3.22.10

Camping Trip 2010!
Wakiva River

So we got up nice and early Saturday morning and loaded up the cars. It was interesting because it seemed like we had more stuff than we could carry. Limits were made, but it would surprise you how much you would need on an all out camping excursion. After stopping for lunch, we hit the river...

Have you ever kayaked for over 2 hours? Let me tell you, your arms don't like that much... unless you're professional. Let me remind you, I am not. This was the usual rowing order. Of coarse they stick the 2 people who have never been in a kayak other than the bo-jank ones we have at fantasmic together. Yes, what a "learning" experience. If you can learning, crashing and thrashing in the water learning, then yes. Well done! I can't say that the ride out there wasn't all that bad. I mean, the alligator we saw seemed pretty friendly - In a "I want to eat you kind of way". We couldn't pass Wakiva Island with out stopping for a little fun...

It was beautiful. Lots of families and live music. Oh, and this little girl right here was the life of the party. Doesn't she look so cute and innocent filling that Bud Lite Lime can with rocks then tossing them in the water. All kinds of classy. But was had a nice time there; watching the rowers go by, talking and sun bathing. Oh what a glorious morning...
We headed another hour down the river when we finally reached our camp site. And guess who came to welcome us?! Oh, just a baby gator. I just hoped momma gator was no where to be found. It was really pretty. There was an old rustic tram in the swamp to our right and a hiking trail behind us. We went of a good hour long hike to find: Well, more swamp. But it was beautiful and relaxing none the less...
No phone, no facebook, no work. Just relaxing and enjoying time with those around you with a campfire, Hot dogs and s'mores! Here is dear Anna. She brought the wood and I built us a fire to last the night, great team work! Except when it didn't want to go out and spooked us in the middle of the night. "Who started the fire again?" "Someones out there" "Rake Man!" "Neil, go check it out!"
Just making sticks so we could cook our dinner and roast marsh mellows. Yummm! We should have kept some by our tent for when the raccoons came in the middle of the night! come midnight of so, there is the sound from outside. *for some reason we have bear mase* That didn't make me feel any better, because now all I can think is, "Lions and gators and bears, oh my".
Of coarse my comrades are a bright lot and put all our food and such under the kayak and flipped it over so they could not get our doughnuts for tomorrow morning. The plan worked! Unfortunately they got a hold of our garbage bag and decided to have a disco. It was not fun to pick that up the next morning. We took one final picture in front of the tent before packing up and began our super fun kayak ride (upstream) back to reality. Of coarse it decides to sprinkle for a good hour of our way back. But we just toughed out the rain. It was actually really nice because it kept everything cool and comfortable for us. Camping Trip 2010 was a success in my book. See you on next year's!