I live a life of relative comfort. I live in a house, I have a bed and a car, I can provide for myself and a cat. I guess sometimes we need to remind ourselves why we enjoy things like shelter, and heat, and blankets, by absconding to someplace where you sleep outside in a tent and take cold showers. Why yes! Maine for a vacation is an excellent idea! Let us thumb our noses as sanitation and germs and roast our food on a fire.
Upon entering into the arrangement of camping all fashion sense goes completely out the window. And that's coming from a New Englander, where fashion sense is near zero. Why? Winter. That's why. As a side note, I read a fashionista blog last winter when someone asked if hose was ever okay and the fashion maven replied "no". She MUST live in LA. Gawd. I don't know why I feel compelled to point this out, except that when fashionable people were seen on trails with thoroughly impractical outfits they are snickered at. Make no mistake.
Yes so comfort and warmth trump good looks in nearly every endeavor involving outings. The only exception might be the trip to Bar Harbor because that's as close as you get to civilization and even then, it's Maine. It's practical! And comfortable. And makeup free, which is an incredibly welcome change of pace all around. On the plus: your man (should you travel with one) will grow an adorable beard.
I get itchy if I go camping and don't get enough physical activity in. It's not because I'm a terribly active person at home per se, but that if I'm sleeping in 45 degree weather at night in a sleeping bag on a wooden platform, my days should exhaust me enough to ENJOY this arrangement. My hips still have bruises from sleeping on my side (I cannot sleep any other way) so to make that tolerable I should be dog tired at the end of the day. For the most part this held but on Tuesday when we went for the "nature cruise" I didn't get a hike in, and slept HORRIBLY that night. And although I am not a morning person, I discovered that there's something about waking up with the light (or Daniel) and stepping out in the chilled air that makes me feel refreshed and alive. Not sure how that would have gone had it been raining. Luckily it never did while we were there.
On this trip I also discovered that Chili Mac (canned chili and instant mac and cheese) is one of the BEST creations ever invented. S'mores are better if a kid makes them for you in earnest and that Swedish bananas are great, despite the banana part.
We had alot of time around the campfire making Swedish bananas, watching the kids make flaming marshmallow torches rather than s'mores, and trying a few local brews. I ate turkey dogs roasted over an open fire and lots of quick cooking oatmeal and green tea. The entire group went to Rupunini's for lunch in Bar Harbor before our "nature cruise" and I enjoyed a fantastic Asian inspired pulled pork sandwich. I can't believe I never took a photo of this gorgeous sammich piled high with tender pulled pork seasoned with hoisin sauce, chinese five spice powder, and dressed with cucumbers and greens. It was delicious, as Rupunini's often is.
All in all, we had a good time. When things with the kids got a little insane with three days of outdoor adventure whipping them into a frenzy, it's cool to see everyone fall into a storytelling game around the campfire and watch adults and kids alike roar with laughter at the absurdities we came up with. I managed to get two good hikes under my belt, even if they weren't the ones I'd originally hoped for in the first place. I got to meet up with my parents on a whim and completely unexpected while they stopped at Bar Harbor on their way to Nova Scotia. I saw two bucks, a doe and her fawn, two bald eagles, a plethora of harbor seals, and porpoises playing in the 54 degree water. I saw spectacular views from two mountains on the island. I saw the Milky Way and a moonset with Mars and Venus putting on a spectacular show. I got to eat my weight in Munchkins and not feel guilty about it. I got to sleep outside and still have a shower in the morning. I got to unpack my clothes and have them smell like woodsmoke. I got to have a great time.
