Sometimes you just get the urge to drive; that is, sometimes I just get the urge to drive. I took last week off so on Monday i pointed the car west. I love that moment when you are surrounded by farmland on I-70, you round a corner and there are suddenly mountains in the distance
I realize that they are wee little mountains here in Maryland (
foothills of the Appalachians really), but i love them just the same.
I drove about an hour and a half away to outside of Hagerstown and stopped at
Greenbrier State Park
In this part of the state there are several state parks clustered together with some battlefields and the Appalachian Trail. I've spent a lot of time in Western Maryland, just not at this park. In fact, i've never even entered this park, which is why i chose it as my camping place; well, that and the fact that my first choice apparently doesn't allow camping any more except to pre-registered youth groups. [
side note: the closest i ever got to Greenbrier was one night when David and i were out driving after a night hike and he did donuts in the middle of the road by the highway on-ramp near the park entrance, but that is an entirely different story]
Anyhoo... since it was Labor Day night the camping side of the park was deserted and i had my pick of sites : Birch 5 was the winner. Before exploring i had to make camp:
Which included setting the table, getting my reading chair ready by the fire ring and fetching water from a pretty scary pump (
which took forever to start and then leaked all night)
Now if you are thinking
That's a lovely campsite you prepared, Niki you would be right, but if you are thinking
Hey, where's the tent you'd be right as well. I don't own a tent. When i was at Sam's Club that morning buying a flat of Diet Coke and a vineyard of grapes i did look to see if they had any tents, but in keeping with their "more is more" philosophy, they only had a huge 2 room with sun porch family tent that seemed a bit of overkill for little old me. Besides, is a tent reeeeaaallllly necessary for camping? In the Nikiverse, we improvise! I do own the world's greatest sleeping bag, but since it is still hot here i just tossed a sheet, blanket and pillow into the trunk before i left to arrange a comfy bed for myself in the car
Voila! Ready to camp!
I realize that they are wee little mountains here in Maryland (foothills of the Appalachians really), but i love them just the same.
I drove about an hour and a half away to outside of Hagerstown and stopped at Greenbrier State Park
In this part of the state there are several state parks clustered together with some battlefields and the Appalachian Trail. I've spent a lot of time in Western Maryland, just not at this park. In fact, i've never even entered this park, which is why i chose it as my camping place; well, that and the fact that my first choice apparently doesn't allow camping any more except to pre-registered youth groups. [side note: the closest i ever got to Greenbrier was one night when David and i were out driving after a night hike and he did donuts in the middle of the road by the highway on-ramp near the park entrance, but that is an entirely different story]
Anyhoo... since it was Labor Day night the camping side of the park was deserted and i had my pick of sites : Birch 5 was the winner. Before exploring i had to make camp:
Which included setting the table, getting my reading chair ready by the fire ring and fetching water from a pretty scary pump (which took forever to start and then leaked all night)
Now if you are thinking That's a lovely campsite you prepared, Niki you would be right, but if you are thinking Hey, where's the tent you'd be right as well. I don't own a tent. When i was at Sam's Club that morning buying a flat of Diet Coke and a vineyard of grapes i did look to see if they had any tents, but in keeping with their "more is more" philosophy, they only had a huge 2 room with sun porch family tent that seemed a bit of overkill for little old me. Besides, is a tent reeeeaaallllly necessary for camping? In the Nikiverse, we improvise! I do own the world's greatest sleeping bag, but since it is still hot here i just tossed a sheet, blanket and pillow into the trunk before i left to arrange a comfy bed for myself in the car
Voila! Ready to camp!
4 comments:
You, my dear, are fearless. Me + camping with people = nightmares.
I survived night hiking without flashlights with your husband, Kaaren - what is there left to be scared of?
Dude!:
Love to camp too! I would clasify you as much more than an ocasional traditionalist. I could possibly go as far to say that you are an avid lover of tradition with a twist. Your marshmallow set up has me yearning for days gone by. Kudo's on the carved twig action.
"avid lover of tradition with a twist"... i like it. I like it a lot. I might have to have that put on my calling cards.
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