Growing up in Maine definitely built the foundation for my love of being outside. The first thing most people wonder about Mainers is usually "What the heck do you do for fun?" Well, we made our own fun and definitely spent alot of time outside (regardless of the season).
I did alot of camping with my dad growing up. He has this great camp in the middle of NOWHERE - no seriously - there is NOTHING for MILES upon MILES upon MILES (except blackflies and moose.) BUT, before that camp was there we pitched a tent, fished in the lake (well, dad fished - I was banned from that at age 13 but that's another story) and ate trout for breakfast. There was no "shower facility" or "public restroom" nearby - there was the woods and occasionally someone would yell "BEAR!" when your pants were down - just for fun. At night, the sky was PITCH BLACK except for the twinkling of a trillion stars. Eventually, dad built his camp and we graduated from woods to "outhouse" and no-shower to "fresh rainwater caught in a black plastic rain barrel. If you were lucky enough, you'd even get a hot shower if the sun was out strong that day. And you'd cross your finger hoping you didn't run out of water while there was still soap in your hair. YEP, that was the life. I haven't been up there in years. It's become the "man-cave" and women seldom get invited. There is a sound proof room for the my grandfather who snores like a lumberjack. (And sorry Papa - we can STILL HEAR YOU!!)
When I moved to the Chicago area and met Bob, I really was itching to go camping and he took me to this "campground city" with RV's and motorhomes and tents so close you can hear things you don't want to hear from your neighbors at night. BUT, it was camping and I was with Bob and around a campfire so I adapted. For the next few years we continued to tent camp and even took our infant son along with us for his first camping trip at 3 months old. I think the temp reached 110 degrees that day - fun stuff, especially when you are breastfeeding -
Eventually, we upgraded to an old motorhome that was gifted us by my father. It's a little too old and nerve wracking to drive very far, so after the first few "attempted" camping trips with it we parked it in a "camper city" not far away from the first campground we stayed at together. This will be our 4th season there and I have totally grown to love it. It's not the camping I grew up to know, but we are outside, our kids have tons of other kids they play with all day long that they see every season and let's face it - it sure is nice to sleep in a real bed and turn on the air conditioning on a really hot day!
FOUR more days....we are on the countdown. Four days till campfires and smores. Four days till my kids can run and be free. It's no Maine, but I've grown to love it just the same. My kids will grow up having memories of all of us fishing, hiking and sitting around a campfire. And I'm sure I'll break out the tent again. Eventually....
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