Last years extended family camping trip was a hit so we decided to do it again this year. Same weekend, same location, same people. The weather this year cooperated much better, with a weekend in the 70’s and 80’s during the day and lows in the 50’s and 60’s, and more importantly much less rain than last year! My Dad had to bail at the last minute (wasn’t feeling good) but my Mom came from NC to our house in VA the night before. It needs to be noted what a champ she is. With a bandaged open wound on here arm needing surgery, but a new surgery date bumped to two weeks after the camping trip happening just days before, she decided to join us. This is ALMOST as epic as her joining us in the Outer Banks a few years ago as flooding from a hurricane receded, and she showed up with a yet to be set broken arm!
Anyways, Cherie, my Mom, and I headed out a little late Friday morning and so weren’t the first ones to camp this year. Thanks Randy, Brenda and Tyler for making it up there in time to tell the portapotty guys where to drop their delivery! If I remember correctly 8 vehicles of campers showed up Friday between noon and bedtime from various corners of PA, CT, VA and NC. Our last campers would arrive Saturday afternoon. The campsite was improved since last year with a new pavilion covering the tables near the fire. We set up Harry’s large shelter next to it to double our covered space! Popups and a row of tables on the other side of the fire would be the buffet area for the weekend with a never ending variety of food showing up and being consumed.
Friday night was spent doing the obvious setup. In addition to that fire wood was collected and broken down to a usable length. Harry showed his grandkids how to break the sticks they had collected (some close to the thickness of their arms) using their weight and the fire ring handles. Tyler and I went out to purchase some split firewood locally. The local seller also had some rough cut live edge planks of sassafras and hickory for sale. We followed him back to his barn and saw quite the variety of wood which we mentioned to any potentially interested parties around the campfire that night. Cherie was unofficially awarded the “best manicured camping organizer we could ever hope to find” when her nails were noted while unloading arm loads of firewood from the truck back at camp!
Dinner Friday night was burgers and hot dogs. Post dinner entertainment included Danielle and various kids trying to inflate her air lounge pillow, Old Maid, and Pictionary around the campfire. Then out came the glow sticks and s’mores! There was some light depression from the kids Friday night as some of their cousins had yet to arrive. But we managed.
Saturday morning we cooked up many many pounds of bacon and eggs (thanks Tyler!) and a few pots of coffee. Danielle also showed the kids how to make biscuits on marshmallow forks over the fire. Harry started the smoker with a brisket for dinner.
Midday entertainment included a large group of us heading over to the nearby Amish store, Kauffman’s Store. They had a great variety of everything you could need including lots of horse equipment. Cherie and I picked up a few more items we could use at camp as well as some other items. Harry and Camille purchased each of their grandkids an item of their choosing. The one I enjoyed the most was Isaac’s new bow and arrow. After lunch I caught a bunch of people taking naps and just generally relaxing. A group went out to the nearby reservoir for a light hike. Old Maid was played on and off all day. Tyler and I helped Isaac figure out how to use his new bow and arrow. By the end of the weekend he was able to hit his target an appreciable amount of the time.
In the afternoon our last campers arrived. The young cousins all reunited!
Tyler, Cherie and I went back out for another smaller batch of split firewood. I decided to purchase a piece of the rough cut sassafras which I’ll try to make something out of once it’s had some time to dry. On the way back we took the scenic route and explored some nearby light off road trails. We swung by an old fire tower and took a quick stroll on the path that passed it’s base.
Back at camp Nick shared some entertainment with the group. He had brought a few Kendama’s with him. They are kind of the Japanese version of the ball attached to the paddle, but the paddle is a small carved wooden thing with cupped surfaces as well as a spike. The goal is to swing the ball up and catch it on the cupped or spiked surface. Those that mastered that could then try to jump the ball from one cupped surface to another without dropping it. The Kendama’s were a hit and were used into the night and Sunday until we left.
Saturday we celebrated Noah’s birthday with a big cake and candles. Dawn also shared some culture with the group with some food and drinks from her recent trip to Scotland. The Irn-Bru soda, much more popular than Coke and Pepsi over there, was received with mixed reviews. But her description of it tasting like carbonated bubble gum was spot on.
Dinner was brisket and foiled packets of vegetables and sausage which was a repeat of a hit last year. People went to bed at various times with the last of us heading to bed around midnight. The night was clear and very bright with a nearly full moon overhead. We saw a few satellites while sitting around the fire, with one very bright one we suspect being the ISS.
Sunday morning always arrives too soon. Harry and Camille were the first to be packed and out of camp before some even made it out of their tents! The kids played various games all morning in the field in camp. Tyler again cooked a ton of bacon and eggs and coffee and no one left hungry. The morning entertainment centered around trying to figure out who brought what since popups, marshmallow forks, and various other things all start to look the same when you have a pile of them! The last campers left around noon. I’m already looking forward to next year’s camping weekend!
