Camping Report

Our friend group (four families) has been camping since the kids were pretty small (they're all late teens or twenties now) - other places a few times, but Sandbanks Provincial Park for about fifteen years. Before we started camping, I would sometimes take whichever kid was available and go down for a beach day or two, and stay in a hotel nearby. My family camped when I was younger, but we had a trailer, although it was small and my sister and I slept in a tent for extra space when we got older. I had lost the knack, and I couldn't wrap my head around sleeping on the ground and not having electricity. But the kids really enjoyed the beach and the campfire, so we'd pack a cooler and hang out on the beach during the day and in the evening we would illicitly drive into the campsite area that was strictly for campers (I liked to say we were stealing camping) and hang out around the fire, then drive to the hotel.

We went when Eve was this little: 


I can't find a picture of Angus from camping that year, but this is from the same summer, and these are also camping kids:

After a couple of years doing this, our friends pointed out that I was going through a lot of the pain in the butt part of camping anyway, and then having to leave the campfire and drive somewhere to go to sleep, so I should consider just, you know, camping. I pushed back a little, and then decided what the hell, I have kids now, comfort and dignity are always negotiable. We bought a tent, and some air mattresses, and got up at 6:50 a.m. to participate in the Hunger Games that is trying to book a site five months ahead of your preferred date. It was ON.

Then Angus's baseball team made it to the Little League World Series. Which takes place right when camping happens (early August). Like, rude, am I right?

So we went to Williamsport, Pennsylvania instead, and went camping for real the next year, which was nine years ago. 

Hiking the dunes, almost getting lost in the dunes and being found dead in the dunes many years hence

That last picture was for my sister, who needed photographic evidence of me in an actual tent. 


Comments

Sarah said…
LOVE this!! We used to camp with friends and kids, and it really was a blast. Then COVID. and a COVID baby--maybe we need to get back into it. in 2025 because all the 2024 spots are booked **eye roll**
August 1, 2023 at 4:40 AM
Nicole said…
Awwww, the LLWS!!! I remember it like it was yesterday.
R bought an RV so I guess we are going to go RVing sometime? I'm not much of a camper but I do love being outside, so maybe the RV life will be good for me!
August 1, 2023 at 5:10 AM
NGS said…
Camping! My aunt and uncle used to take us camping when we were teenagers and it was also so much fun. But now my back aches if I so much as sneeze wrong, so the thought seems less appealing. But look at you doing it for the kids! I'd like a detailed report on cooking/eating while camping. That always seems to be the sticking point for me and my husband.
August 1, 2023 at 8:21 AM
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