The Crap Shoot that is Camping

One aspect of my life that kind of stinks, besides my place of residence, feet, and gas, is the fact that my life is so full. I can't just pick up and leave on a trip anytime I feel like it. There are so many times I will be driving with the windows rolled down and I think, this would be a perfect night to go camping. Quickly I take stock of the things I have to do and realize there is no way I could just run home, load up my wife, dogs, and camping gear and head out to a remote area where I can burn things until my heart is content.

The reason I bring this up is camping/canoe trips, like the one I went on this weekend, are usually planned months in advance. There are usually 16 people on this trip (not all Lincolnites are bad, actually half of them reside in Omaha, go figure) and to make sure all can make the trip we have to pick a weekend in June and hope that the weather cooperates. It is always a crap shoot. The very first year my wife and I made the trip, it was horrible. It is amazing we ever went on another canoe trip. It was cold, cloudy and WINDY. Because of how that wind was blowing right in our faces and forcing our canoe sideways the whole way down the river, my marriage was put to the test like no other time up to that point. And we weren't the only ones. Many couples now go separate down the river in one-man kayaks because of that year. This years canoe trip wasn't quite as bad as that first year, but it made a play for worst year ever. If there would have been more wind, it would have taken the cake. The clouds were threatening all day, but it only sprinkled on us a time or two. But it was the coldest weather I have ever experienced on that river, and not a ray of sunshine broke through the clouds all day. That is until we got back to camp. Once we were off the river, showered and sitting around the fire to warm up, the sun burned off all the clouds, and there was a nice light breeze to perfectly compliment the warm afternoon sun. It was perfect camping weather. For once, instead of wishing I could drop everything and head out to a nice remote spot to burn things until my heart's content, I was already doing it. It was one of the best and worst camping trips I have ever been on, all wrapped up into one. Without a doubt, it could have been worse. The day that we left, there were thunderstorms where we camped all day long and into the night. Sometimes it's really nice to have a roof over your head.