Happy Camper

We had a fabulous camping adventure with my parents this week!  This is the same location that we camped in last year, just a different campsite.  Upon arrival we noticed that we were by a small stream and pond and our first thought were mosquito's.  However, I am happy to report that our group received zero bites and all was perfect.

In order to preserve the true essence of how this adventure started I must first disclose that I am not a spokesperson for tent camping. I do so because my parent's trailer is parked just outside the tent walls should I need a bathroom break in the middle of the night, and running water and refrigerated food during the other parts of the day. All the comforts of camping are supplied by my parents. I do the tent-thing with a smile and good attitude to set a positive example to my children.

But when it came to 3am on our first night I wondered if I had to smile any longer and put up a good front. There was a thing crackling branches and moving through the brush just outside our tent.  It woke both of us up, and that certainly proves how loud the noises were as my husband can sleep through anything.

Flashlight?  Yeah, about that. We left it in the trailer. We had a head-light looking lamp inside our tent for in-the-tent-use, but it did not shine like a flashlight.

The intensity of the branches breaking and the on again, off again noise, really didn't sound animal-like. I was not nervous about it being a bear. The park website didn't mention bears in this part of the area; my dad smirked at that comment during breakfast. No, I was certain that it was a crazy-human that needed to get some aggression out and chose our little tent. Never mind the fact that it was situated behind a trailer, with trailers and tents throughout the entire 50+ campsite area. It had chosen our site specifically; amongst the dense trees toppled on top of one another and thick brush. Hence the loud noise of the maneuvering to come get us.  At 3am I was certain it was human.

My husband asked me if I was ever going to settle down to sleep.  I wasn't so certain as my mind had been made up that I was
s-c-a-r-e-d.  Knowing that he didn't have much of a choice, either stay awake with a panicked wife, or find some rest, he politely escorted me to our Toyota for a little break from the action. If you know my husband, you will know that this was truly a sign of love as he would never do this in a million examples on his own free will. He did it out of love for his wife and love for peace and quiet from his wife.

For the record, the backseat is no pull-out sofa.  My husband made it work, however, as I heard evidence that he actually fell asleep.  I kept watch in the front seat, nestled down low, and tried diligently to get comfortable and fall sleep.  After thirty minutes I knew that sleep was no where to be found in my section of our mini-SUV, so I stayed hunkered down with a book that I had kept in the car and read the rest of the night. Sigh. 

The second afternoon my son was sitting around the campfire and just happened to look up to see this:

I am now certain that this was our 3am intruder.  Just a harmless little deer having an early morning snack along the stream and pond in our campsite.  I am sure she had brought all of her friends because this sweet thing barely made a sound.  I am now certain they were having a GNO when they woke me two nights prior; partying it up with every crackling and snap of branches.

Happy Camper in the end.  And in the final, final end, on our trek home, we swung by a mega-camping-store and upgraded our tent. Oh. Joy.