Selecting a Camp Site

What makes one camp site good, and another bad?   What makes one better than the other?  It really depends on personal preference.  For me, it depends on who is going camping, and the purpose of the trip.

If it's just me going, and I'm going to be sleeping in my car, I don't have a preference on site size.  I really only need room for the screen house and the car, which all have.  If I'm planning to set up a tent and screen house, most sites also have adequate room for this too.  If I'm taking the kids with me, then I prefer a larger site, that will have plenty of empty space for them to play in.  Likewise if I'm expecting visitors while camping.

Finally, if I'm camping with another family, we try to get two sites adjacent to each other so the kids don't have to cross the campground road to go from one to the other.  Ideally, the two sites would not have trees between them, but you can't always count on that, lol.  If we have two sites, we try to get at least one of them to be a larger site, and that's where we would spend most of our time. 

I went camping with a friend's daughter, and my friend Muffin and her family a few years ago (I think 7....yikes!).  The kids were 3, 5, 7 and 9 (yes we might have been insane).  We went to Myles Standish (Fearing Pond, Loop 1, sites 13 and 14), and we got two adjacent sites with no trees between them.  We couldn't believe we lucked out!  We got there and decided to set up both tents on one of the sites, and both screenhouses on the other.  We assessed both sites and decided to set up the tents on site 13 and the screenhouses on 14 (thank god we didn't switch it!!!).  We opted for two screenhouses mostly to keep the kids out of the one we were cooking in and had everything else in.  So, once everything was set up we had a kitchen (my screen house), a dining room (her screen house), two bedrooms (the tents) and a living room (the open space between the two sites).  It was really cute, like a little house!

Well......a few days later we left Muffin's wonderful husband with 3 of the children and headed off to the store with the youngest.  It had rained a little while we were gone (or so we thought).....we returned to the campsite to find the four of them in the dining room, sitting on the top of the picnic table.  We quickly said 'uh oh' and wondered what happened.  We got out of the car and figured out real fast what happened.....it had POURED while we were gone, and there was about 1.5 - 2 ft of water in the middle of the campsite that had the screenhouses on it (this is why we were glad we didn't put the tents there).  We looked around, and at them in the screen house (Mr. Muffin telling them not to get off the table), and asked the stupidest question we possibly could have "what are you doing on the table?"  We got 'the look' from Mr. Muffin and we said "you could have told them to take their shoes off and let them walk around barefoot".  He hadn't thought of that, lol.  So, that's what we told the kids to do and they were quite excited, lol.  The water receded fairly soon after that.  We affectionately called it (and still do) "The great flood of 2004" hahaha.

So, back to my original topic...............

While I was walking around the campgrounds I noted whether the sites were wooded or open (this definition went from shaded/not to enough trees for clotheslines/not).  I should have been a little more specific, but there's always another trip out there, lol.  I also noted to what degree of privacy the site had.  A few of the campgrounds in Myles Standish have pretty private sites, at least in my opinion. 

I, personally, prefer a more open site, so I don't feel isolated from other people.  I know others like their privacy, so to each their own!  I also looked for low spots, flat spots, tree roots, etc.....  I ended up with a pretty decent list of awesome and good sites at all the campgrounds.


I also evaluated the bathrooms and showers at the campgrounds, because let's face it, you have to use them.  I am not squeamish about using public bathrooms and/or showers.  I even *GASP!* shower in my bare feet (oh the horror!!!).  Most of the bathrooms in Myles Standish are tiled ,as are the showers.  There was only one that is an older bathroom (and coincidentally the only campground open year round) that is poured concrete throughout.  The shower looked like it had seen better days, but since they were still getting ready for the regular camping season, I gave them the benefit of the doubt.  I'd still shower in it, but I know some people that wouldn't. 

So, there's my take on good and bad sites/campgrounds, lol.

I prefer the state parks, I have found over the years, that the kids are no more happier with a playground/arcade than they are without them.  And I think they make more of their own fun without that stuff anyway.

