house and running water!