We are home from our weekend camping trip. It was something else.....for a lack of words to describe it. I was really looking forward to it but it didn't turned out like I had hoped. The first evening was great. We had trouble getting Emma to bed but then she finally settled and Chris and I sat at the fire for awhile. Around midnight people pulled up to the site next to us. The campground clearly state in the rules no check ins after 11. So these 3 college age guys get out of this big ol diesel truck that was shining it's lights right into our tent and begin very noisily fumbling around setting up 2 tents. I was getting nervous they would wake up Emma. I went over to them and told them the rules say 11-7 is quiet hours and could they please keep it down there are children sleeping. I gave them my lantern to help them set up and went back to sit with Chris. It took them til 1ish to set up. Then they went to a neighboring site to sit at the fire so we fell asleep. Then we woke up at 3 with Emma screaming and headlights shining in our tent. Here, another car pulled up and they were setting up another tent next door. The rules say no more than \2 tents per site. Chris took Emma into the car and slept with her there. I couldn't sleep from all of their racket and at 4, yet another car and another tent. I was soooooo irritated. In the morning, I talked with Jen, my sis, who was right across the road from them. They woke up Brady, her almost 2 yr old, and she said she came out and screamed "Be Quiet"......totally out of Jens character! She put Brady in the car to drive him and she said one of the guys jumped in front of her car with a 6-pack. So right away we went to the rangers office. They sent out the head rangers and the state police to our site. We told them what happened and they evicted the 2 sites involved and wrote them citations for disorderly conduct.
We were exhausted!
The next night, it was nice and quiet and Emma was in bed by 9 we all sat by the fire and Chris and I went to bed at 12. We woke up at 3 to thunder, hurried outside to throw stuff in the truck and started getting rained on just as we finished up. It thundered so loud. It was a fierce storm. I was worried about leaks but everything seemed to be holding up. At 6:30 we woke up to torrential rains and booming thunder that woke up all the kids. The tent had a few small leaks from this....drips here and there mostly. Chris got up and went around the perimeter of the tent looking for leaks. It was raining so hard it was like a water bed under the tent. When he moved the boys bag, rain was coming in through a torn seam like a hose! We stopped it up with towels and Chris went outside and shoved in a trash bag. Dereks pillow and sleeping bag was drenched. We all fell back to sleep til 8:30 and the rain had passed. Everything was a damp and muddy mess.
Needless to say I was tired and ready to go home!
We packed up, went out for a hot, dry lunch and then did take a short hike to the river before heading home.
I was never so happy to get home and sleep in my soft, dry, warm bed!
I learned alot about camping for next time....yes, I'm sure there will be a next time in spite of all of this.
#1....I will never, ever, ever willingly sleep in a sleeping bag on the ground. Those tent pads are like concrete. I had the best sleep during our weekend on a beach towel at the playground. I had about a 1/2 hour nap on the soft grass! I actually dreamed about the chiropractor.
#2....Bring more blankets than you think you need.
#3....Bring a dust pan and broom.
#4....This isn't specific but I will not be a minimalist during camping...I always try to pack light for vacations, but that doesn't work so well for camping.
Well, I've got my mountain of laundry done but need to fold and I am working through the sleeping bags.
Here's my hubby finishing setting up the tent
Sitting aroung the campfire. My parents and 3 sisters were all camping with us. There are 13 kids between us.....14 total but 1 stayed home.
Chapman and Derek (my son) walking on the beach area of Deep Creek Lake. They are less than 2 years apart!!
My kids in the playground area.....all except Jake.
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