~Chelle

Fieldtrip Excursion

So, in preparation for heading out this summer to do some camping (hopefully a lot of camping, but we'll see), I went out on a fact-finding excursion the other week.  Like most people, I have my favorite campground, and even favorite camp sites at that campground.  I used to think I was odd, but after reading some camping blogs (my new obsession), I have realized a lot of people are like this.

As I think I've mentioned before, I took my friend Muffin's kids camping last summer.  They had a great time.  When I asked if they wanted to go again this summer, they said yes, but politely asked if we could go to a different campground because they are bored of the one we always go too.  I realized then, that for the entirety of their camping lives (that they would remember) we have always camped at the same campground, usually on the same site or two.  I said sure, and started doing some research.  I found some very nice state parks in VT that I thought would be fun to take them too. 

This was back in January, lol.  As it turns out, going to VT will not be possible this summer (I had planned to take them for a week, but can't do a week it's too far for just a weekend).  So, I started thinking, and the state park that I go to here in Mass (Myles Standish) has about 8 or 9 campgrounds.  So I wondered what the other campgrounds sites and bathrooms looked like.  I've stayed at one or two for a night or so, but it was a long time ago.  So, last week I decided to take a ride out (it's only about 45 minutes away) and evaluate all the sites and the bathrooms.

I went full-on geekiness with it and made spreadsheets for each campground with a line for each camp site, and columns for different features (wooded or open, private/semiprivate/nonprivate), and one for notes about the site.  I ended up walking around 5 of the campgrounds and driving through one of them.  My plan was to walk through all of them.  The first one didn't really have a place I could park the car, so I drove.  Two of the campgrounds weren't open yet (my car does not fit under the locked gates, lol), and the last one was too far away from the rest, and I didn't feel like driving up there.

There were a few people in a couple of the campgrounds, but other than that, it was I and the workers getting ready for this weekend.  It took between 10 and 20 minutes to walk each campground, assessing the sites and making notes.  I felt very accomplished when I finished!

On one of my walks through, I spotted something through the trees and thought my eyes were playing tricks on me:

Could it really be a SINK to wash DISHES in?????????

I just had to get a closer look:

Sure as ****, that's what it was!!!!!!!!!!

This is quite exciting, since this is the first time the state park has ever had them.  Not sure how this is going to work logistically.....I can envision people lining up with their dirty dishes, waiting to use the sink, lol.   I, for one, like doing my dishes in my screenhouse.  I would consider washing my big pasta pot in this though.....it's a little cramped in the dish pan for it.  

We will have to wait and see.....I'll try to remember to pay attention when I go!

~Chelle

Memorial Day!

The "unofficial" start to summer......and for most up here in New England, the start of the camping season.

Since I don't camp where there is electricity and wi-fi, it should be obvious that I'm not camping this weekend.  Why is that you might ask?  Firstly, I'd have had to make reservations months ago to get a site, but mostly because there are just too many people who left their brains at home, and generally acting stupidly and idiotically - neither of which I have a lot of patience for, lol.  It also urks me when people don't follow the campground rules, but I am working to look past that and not let it spoil my trip.  I have camped on holiday weekends, but Memorial Day seems to be the worst. 

One year, I got a site over the 4th of July weekend and had a cookout.  There were about 12 people plus my dog.  We had a great time, and took the kids swimming in the afternoon.   I've also camped over Labor Weekend up in NH.  It was a great weekend, and people were all in a good mood, blowing off some steam since it was the 'end' of summer, and the last trip for most people (myself included).  It just gets too cold to tent camp up here much after Labor Day.


~Chelle

A Glorious Day!!!!!!!!!!!!

Hello all my faithful readers!!!!!!!!!

I have wonderful, stupendous news!!!!!!!!!!!

It was finally nice more than one day in a row (I know - what a shock!).........and I was FINALLY able to play with my new tent!!!!!!!!!!

O. M. G. it's AWESOME!!!!!!!!!!!!!

My friend, Muffin, has a pretty good sized back yard.  It's also her kids that I am most likely taking camping this summer (the teenager claims he doesn't want to go, but I'm pretty sure he'll change his mind).  Since they do not go camping all that much, I felt it was necessary to make sure that they were capable of helping me set up the tent (I can't do it alone, it's too tall for me to get the rain fly over it).  It's also a good idea to set up a tent in the backyard first, so you know what you're doing and not trying to figure it out when you're hot and sweaty and tired, lol.

