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A few years ago, my best friend wrote a semi-formal proposal enumerating the reasons for why I should go camping with her. When all parties were satisfactorily convinced, thus began another journey with Victoria at the helm of the big, golden van.
I was attending morning classes at the community college to knock out credits over summer and had to attend class that morning. Having packed the night before, I was set and ready to throw my pack and emergency things (I'm prepared for anything) into the van and go. Mid-morning, class ended and I darted home to wait for Victoria and her sister to come. It was a beautiful and warm day in San Diego, which promised to be a hot, but pleasant afternoon in the local mountains.While waiting, I ensured that I had everything on my list. Whipping out a handy-dandy pencil and pad, I noted my supplies:
-Waterproof matches - check
-Battery powered lantern - check
-Spare batteries for lantern - check
-clothes & appropriate shoes -check
-sleeping bag - check
-anti-mosquito stuff - check-check (it was really important, as anything that bites finds me)
-Ridiculously large water bottle in red carrier - check
Victoria was to bring the food provisions, tent, Deana, and the van, so I was set to go.
After enjoying a twenty minute nap on the couch with Golden Girls on in the background, the van, the best friend, the little sister (by a year) pulled up. Locked, loaded, and seat-buckled in, we were ready to ride.
Julian
We stopped in Julian, our historic mountain town, for a bite at a local soda shoppe. We probably could have simply gone to the soda shoppe and left happy. The food was fantastic and the atmosphere very warm and comforting.
Ranger Rick
We arrived at the camp and had to check-in with the ranger to claim our spot, which we had reserved online (this is camping in the twenty-first century). The three of us entered the bungalow. There were all sorts of maps and live critters on display inside. We all found particular interest in the king snake. So that you know, if you see a snake with black, red and yellow coloration, here's how you know if it's venom (venom is injected, poison is consumed) will cause you harm or not: Red touches black, friend of jack; red touches yellow, kills a fellow. The ranger came out and he was the a-typical, dreamy hiking, I-live-part-time-in-the-forest type. The three of us went googly-eyed and yet somehow we managed to communicate to him why we were there. Actually, Victoria was the only one who could communicate sensibly to the man. After Deana got to play with the king snake we jumped back into the van and headed to our designated piece of camp. The grounds had been sectioned off so that people could reserve spots for tents or cabins that are on premise.
This one, no...this one.
The little chunk of camp ground that we had reserved with a click and taken with a word to Ranger Rick, was nice, but there was a family at a cabin right next to us. We no more than parked the van and all movement at the neighbor's stopped. They stared at us and it felt like their angry expressions were burning into our souls. If they had wanted uninterrupted, legitimate camping it may have been more efficient for them to have gone to a less high-tech five-star camp ground. BUT because we are not rude, we decided that we should leave and find a different spot. We didn't want to interrupt their camp time and we did not want their stares to leave burn marks on our skin.
Back to Ranger Rick
Round two at the central bungalow. This time, Victoria went in, leaving Deana and me behind in the van. It was around about this time that we started to really notice that there were clouds growing over head. We had been aware that it was likely to rain, but it didn't seem like a big deal. We had a cover for the top of the tent in the event that there was rain, so we figured that we would be fine. Victoria came back to say that Ranger Rick gave us a better camp spot that was a bit removed from other spots, but still within a quick walk to the restrooms. Thanks Ranger Rick! And actually, this spot was much better than our first. As we started to drive toward the new camping spot, Deana and I asked Victoria if Ranger Rick's reaction to us being back within five minutes was, "Did you guys decide to go back to society already?"
Setting up and Settling Down
The second site really was much nicer than the first. It felt way more like camping to me than the other one would have with a cabin's shadow falling over us.
It took us about fifteen minutes to set up the tent. Deana set up her camping grounds, by laying out her sleeping bag on the table along with her book and calling it a day. Deana curled up in her sleeping bag on the table (it had cooled off a little because of the clouds) and started to read.
After locking up the van, for fear of hooligans taking our beef jerky from the van that was parked 25 feet away from us, Victoria excused herself to go to the restroom, which was down the hill. I sat down in one of the chairs and started to do what I do best (or at least most frequently); I wrote.
And then came the rain.
