Wednesday, July 10, 2013

Roughing It

Thanks to the wonders of modern technology, I'm writing this blog post a couple of days ahead of the actual posting date. Which is a very good thing, because at the time this post goes live, I'll be on the last day of a camping trip with the family.

I love camping. From the time I was a little girl going "boat camping" with my parents, to celebrating college graduation with a big group of friends and an even bigger tent at the nearby state park, to heading out with my own children today, camping has always been a part of my life.

When I was younger, camping meant sleeping bags on thin nylon tent flooring, and pit toilets across the teensy island from the only two campsites. Later, we added blow-up air mattresses for sleeping comfort.

But now? You can pry the control for my heated mattresses out of my cold, dead hands.

Yeah, we don't win any prizes for living off the land or becoming one with the elements. We may insist that having a tent trailer counts as real camping because there's *canvas*, but the truth is, we're not much for roughing it.

The most challenging part of this trip? NO WIFI. Which makes me a little nervous, since the last book in my Girls Most Likely To trilogy was released on Monday.

On the other hand, we've got time with the kids, and ocean breezes, and snuggling in sleeping bags while night falls outside the trailer. And the internet will be there when we get back.

We hope. :)

What's your favorite vacation? Do you like roughing it, or is a five star resort more your style? Or something in between?

5 comments:

Skylar Kade said...

I'll take the resort, please! Nature and I do not get along very well. I'd do tent trailer camping, maybe, but I'd probably just end up sleeping in the car.

Congrats on the newest release :D

kelly said...

Yeah, roughing it means an air conditioned Airstream, lol. That was the only "camping" we did when I was a kid. I have never in my life slept in a tent. I'll go with the resort too, with a plug in for the blow dryer and a king size bed. :-)

Meg Benjamin said...

I used to love camping when the kids were young and it meant coming to Colorado and sleeping in a cool pine grove. Now that my kids are grown and I actually live in Colorado, I'm more the queen-size bed type. But I still remember how much fun we had--and my kids still camp when they get a chance.

PG Forte said...

I love them both, but sleeping in comfort is a non-negotiable life necessity. I love camping. I love the stars and the campfires. I adore my camp stove. I love snuggling into sleeping bags and the crisp pure air. Being cold, sleepless and miserable in the woods, otoh? Yeah, not so much. And being separated from my wifi? That's almost as painful as sleeping bags on the bare tent floor.

Kate Davies said...

I survived! Even though it was about the only spot in the state that wasn't warm, the whole time we were there. But the camper was cozy, we played lots of Monopoly, and it was an all-around good time. So glad to be back, though!