So....we took the tent out to her backyard and carefully unpacked the bag.  My intention was to take a picture of each step of setting up the tent, however, it was all set up before I realized I forgot to take pictures, lol.  We did learn a few things while setting it up.  The footprint should be clipped onto the rings of the tent before the poles get put in, it's too difficult to do it afterwards.  Also, one of the poles in the rain-fly needs to be put in before the rain-fly is on the tent. 

Here is the tent fully set up:

This is the side of the tent, the screen house doors and side covering are unzipped.  The tent door is also open, and the footprint is not attached to the tent itself.

The other side of the tent, with everything closed up.  The tent is also not staked down, since this was just a trial run.  You can see the footprint peaking out from the screen house - it will not be that way when set up properly.

This is the front of the screen house, looking into the tent.

Standing in the screen house, looking into the tent.  There is a door in the back of the tent!!!!  The tent floor is not taught, since it's not staked down.

Another view looking from the screen house into the tent.  The rain fly covering on the back of the tent is unzipped.  It rolls up to provide additional coverage over the door.

This is the ceiling.  This tent is tall inside!!!!

I was a little concerned when I ordered the tent about the sleeping dimensions, but it looked like it would fit three air mattresses side by side in the actual tent portion.  It will be a little cozy, but they will fit.  I think my estimate of 10x10 might be pretty accurate.  I didn't think to measure it while it was set up, lol.

I can't wait to take it camping!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  It came with plastic stakes....so I am planning on swapping them for the titanium ones that I have.  I just don't like plastic stakes, even if they DO say LLBean on them.

~Chelle

Step 1 of setting up new tent: opening the boxes :)

I was planning to go to a friend's house this week and set up my new tent in her backyard (finally!), however.......Mother Nature has other plans!  It, apparently, is supposed to rain most of this week, and part of next week............that means I have to wait until at least the middle of next week before I can set this up.  The box with the tent has been sitting in my living room since JANUARY!!!!!!!!  Do you know how hard it was to look at the box and not be able to play with it?!?!?!?!?!?!

Well........I had enough yesterday and succumbed and opened the box to take it out of the box.  I actually hugged the box - yes, I hugged it!  I was sooooooooo happy to finally have it!

Here are some pictures I took while opening it up:

Here it is still in the box!

Here it is, out of the box.  Love the bag that it came in!

VERY convenient that the set-up instructions are sewn on the inside of the tent bag!

This is the foot-print for the tent.  The instructions (and diagram) are conveniently sewn onto the bag for the foot-print.  When I finally get to set up the tent, I will draw lines on the diagram so I know how to re-fold the tent to fit back into the bag.   :)

Bean was smart enough to leave enough room in the end of the tent bag to slip the foot-print in there!!!

I  CAN NOT wait for nice weather and set this up!!!!!!!!!!!!

~Chelle

Six Flags Safari - New Jersey

Ok, so this isn't a post about camping, lol.  I was on the way home from York, PA with a friend today, and we decided to "swing by" and check out the Drive-Thru Safari at the Six Flags theme park in New Jersey.

O. M. G. it was absolutely amazing!!!!!!!!

Here is some of what we saw.  Most of these were close enough to the car that I could have reached out and pet them, lol.  I didn't, of course, since you're not allowed to open your windows.

I also took some videos with my camera!  (There is sound, but we were not sure if the camera was recording sound.  Hence, it is pretty funny to hear our comments, lol!)

I believe this was an emu.  We were driving along as it was walking. 

This is an ostrich that was along the side of the road.  It was looking at us and pecking at the car window.  I got the camera turned on as quick as I could, and tried to follow it's head with the camera.

"This is so cool!"  Yes, I am easily amused at times!!

This is either an emu or ostrich (I know....shoot me, but I don't know, lol).  We were knocking on the window trying to get his attention, lol.

