My first backcountry backpacking/camping trip, ever, happened this Labor Day weekend. While I was a girl scout for many years growing up, we never actually went camping. I had never carried a pack, set up a tent, or done a dozen things that I did this weekend.
Conversely, Martin was a boy scout. He went camping at least twice a year. One might say that this was an instance of him growing up in a rural area, while I grew up in a suburban area, but I don't think that's particularly accurate. I'm pretty sure boy scouts who lived in Roswell, GA went camping. I'm alos pretty sure that other girls who may or may not have been girl scouts but lived in Roswell, GA went camping growing up.
Instead, I would say that camping was just not part of my family's lifestyle. My father and brother didn't go camping without us women-folk; they just didn't go camping. My parents never owned a tent. Our sleeping bags were the Rainbow Brite and My Little Pony style ones, not the keep you warm in under 30 degree weather kind.
And I think that my total and complete lack of camping and backpacking experience in the 80's and 90's actually may have been a good thing. You see camping gear used to be a lot heavier. A lot. And I was a tiny, tiny little thing growing up. While I loved the outdoors, I don't know that I would have loved hiking with a big external frame pack.
Now, they have ultra light tents and sleeping bags/pads that scrunch up into little bundles. Now, I have friends who have so much backpacking experience that they can lend us 95% of the gear we need to go. I think the only thing we actually had to buy was a pack for me because, as I mentioned, I'm kind of small. The best fit for me was actually a youth pack, not a women's pack.
I wonder if my parents went camping as children. I wonder if my brother and sister have been camping. I must say that I never perceived it as a lack growing up. But, I'm glad that, as an adult, I have had this experience. Sadly, it has made my non-consumerist goals much more difficult, because now I want to be able to do this on our own.
Getting out of the city. The silence of the evenings. The clean air. The easy tiredness in the evenings knowing that you have earned your rest. The sparkling fresh water of the mountain lake that we swam in. All of these things must be experienced again.
Where did you go camping at? Looks awesome! Yes I went camping and yes I feel bad as a dad now. I should have taken you little ones out camping.
ReplyDeleteWe went up to near Lassen National Forest and the Caribou Wilderness. It was pretty awesome. Beautiful weather. Lots of little lakes.
ReplyDeleteDon't feel bad. That wasn't the point of the post. I don't think that my lack of experience camping was necessarily a bad thing. It allowed me to have this experience as an adult. I don't know that I would have enjoyed camping as a child. I know that hiking before gear was as light as it is now sounds pretty daunting. And you did so many other "dad" things like teaching us to ride bikes or taking us to sporting events. Did you enjoy camping when you went? Was it something you chose to do or was it something you "had" to do?
I never got to camp as a kid either. My boy scout troop of a family however did a whole lot of camping. I was mad about it. I never got to go to Lost Valley or anywhere. So my boyfriend took me camping for my first time and now I feel like it is an essential part of my soul care. Basically I can't live without doing it. You are so right about equipment being lighter and better over time. Curt wants to do the whole John Muir trail. I do not. I will do part of it with him but he and his crazy friend from work will do the rest! Beautiful pictures Lauryn. Well done. Well said.
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