A couple of days ago the outlook for the summer took a turn for the better.
After a little bit of online brainstorming, I confirmed that several California state parks within 1-2 hours' drive were reopening on a limited basis beginning next week.
That discovery led to the purchase of a gently used, lightweight, two-person camping tent via craigslist for under a hundred bucks (retails new for about $500).
After that, I booked 4 separate overnight reservations at those nearby state parks. The sites were chosen because they are convenient to access, work well for car camping, and have decent hiking trails. The plan will be to take each kid for a private "dirtbag dad" trip on an alternating basis, to provide a new experience and hopefully offer something to look forward to.
As part of our pre-camping warmup, I took my daughter (first up in the camping rotation) through the process of assembling the tent on our patch of lawn. It was secretly more about being certain I could assemble it after receiving instructions from the seller.
From the moment she saw the small stuff sack, she was completely enchanted with the notion that we'd be sleeping in the tent. As we connected the poles and hung the rainfly, she gushed with enthusiasm. When we entered the tent and stretched out, her eyes widened with disbelief. For a moment it was hard to read her reaction - second thoughts? Repulsion?
"Dad, I'm not sure I'll be able to sleep in this tent."
"Why is that?"
Big smile erupting over her face, "I think I might be too excited!"
My son concluded that, like a certain incantation from a favorite Harry Potter book, what seemed a small tent on the outside was actually a enchanted and unexpectedly spacious castle on the inside. (I'd forgotten that the enormity of the world is generous rather than sinister or threatening at ten years old.)
While I take one child camping, the other will be spoiled with attention by my wife, a true win-win proposition. If she had any sense of feeling left out, it disappeared as soon as she entered the newly erected tent - she promptly expressed relief at not having to spend a night in it.
(Her response reminded me of a card my cousin sent to a friend as a joke many years ago: You're pregnant! I'm not! Congratulations to both of us!)
Today I picked up a second sleeping bag and a couple of sleeping pads at Costco - a reasonable, modest investment in salvaging our summer.
Bedtime is when I realize we've reached an inflection point. My son, who views the world through the lens of food, confides that he's really looking forward to making s'mores for dessert over an open fire. My daughter asks if she can take photographs on our hikes, and feels very adult when I suggest we both bring journals to write down our reflections before we go to sleep.
Time spent together, intensely. Shared memories. New experiences. This might turn out to be an unanticipated version of the summer we were seeking after all.
Comments 10
So glad to hear that your camping idea is a “go”! Don’t forget the bug spray đŸ™‚
Author
Thanks, Mrs. T!
DEET is the sole toxin I reliably keep in the trunk, just in case…
Always happy to hear from you,
CD
Nice work on finding a good (better) plan for the summer. It sounds like you will be making great memories with your children. Enjoy!
Author
Hey IM-PCP,
The outcome is far from guaranteed, but the process is encouraging.
Appreciate your stopping by,
CD
That sounds like such a great experience with one on one attention to each kid with alternating trips.
Glad you have a great way to pass the time
Author
Thanks Xray. I think they’re enjoying rotating parents, as we both become pushovers with man-on-man instead of zone defense.
Awesome for you guys! I imagine you’ll have some great one-on-one time with your kids, which can be hard to come by without making a real effort.
We just picked up a travel trailer yesterday after years of tent camping. We are ready for new adventures, as well!
Cheers!
-PoF
Author
Thanks PoF! I’ll have to live vicariously through your travel trailer experience, as my wife (while not high maintenance) does appreciate the finer amenities that budget airbnb’s have to offer when we travel.
Does upgrading from tent to travel trailer count as lifestyle creep?
Excited to learn about your new adventures,
CD
I hear lemonade is really good. Just add some sugar to a pile of lemons. There are a bunch of bushcraft vids on youtube teaching camping skills like fire starting using a ferrorod and fluffed up birch bark. Bring a bag of frito’s and use one to start a fire or as a candle. There are a million knots to learn to tie. A good youtube channel is called “corporals corner” if you want to bush craft up your camping skills and camp cooking skills. The channel is devoted to how to successfully camp on the cheap.
Author
Great suggestion – perhaps I’ll try to add one new skill to the outdoor portfolio each time we go. I’ll check out the channel for more ideas. You had me at “cheap.”