This is a zebra (See...I DO know some things, lol!).  He was crossing the road in front of us.

We were following this car through most of the Safari....they were feeding the animals and were approached by the Park employees numerous times.  We actually got them on camera feeding carrots to the giraffes. 

Some close-ups of the Momma and Baby Giraffe!

Some Gnu's were crossing in front of us.

No Gnews is Good Gnews with Gary Gnu!!!!!!

Some ostrich's running along the road.

A mighty lion!

A cute cuddly bear!

A white bengal tiger!

Happy Happy Day!!!!!!

Guess what showed up today?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!

Yes, that's right............it's my new King Pine Dome Tent from LL Bean!!!!!!  I know....it doesn't look like much in the box, but boy with it serve me well!  I can't wait to be able to open the box and set the tent up!  However, since it's January, and I'm in New England, there is the ever-present threat of snow.  And if it's not snowing, it's flippin cold!  It might actually kill me to wait until Spring to open it. 

The footprint arrived also, but it's not in the picture, lol.

Upgrading Equipment

At times, it's necessary to upgrade camping equipment.  Sometimes the stove, lantern, etc.... other times it's the tent, cooler, screenhouse, etc....

My current tent was purchased from Building 19 (I think local to Massachusetts) for $60 because it was missing it's rainfly (which I didn't realize it was supposed to have until I saw one set up in a campground, lol).  I purchased a clear painter's tarp thingy from Walmart for $3 to use as a rainfly.  I figured if I got one season out of it, it was worth it.  I managed to get 4 or 5 out of it!  As you read in a previous post, my last trip of the summer had some tough rain.  I ended up with water in the tent, a full pasta pot full of water!  That was the last straw and I decided I was getting a new tent, somehow, before next summer.

My entire camping life, I've dreamed of owning an LL Bean tent.  They are well-constructed and more importantly - all their products are guaranteed!  I have issues with tents leaking.  It is, admittedly, my own fault.  I never remember to seal the seams on the tent until I'm sleeping in it and it's raining!  I know....nice time to remember, huh?

My solution, albiet not a cheap one, is to get an LL Bean tent.  Their tent seams are factory taped and sealed, and guaranteed not to leak or need sealing again.  I read this and was in heaven!  In my search for the perfect Bean tent for me, I wanted one with a bathtub floor, and a rain fly that came down to the ground.  As anyone who has camped before knows, this significantly increases the usable space in a tent!  No more freaking out about the sides (yeah!).  So, I ended up finding the tent I wanted, the King Pine Dome Tent.  Supposedly sleeps six, but realistically 3 or 4.  That's fine with me, I typically have 1-3 people sleeping in it at one time.  It also has an attached screen room which is fabulous for putting shoes on/off, jackets, etc... and keeping the majority of dirt out of the tent!

Here is a picture from the LLBean website!

The cost of the tent and the matching footprint is $400.  The tent alone is $360, and really, if I'm spending that on a Bean tent, I can shell out the $40 for the footprint!  Since I had no visible means of affording this tent before the next camping season, I asked my friends and family for Bean gift cards for my birthday and Christmas, rather than presents to unwrap.  I was polite about it....when asked what I wanted, I replied with a Bean tent :)    Anyway, I ended up with $300 in gift cards, only $100 short....that made the tent a lot more affordable!  My most recent gift card came in the mail yesterday, and of course there was a Bean catalog included with it.  While flipping through, I noticed my tent was on sale!  It was only $300 instead of $360.  Hmmmmmmm   So, I went online and sure enough, the footprint was on sale too ($30 instead of $40).  With tax, it was only going to be $350 for both.  So, I jumped on it and ordered both.  They had free shipping on orders over $75, which was nice since the tent weighs almost 34 lbs!!   It should be at my house by the end of the week :D

I also decided that I was tired of the ice in my cooler needing to be replaced every day.  It gets expensive!  I was looking at different coolers, and happened upon the 5 day ice coolers.  Yes, they don't fit as much as the one I have now, but I'd rather go out to the store to buy more food than to buy ice that's gonna be gone tomorrow!  I decided I liked the Coleman ones.  Just have to find a size I like in a price I like, lol!

