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| Camping ahoy! |
| Tuesday, May 28, 2013 |
We planned much ahead for this past long weekend. We knew we would be jetlagged and India-depressed. We knew we would have zero vacation days after the India trip. So why lose a long weekend? Thanks to A and S who did major work of planning, and frankly more experienced than us when it came to camping, with their 1 night camp out at a local lake, because you see even one time counts, and is better than zero times, we went camping for the first time ever!
One thing that always put me off when it came to camping is ewww no proper place to shower in the morning. And gee what a bear drops by in hunger. But there are so many places that can be really seen only when you camp. We hadnt been on a nature trip in a while and I was really really itching to go someplace, make use of this summer to the fullest.
Still jetlagged and terribly sick, somehow we managed to raid the REI for sleeping bags and stoves and camping chairs and other sundry items like flashlight, lantern, firestarters. We rented out a cutesy looking 4 person tent. Enthusiasm picked up after we shopped. No light at night! It will be pitch dark! That was the most enticing thing about camping for me, making it as close to real wilderness camping as it can get.
Friday we finished more shopping, groceries, snacks, REI one more time for a pocket knife, because well it was in the holy list sent by A. By 8PM I was extremely sleepy, thanks to jet lag. DH packed what he could and we slept off. I woke up at around 4AM the next day, started packing. Cooked lemon rice. The plan was to leave around 6:30 but we really left at 8AM. We reached A and S's house at around 10:30 and left together to Tahoe. I forgot just how beautiful Tahoe was. Every single time, it takes my breath away. Winding roads, evergreen trees, breathtaking mammoth of a lake.
We reached City Beach at 1:30 for lunch. We had a leisurely yummy lunch of Coconut rice, lemon rice, yogurt rice, pumpkin kootu, pickle, chips. Ran around BSK and E to feed them. Took some pictures. It was cold and windy. We got a little worried about the night temperatures. S's mom and brother were visiting from India, and they were not used to the cold. Plus we had the toddlers' warmth to worry about.
We drove down to Meeks Bay Campground 30mins in. We were a little disappointed with the size of the campground, it was just too small and on the road. We started setting up our tent right away. It was very interesting to set up the tent, it took 5 engineers 1+hr to set up one tent. :--) It was Kindgom tent, for 4 people, with a flap in between, so we sort of had a living room where we dumped all our stuff and a bedroom at the back. ;--) We had space only for one car we we unloaded our car and parked it further down at the beach. Then we started setting up the 6 person tent for A and S. Once done we marvelled at our own competencies :--P and set forth to the beach.
BSK and E played in the sand and mud, got themselves too dirty for their own good. But it was too cute to see them explore, pick anything and everything at sight, play their own games with the mud and twigs and leaves. I just loved the fact that they got to do this. DH's long time wish to play ball in the beach happened. A and I took a few minutes to catch up with child rearing. E was by the water throwing stones. BSK was on the sand, counting twigs. They needed very little supervision, I was glad we had reached this stage in child rearing.
We went back to our camp to make some dinner. S started cutting veggies, we started hooking up the 2 burner stove. We made cauliflower potato sabji to go with chappathis and dosas. We tried to get the fire going. We had a tough time, since the wood never caught fire. We put lot of twigs and small branches to get it going but no luck. It was starting to get cold and we really needed the warmth of the fire. We finally decided to seek help from our neighbour campers as they seemed to be seasoned campers. Like hikers, campers are a friendly bunch too! The guy came by and taught us how to start a fire, how to give room for the fire to breathe and get some oxygen, when to put in the big logs and when to know the fire is dying, based on the smoke level. It was quite an interesting class :--P Somehow we got the fire going, pine cones and newspaper and more assorted twigs made it into the pit. The guy was nice enough to bring some meat to share which we turned down saying we were vegetarians and offered our dosas. :--)
By this time BSK and E were well fed, and cranky needing sleep as neither of them had enough sleep in the afternoon. We boiled some milk, and by the time the milk boiled BSK was fast asleep. E had her milk and was put to sleep by S. It was too darn cold. In the 30s. A, S, DH and I sat around the fire. A made some smores, as one is supposed to make some smores for sure when camping. Hot marshmellows in between graham crackers with a slab of Hersheys. It was yummmmy to eat in the cold night by the fire.
We wanted to chat some more, catch up, but it was too darn cold and my jetlag set in and finally we decided to call it a night and retired to sleep.
Only sleep eluded us. All of us except DH and BSK. Why because his sleeping bag provided more warmth than any of ours did. Even though I was sleepy, the cold cold sleeping bag prevented me from closing my eyes. What I remember of the night is the ice coldsleeping bag, the ice cold wind sweeping by my head everytime the sleeping bag slipped a little. I hugged myself to hold on to my body heat. I openned my eyes once in a while to see the moon light shining through the roof. It was heavenly. But for the cold! I could hear the gentle snoring of DH. In the middle of the night E woke up asking for her 'Elmo water' and she was pacified. Then BSK woke up, angry at DH for holding her,"Appa, apppppppaaa, no kai" And went back to sleep right away. Then my lonely musings started again, as I twisted and turned in the sleeping bag. I was fully inside the bag, no part of me was outside visible. When I took my head out, ice cold wind froze my nose.
The day dawned. Birds were chirping. How beautiful! Day was breaking. I badly wanted to get up and go outside, watch the day break. But the cold dissuaded me. Finally I got up. To use the restroom. It was fricking cold. So now we know why there was no civilization in America. It was fricking cold! Ancient man could only live in warmer places in those days!
No one had slept in the other tent. Due to the cold. A few of us bunched into the car for some heat. The morale was so down, we decided to pack up right then and there have breakfast at Dennys. DH was the only one in high spirits.
Slowly as the sun came up things started looking up. We had come all the way, the worst is over, why not spend more time?
BSK and E were running around, warming up, getting further dirty in their white night suits. We boiled more milk, had some coffee. Toasted bread and made more dosas and some eggs. The girls were having such a lovely time, just playing with nature, flowers, twigs, sands, mud, pine cones. Chasing each other. Playing ringa ringa roses. Generally running around.
By 10 we unpacked the tents, folded them properly so they could fit into the compact bags, packed all our stuff. We left to drive to Bay Area while they left off to their place.
One thing in all of our heads. "We should do this again!"
Despite the cold, i am still psyched about sleeping under the stars. Still psyched about having to use head lights/lamps to move around after sunset, rely on camp fire for warmth. Have the beach close by. Own this small shelter for the night.
Just wanted to record it as I have done many of the other first times :--) |
posted by SK @ 4:27 PM  |
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| 8 Comments: |
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You camped! Serves like a good guide to the non-campers... now I know what to expect ;) thanks for sharing...
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Try clear lake state park next time. It is much warmer.
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Camping is the truly best way to unwin for me.( yeah bath is a problem!).
Tahoe is pretty commercial, I liked camping at yosemite and sequoia better. Sequoia national park one had a stream right next to the camping (people did get down - not me though).
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Great goods from you, man. I've understand your stuff previous to and you're just extremely fantastic.
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Megs,
:--)) Sure.
Yaadayaada, yep will try it out! Tahoe is always cold is it?!
Sachita,
I know! the rustic nature of the whole thing does help you unwind! Will try yosemite or sequoia definitely! :--)) thanks for the reco.
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You camped! Serves like a good guide to the non-campers... now I know what to expect ;) thanks for sharing...