Happy Camper

Camping was always a big adventure for our family. Sometimes we would do big camping trips, like going out to the Black Hills of South Dakota. Other times we would do small camping trips in town at a local campground.  Either way, we knew sleeping bags, picnic tables, campfires, and smores would be included. Among other activities, swimming, hiking and fishing completed a camping trip.

I remember one camping trip took us to Nebraska where we tubed down a very well-known river called the Niobrara River. That night a very intense thunderstorm forced us out of our tent. Mom and I ended up in the cab of the truck while Dad and Brittney moved the air mattress underneath a picnic pavilion and roughed it. They were always more daring than Mom and me. Of course, the morning sun came and dried out all the camp sites.

Another time, our family vacation took us to Washington state to visit family. The folks thought it would be a great idea to put a red topper over the bed of Dad’s silver truck and camp each night on our trek out west. The topper made a nice bed for Mom and Dad to sleep in, while Brit and I got the cab of the truck; a little less cozy I can assure you. We could hear dad snoring through the windows while the seatbelts were digging into our sides.

Each morning when we woke, Dad would start the day off by saying, “The key word for this vacation is FLEXIBLE.” Brittney and I would just look at each other, concluding, that the only people “FLEXIBLE” on this trip, was us.

Thinking of all these funny camping stories made me want to create my own with my family. So, we decided to arrange a camping trip with some friends of ours.

I had everything neatly arranged and ready for packing when Chuck got home from work. He got us all loaded and off we went! Our family arrived first and we staked claim to two tent camping sites.

The first thing we did was get rid of some pesky red ants that had invaded the area by starting a campfire. Next, we began to set up our picnic tent. I made the mistake of purchasing a screened tent that had to be put together piece by piece (a mistake that would correct itself in the future). Every time we had the poles on one side put together and positioned, the poles on the other side would fall out.

Frustration was creeping in quickly. I caught the eyes of Chuck a couple times and realized I should probably just quit talking.

Once we finally got the picnic tent standing, chuck began to stake the lines down. He turned around to grab his mallet when a breeze swept through the campground. The tent took flight before we could grab it. It looked like a new kind of hot air balloon. As quickly as it went up it gracefully came down and landed in our campfire! We started running to get the tent out of the fire before it all went up in flames! We could feel our hearts beating through our sweaty clothes as we pulled a half-seared tent out of the fire. Dusting off the ashes we could see that only one side was burned, we scathed by thankfully, managing to save the tent.

By this point, we were ready to pack up and go home but we chose to press on. We laid out our sleeping tent and each had a side ready to raise when, “Campers of America” pulled in beside us. These people had a brand-new hybrid camper. The man effortlessly backed in his new camper, got out and used a heavy-duty extension cord to plug his camper into the electrical outlet. We watched him push a button and both ends of his camper folded out into instant comfortable beds.

Chuck and I, still standing there holding our tent stakes, watched this man casually extend his awning and set up lounge chairs. From the storage beneath, he proceeded to pull out a brand new flat top George Foreman grill.

At that moment, he looked over at us and must have recognized our look because he just smiled and said, “I did the tent camping last year with my family. After that experience, with my wife and two toddlers, I left and went straight to purchase this new camper.”

I looked over at Chuck and said, “Do you want me to start loading the truck now or wait five?” We both just started laughing and decided to continue putting up the tent.

That night as we slept on a leaking air mattress, we dreamed of those comfy beds at the campsite next door, but the sharp rocks gouging into our backs snapped us to reality.

Before we ever left for our first camping adventure, a friend of mine told me, “There are going to be mishaps and mistakes but make the most of it, laugh a lot. If you do, camping will be the best memories you ever make.”

Her advice held true. As nice as the campsite was next to us, I wouldn’t have traded our experience for one night in that cozy bed.

Since that summer, we have camped many times and yet none have even come close to that experience.

Dissatisfaction likes to creep in to rob family fun and steal the joy. It is only when we can find the humor in the “FLEXIBILITY” that will ultimately make us a “Happy Camper.”

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“Better is a dry morsel with quiet than a house full of feasting with strife.” Proverbs 17:1

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