I am also in the market for a tote to replace my big blue one, I found some cracked holes in the bottom at the end of the last trip.  I am looking at the Rubber Maid Action Packers.  I think I'm going to have to order it, because my local Walmart does not carry it.  They, and Target, only carry the smaller one. 



Are you planning on upgrading any of your equipment?  If so, what are your plans?

Cedar Point - THE Awesomest Coaster Park!

This is what greeted us the next morning as we walked from the parking lot into the park!  Funny enough, we parked next to another vehicle from Mass!

I'm going to apologize ahead of time, but there are a LOT of pictures in this post! 

Gotta love the Tilt-aWhirl!

WildCat - packs more of a punch that it looks!

TopThrill Dragster!

HAD to check out the waterpark!

We ended up finishing up all the coasters and other rides by lunchtime the second day, so decided to go check out the water park.  Had lunch, did the slides, and even played some mini-golf before returning to the park!  Rode some of our favorite coasters one last time, and headed out to get dinner and some sleep before our drive back the next morning!


Have you vacationed somewhere you never thought you'd go?

Road Trip to Cedar Point

As I have mentioned previous posts, my friend Jen and I are huge amusement park enthusiasts.  We have season passes to Six Flags and definitely use them!  I was at her house one night, and we were watching "10 Biggest Roller Coasters" or something like that on the tv.  Well....about half of them were from Cedar Point.  Now, we've heard of Cedar Point, but never actually considered going there...come on - it's in Ohio!  We jokingly said 'I wonder if it's feasible to go?'  Well, faced with a challenge like that, we both got on computers and started looking things up.  We found that two day pass for the park and water park was only $75 each.  The Cedar Point hotels were crazy expensive, so we found a Super 8 that had decent reviews and was much more wallet-friendly!  We picked tentative dates to go, and she checked at work to see what she could get off for vacation.  Within a few days we had our reservations made!  

We left Connecticut (where she lives) on Tuesday morning, August 3rd.  Our journey took us through Pennsylvania, and while stopped for lunch, we looked up where Punxsutawney was.  Turns out is was a short detour from the highway, so we decided 'what the heck' and stopped there on our way out to Ohio.  It was kitchy but it was fun!!!! 

The first place we stopped was the Groundhog Zoo, it's really just a room in the town library with windows so people can see in.  This is where Phil is kept when it's not February 2nd.  Did you know???  There's actually TWO Phil's!  We were surprised, lol!

Here is one of the two Phil's.  They were both sleeping, but we couldn't get a good picture of the second one.

A close up of the map on the wall near the Zoo, showing how to get to Gobbler's Knob.  We just had to go and check it out!

It was very exciting to see this sign as we turned off the road!  Honestly, it was more exciting that it probably should have been, lol!

 Strange to see it all deserted, rather than full of people and snow!

Yes, folks, we walked up onto the stage and looked at the tree stump!  We have no shame!!!!  There is a block of wood behind the stump, and we each took turns standing on it and leaning on the stump and having our picture taken.  Yes, that's me!  Did you know there's a 'trap door' on the back of the stump?  We think that's how they get Phil into the stump!







The rest of our road trip was uneventful, we stopped for dinner at Cracker Barrel (gotta love it!), and got to Sandusky around 10pm or so.  We decided to continue on to Cedar Point so we could get some maps of the park and plan our day.  We got back to the hotel and checked in around 11pm.  Looked at the maps and called it a night.  We wanted to be rested and refreshed for the next day!


Have you taken a side-trip while on a road trip to see something kooky, fun, or just plain strange?

Tents and Screenhouses

I know it's been a while since I posted anything, but with fall and winter, there really isn't much camping going on around here.

I realized I never posted about the camping trip I was getting ready for, way back in July!  The trip was fun.  I took my friend's two sons (11 and 13) for 5 days, and then was going to be camping alone and with a friend for the remaining 5 days.

Since I was picking them up early in the morning, I packed up my car the night before.

