Camping… To the mildly comfortable!
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Lord, three days makes for great relaxation.
This is not a funny ebjournal entry. It is designed to preserve memories. Maybe I’ll be funny next week, but probably I’ll only succeed in making you chuckle, or groan.
This weekend, several buddies, family members, and assorted hangers-on joined TLEMK and I at Kettle Moraine’s Ottawa Lake Campground, near Eagle, WI.
For three nights, we sat around a campfire. I learned how to chop wood with a hatchet (Thanks, Waj, for the technique pointers), I learned that hiking is fun, and I learned that Catchphrase (the game) can net you a visit from park rangers.
After loading the car up Thursday night, we left promptly afterschool on Friday, and got to endure the lovely traffic of Rand Road at rush hour. 2 hours later we pulled into our campsite. The Jo’s were already there, setting up their tent. As the night wore on, the WAJ’s, Mr. McCurtis, the Snow lady, Kenny, and Stuck rolled in. Highlights included sitting at the fire, drinking around the fire, and getting takeout from the Coyote Canyon because we didn’t stop on the way up. Good times. The temperature dropped to at least 37 degrees F, and Kenny’s car warned us that conditions might be icy. After donning approimately 3.1415759 layers of clothing, and my Bears cap, I felt almost ready to take on the night. We chitchatted until about midnight, and then went to shiver in our tents. Mmm, tent camping. Between the bedroll, sleeping bag, comforter, and SmartWool(tm) socks, it really wasn’t that bad.
Saturday brought a long day o’ fun.
We started the day off we tasty McCurtis specials, and hot chocolate. (A McCurtis is an English muffin, buttered, with bacon (buttered), sausage patty (also buttered), egg (cooked in bacon grease) and topped off with cheese from the USA. The key to the McCurtis is in the delivery. Once it comes off the camp stove, and is assembled, it’s handed to you in a paper plate, which is folded. It makes a big diffeence, that’s for sure. You then have to wait for at five minutes, or deal with the Burning Effect of the Sauasage Patty.)
After breakfast, we headed for the trails. We did a little over five miles over different types of terrain. I agree with Kenny, in that we went a little too fast, not because I’m out of shape, but that I missed a lot of the scenery. AND I’m out of shape. We stopped for a picnic about halfway through, and then came back on the Ice Age trail. It was a great walk. Stuck will be posting pictures soon, right Stuck?
The Jo’s left, and the Zigzags and the Tylers showed up, along with Dev and Christie.
At this point, we started foraging for dead wood to add to the fire. Since we found big chunks of trees, we got to chop wood. Having never chopped wood, I must say gentle readers, that I am not a natural. In fact, I suck at it. But with a little help from my friends, I sucked less.
Saturday afternoon and evening consisted of chili, beer, hot dogs, whiskey, whiskey, and wait for it, whiskey. We also played Catchphrase, a game similar to Taboo (crossed with Hot Potato), where people yell things out, and then pass the catchphrase frisbee to the other team. After 40 minutes of raucous playing, a park ranger, younger than ANY of us, came in and chided us for “being able to hear you halfway across the campsite”. This I believe because it was quite possibly the quietest campground ever, and sound carried very well. So then we continued to stare at the campfire, and drink.
Sunday was lazy day at the camp. We sat, ate way too much, read, and basically enjoyed the weather, the fire, and the eating. Did I mention the snacks? So tasty.
All in all, a terrific weekend. Sitting and letting go of school, and grad school was a wonderful way to recharge for the push that is October, November, and December. I need to post pictures… someday.
Now, time to get back to work. Talk to you all soon!