Rain, thunder, screaming, running, failing
It happened like this: drop, drop, sudden and unexpected downpour. Deana lept off of the table and I threw my journal under a bag that was out. We started running around like chickens with our heads chopped off. It came to our genius minds that it would be in our best interest to protect the tent. The cover was on one of the chairs, so Deana grabbed it and threw it to me. It didn't reach me, so I start laughing like crazy. Deana was screaming like mad. We continued to try to cover the tent, but we were laughing so hard that we were completely failing. Deana gave up and wrapped the plastic thing around herself. I grabbed half of the cover and pulled it over myself. Realizing that there was a van and that her sleeping bag was getting soaked, Deana again screamed, scooped up her things, and bolted up the hill. At this point, I was bent over laughing. I knew that the van was locked. Around about this time, Victoria came back up the hill, shaking her head at our pathetic display. Deana was rocking the van because she couldn't get in and I was wrapped in the tent cover. Before I unlocked it for her, Victoria and I began to effectively cover the tent. Seeing us actually making progress, Deana came back down and helped us. Then we all bolted for the van.
Survival Skills (a continuation of failing)
Inside the van...
WARNING - This is a video of us losing our minds and quoting Jurassic Park.
Garlic
The rains did pass within an hour. We emerged from the van (after Deana ate most of our beef jerky) and were greeted with the refreshing smell of rain and wet pine. It was beautiful.
Because it was so warm, the fire pit dried quickly. We set up the logs and used our waterproof matches to start a fire. It's easier than it looks if you have a match. It is important that the fire gets oxygen, so be sure that you arrange the logs in such a way that a flow of air is able to stoke the flame.
Our adventurous tummies were now growling. It was time to scare away all of the bugs in the vicinity. We whipped out the garlic. I don't remember what else we ate - I think that beans and bread were involved, but I could be wrong. We played with the citronella candles; thanks to Deana, we discovered that if you dip a thick stick into the melted wax and spin it around, bugs are less likely to bite. This was probably also due to the fact that a good portion of them had been scared/and or killed by the rain. We all came away with a bite or two, but it was not so bad.
Julian Revisited
After cleaning up, we decided that another visit to Julian was necessary. We hopped back into the van and drove toward the town to get dessert. The sunset in the mountain was absolutely breathtaking. As we drove to town, we saw the deer coming out to enjoy their dance and feasts among the twilight breeze.
A parking lot bed and a blanket of stars
We returned to camp with marshmallows and ice cream bars. We gathered around our newly stoked fire (always remember to put out your fire if you leave your camp) and talked for hours.
It was starting to get late, so we walked together to the bathroom to freshen up for bed. Prior to heading back to camp, we realized that our skyline was much larger in the parking lot in front of the bathroom. It was the perfect place to lay back and look into the heavens. There we were, stretched out upon the asphalt, staring into the universe. The night air was cool, refreshing after the long day of heat. That evening, watching the stars with Deana and Victoria, was one of the most relaxing and peaceful of my life.
Bees, Bears, and Bathroom Breaks
In the soft blue glow of the hour of dawn, I woke to the sound of bees buzzing and singing their morning hymn. They sounded as if they were in the tent, but (luckily) they were buzzing along the side, taking in the gifts from the blooming summer flowers. I watched their shadows and listened to their song as they bounced off the sides of the tent. It was quite magical.
But then I realized that Victoria was not in the tent. I started to think to myself, "Great, Victoria's been stung to death by bees and is being eaten by a bear." (Because it couldn't be just one). It took her a long while to return, but eventually she made it back from her bathroom break, after the bees had passed along to the next blooming buffet.
Breakfast of Campers
What time we woke up, I'm not sure. Time did not really matter. There were no deadlines, no business meetings to make, no time card to punch. The cell phones were left in the van and the watches were left at home. It was nice to wake when our bodies told us to rise and shine. It was nice to sip coffee made over an open flame, and to eat bacon and eggs from the same. Even though I live in the big city with every amenity and luxury imaginable at my finger tips, I'd rather wake up to the smell of pines and make breakfast over a fire that I stoked myself. There's something far more rewarding when the food that you eat comes from your own labor.
Return of the Bees
On our return journey, Deana was stung by a bee that she sat on, so she was our only casualty. Just kidding, she survived just fine.
I loved my time away from the cell phone and the confines of technology. Call me a transcendentalist, although I don't really think that's applicable - I like having my laptop to post my blog, I like having a heater and a lamp, but it was a very nice get away, one that I'd like to do again some day. Thanks Victoria and Deana - it truly was a treat!
Your humble writer,
S. Faxon
Great adventure story. Can wait until you next adventure is written for our reading enjoyment.
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