This is how the car looked after I cleaned it out and took one of the seats out.  Had to leave one in, because one of the boys had to  sit back there.  It may not look like a lot of space, but boy do I know how to fill it!!







This is behind the driver's seat.  Those two containers hold the non-perishable food and the supplies (batteries, sponges, etc....) that need to be replenished after a camping season.  You can also see my make-shift "wall" consisting of my camp kitchen (bottom) and coleman table.  The two coolers I have went on top of these containers, in the morning.

Here is the back of the car: tent, awning, screen house, tarps, stroller for water jug, and who knows what else!  Unseen, below the tent and screen house is a rubbermaid footlocker that holds all the dishes.  Our bags containing our clothes, towels, etc... all ended up filling the remaining space.

This is my platform that hooks into the receiver hitch that I have.  On top is the container the holds all the equipment that is needed (stove, lantern, dishpans, etc....).  It is strapped down pretty well so I don't lose it on the highway!

Last, but not least, is the carry bag I have for the top of the car.  It has our chairs in it, and a whole bunch of other stuff that I really don't remember right now!





The boys have not been camping all that much, but did help out as much as they could (sometimes they were a bit too eager to help).  The first day was spent mostly with setting up camp and obtaining perishables and such.  The state forest was low on rain, so campfires were banned until further notice (only cooking fires allowed).  Here are some pictures of camp site before and after it was set up:

Empty site, screenhouse ended up in the foreground of this picture

Same site, tent ended up in the top left, and the hammocks hung from the three trees you see

Overview of part of the site, taken from opposite angle as the first two pictures.

Front view of the tent.  The awning provides a place to get out of the rain or sun, and to put shoes on/off, etc.... without tracking tons of dirt into my tent!

Various towels and bathing suits hanging up to dry.  There are three clothes lines there :)

Campfire area.  No fires due to no rain, but we set our Weber grill on top and cooked some meals on that (even tried chocolate chip cookies!).

My glorious screen house that I love so much!

My camp kitchen from LL Bean.  They no longer sell it, so I'm glad I got it when I did!  It's full length is approx 8 feet (including the wire mesh 'wings').  I use it mostly for dishes, and store either the green Rubber Maid containers under the wings, or the coolers, or some combination of the two.  I love my hanging fruit basket - amazingly enough, critters do not bother it!

My coleman table and stove, coleman lantern, stroller with water jug, and picnic table.  The dishes get stored on the shelf of the coleman table.  The lantern is screwed onto a propane tree which is screwed onto a 20lb propane tank.  The tank is in a milk crate, so that it does not get tipped over.

The equipment tub and food tub are stored under the eave of the table.  The small cooler (for drinks only) is under the bench of the table.  The other green tub is under one of the wings of the kitchen, because I don't go in there as much during a trip as I do for the food! 

Closeups of under the wings of the kitchen.  I have an emergency blanket over the cooler to keep the sun off of it.  The dishes are also stored next to the kitchen.














As the first night came about, it was time for showers.  I packed the boys a bag with their clean, dry clothes and towels and sent them off.  The restroom at the campground has mens and ladies next to each other, in the same building with separate entrances.  I showered while they were also showering.  I finished before them and waited outside (they were instructed to wait for me if they were done first).  Of all the issues I thought they'd have in the shower (this was the first time without dad with them), I was totally unprepared for what walked out of the bathroom!  Both of their towels were sopping wet (like they dunked them in the lake), and their clothes were quite literally stuck to each of them.  I did not get mad, but instead calmly asked what happened?  Apparently the towels and dirty clothes fell off of the bench and into the puddle of water that collects under it (yeah, bad design, but that's how it is).  After a few more questions, I realized they had always showered with mom or dad when camping.  This was their first solo-shower while camping.  So, we walked back to the site, I got them dry towels (I brought plenty!) and dry clothes, and they walked back and dried up and changed while I hung the wet stuff on the line.  The next night I instructed them on how to shower while camping, and it went much better!

