Day Camping

I'm not sure what got into Chuck this weekend. I guess all our recent outdoor adventures made an impact and he wanted more. He spent the evening yesterday looking at the map, reading park reviews, finding tips on grilling, and even pricing out tents and kayaks. After 16 years of marriage, I never thought we'd be a camping family and figured buying gear was probably a little premature - I suggested we start with a day trip to see how that goes first. Aurora was thrilled. She helped me shop for charcoal and picked out pink marshmallows for s'mores, then we loaded up the Element and headed out to Pace Bend Park. It's still a little too hot out, but this was a neat place. There was a beach for swimming where Aurora instantly made friends, and it wasn't at all crowded so we had our pick of campsites.

It wasn't exactly perfect. I mean, this was a learning trip and we definitely have some ideas for what to do better next time. But we all had a good time. On the way home, we talked about the things we loved, the things we liked, and the things we did not like. Each of us ended up with a list:

Chuck loved grilling, liked the breeze, and didn't like the hot sun.
Clark loved walking along the road at the campsite, liked the little water bottles we brought, and didn't like the 40 minute drive.
Aurora loved swimming, liked peeing in the woods, and didn't like leaving.
I loved seeing my family happy, liked the sound of the leaves blowing in the wind, and didn't like the ants that kept biting my feet.

I also liked the drive home, because there was a full complete rainbow which was double at times! It was so big, I couldn't get the whole thing in one picture.

And, I like the idea that we may keep exploring nearby state parks, taking little day trips and perhaps eventually camping overnight. Though, the BEST part was coming home and taking a shower.