While others members of the Nor Cal Rabble were off at the Livermore Highland Games the Flame-Haired Celtic Amazon Goddess and I took the kids for our first family camping trip at Big Basin State Park. We encountered swarms of mosquitos, dirt, 98 degree heat, maurading raccoons and other rustic "charms" of the outdoors and had a great time. I attribute my survival to my kilts and the generous application of vodka tonics (no gin available as we were 'roughing it")
I brought my SWK Hunting Mcleod for the cool of the evenings and my Alan H. made camo X Kilt for the heat of the day. I paired both with my SWK Nightstalker sporran and belts made of ballistic nylon. They proved to be very comfortable gear for camping.
Here are a few pictures:
Making breakfast
On the trail:
The F-H.C.A.G. roasting marshmallows:
At camp:
Things I learned from camping:
If you bring your binoculars and birdspotting book on the trail you won't see any birds.
If you don't bring your binoculars and birdspotting book on the trail you will.
Raccoons don't wait until you are actually done with your meal to start scavenging
Don't use the same amount of coffee to brew one cup that you normally use to brew one pot. You will dissolve the lining of your stomach (though you will be really alert )
Sausages and hot dogs cooked and eaten out in the woods taste better
Buying camping gear is not nearly as important as remembering to actually bring it along
A crumpled piece of newspaper saturated with about a tablespoon's worth of cooking oil and tossed into the fire will create enough smoke to keep the mosquitios at bay for about 20 minutes
A large vodka tonic drunk quickly will almost get rid of the screaming heebie-jeebies you get when a wolf spider crawls up your thigh under your kilt...
...almost!
Panache "Roughing it":
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