We hung up some hammocks I had (the ones without the spreader bars in them) and I taught them how to safely get in and out of the hammock.  They thought this was great!  The oldest spent much of the week in his hammock, lol.  We had some friend's come visit for the day one day.  We went swimming, hiking, relaxed, etc..  We had a good time on the trip.

The day came that they were going home, and as a little treat, their parents (and younger, autistic, brother) came for the day.  I had to move campsites (just next door) because I added the extra days after the original reservation.  So, the boys, their friends and their dad helped me move my entire campsite next door.  Have you ever seen a screen house being walked down the road?  We did it!  lol!  It was way easier than taking it apart and it wouldn't fit between the bushes separating the sites.  We got the site all moved, and headed off to the beach for the day.

Afterwards they headed home, and I headed out to get some much needed laundry done, and to find some dinner.  I brought clothes for half the trip, and planned on doing laundry part way through the week.  So, I had dinner at Panera, did some much needed websurfing, and had a very unsatisfying lobster roll.  Part of the lobster meat was still frozen!!  Much prefer fresh lobster meat!

Headed off to the laundry mat (no a/c!) and got some laundry done.  Then headed off to the store to get some more supplies so that I could do nothing but relax and read the next day.  Got back to camp, put everything away and decided to shower and hit the hay.

It started raining.  and raining and raining.  It didn't stop alllll night long.  I am one of those anal types that has a tarp under the tent, and inside the tent.  I was sleeping on an air mattress with my sleeping bag.  I woke up at about 6am, still raining, and as I rolled over I heard "squish squish".  Oye....water in the tent.  I should have expected it.  I never remember to seal the seams on my tent until it's too late.  So...I psyched myself up for having to dry out the tent, and got up to go to the bathroom.  What I encountered when I unzipped the tent door was not even on the radar of possibilities in my mind..............my screenhouse looked like a twisted mess!!!!!!

As seen from the door of my tent!

I totally freaked out and started crying uncontrollably.  I should probably mention that when plans I have get changed at the last minute, I don't always handle it well.  It looked like every pole was broken, etc.....


I calmed down enough to go the bathroom and came back to the site.  I decided I couldn't deal with the screenhouse yet, so decided to dry out the tent.  I took the sleeping bag and air mattress and shoved them into the car (Honda Element, back seats folded up).  I used chamois' to get the water out and ended up filling my pasta pot to the top with water!  Once that was finished (an hour later), I had decided to go home to get another screen house (I had a few, lol), and come back and take the broken one down and put the other one up.

I couldn't emotionally handle it alone, so I called my brother and a friend's husband who both were able to come back with me to the campground.  They went in my brother's vehicle and followed me.  We got to the site, and within 30 minutes we had one screen house down and a different one put up.  It was determined that only 1 pole and 3 corner connectors were damaged beyond use.  By this time it had started raining in earnest again.  They headed off home and I headed off to find myself some clams for dinner (I deserved them after all that!).  In the process of searching for steamed clams, I remembered there was a restaurant near home that had a clam boil buffet.  So, I turned around and headed home.  Got my mom, and we went to dinner.  I then decided I needed to sleep in my bed that night and return to the campground the next morning.

I did return, cleaned up the dishes in the screenhouse, set up the back of my car to sleep in it, set it up, and took down the tent.  I brought the tent home, but did not expect to ever use it again.  While I was at home, I found a website that sold replacement parts for the screenhouse and ordered them.  I think they arrived before I was done with my trip!  I was much happier knowing I was going to sleep in the dry car after that.  I spent the day in a hammock, napping and reading just about all day.  Did pretty much the same thing the next day too.  Then met my aunt and uncle for dinner and hung out at their camper (they were camping down the road from where I was).  I ended up staying over in their camper and heading out the next day on their boat with them.

It was so much fun!  We sailed from West Island (Fairhaven, MA) over to New Bedfard harbor and back.  We had breakfast before setting off, and then went for dinner afterwards.  We brought snacks on the boat, but no one was hungry during the day.  After dinner I headed back to the campground to start packing things up since I was leaving the next day.  All in all it was a fun trip, despite the near emotional breakdown I had!

What have been some of the more trying times you've had while vacationing/camping?