© Christina Lee Tennant
We just got back from what has become our annual family camping trip to Algonquin Park and I’m realizing that camping really takes commitment. If you are planning a trip with a camping enthusiast, as my husband is, you have to be committed to going, even if:
- there is a thunderstorm;
- you are on your period;
- Avril Lavigne warns you about tick bites.
But I’m getting older and really the only things I’m willing to commit to are:
- my marriage
- my children
- finishing the chocolate cake in the fridge.
So worth it
© Christina Lee Tennant
Truthfully, I do enjoy camping…well, parts of it. Like…I really love canoeing. Being on the calm, early morning water is pure serenity. I also like packing and getting the gear ready. Weird, eh? I think I get it from my grandmother; the need to be efficient and quick – a benefit of camping with limited resources, but annoying to the laid-back, calm, nature-lovers I’m camping with. “Hey Ian…stop feeding the chipmunk.”
I also love seeing my children smiling and laughing, as they run through the forest. And, I like coming home and posting photos on Facebook. Most of all, I like “having gone camping.” And hey, you can’t tell me that the Huntsville McDonald’s doesn’t offer up the best tasting meal… YOU’VE EVER HAD.
So really, the only problem I have with camping is my OCD-like fear about bugs…on me, biting me or getting into the tent. This, however, has no bearing on whether we go camping or not. In a household with three outdoor lovers, I’m outnumbered. In any case, my husband’s plan and goal is to have the kids well-versed in the ways of the forest. And, as soon as they are into their early teens, I’m pretty sure I won’t be needed or even invited.
Until that day, however, I will have to tolerate a few daddy long leg spiders. But I will truly enjoy the occasional wonders that cross our path and make the minor discomfort totally worth it.
Hwy 60 in Algonquin Park © Hunter Berthelet
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