How many years of camping experience do you have?

Let me see now....there are four fingers and one thumb on the left hand....and then there are four fingers and one thumb on the right. That's 10. Hummmm...then there are five toes on one side, and five toes on the other. Let me think...that's 20. I don't have anything else to count. So lets say twenty +.

My first camping trip was when I decided to run away from home when I was eleven if I recall.

 

You are a wise one.

 

Thank you!

 

Was I supposed to fall for something....

 

I had a buddy in crime - we took off for what we thought were thousands of miles away. It seemed like it because we walked for a whole day. We made camp in what we thought would be a deserted part of a park in the far east end of the city. We were doing okay too when the police arrived at our campfire. There were good natured and had a hot dog with us. Well...we listened to reason; they helped us pack up and took us home.

I ran away again at 12 when they sent to me to summer camp. That's another story.

 

I have been camping for many many years. My first camping trip was probably around 4 years old. I'm 31 now and still camp quite a bit so camping has always been part of my life. There is nothing like sitting next to the camp fire enjoying the evening! I can't wait to take my little one.

 

If you are interested this how the story goes...

My parent's sent me to a summer camp for two weeks. I really thought that they were punishing me for some reason and were getting rid of me. So...when I arrived at camp I did everything that I could to suggest that I was a "good kid". At any rate I went AWOL. I hitched hiked home. No one even asked where I was going or why. Anyway...I finally got home. I walked up the steps of our small veranda, into the house and to the kitchen where my Mom was. "Hi," I said. "Hi," she replied. "What are you doing home," she inquired. "I didn't like camp," I said. "Oh," she said, "that's to bad." "How did you get home," she asked. "I hitch hiked," [making a hitch hikers gesture]. "Well...you can hitch hike back because you are not staying here."

So off I went, down the stairs, and out onto the street. I paused a moment and then went back into the house and asked if I could have lunch. "No," she said.

So...off I went and managed to get back to camp in the wee hours of the next morning.

What I didn't know was that the camp officials had been in touch and had advised my Mom that I was AWOL. She advised that she would be sending me back and the camp [though at bit startled at the method] agreed and they also agreed that when I got back they would say absolutely nothing about my absence. More than that, my cabin mates were also instructed to say nothing - and they didn't.

It was like it really never happened and that it was just all a dream. [A nightmare?]

Anyway - I grew to love the place so much I could hardly wait until I could get back each summer.
It was the beginning of a life full of meaning, adventure and outdoor pursuit that has stayed with me. It was a positive influence in my career choice and I will always be thankful.

 

Thank you.

I'm glad that you have pleasant memories from the past too. I know that I am richly blessed and I share those blessing with others.