Sam's Birthday Eve Camping Trip

This was the 3rd year for the birthday eve camping trip to Lake Afton. The last 2 years were just Doug and Sam, but after the camping trip of a couple of weeks ago the decision was made that it should be a family camp out. I was a trooper, and was a little uneasy when we went to the bait shop to buy our camping permit and fishing license and saw the poster for the 2010 Midwest Rock Fest which was starting that night. Because of the stage and concerts, there was not camping on the east side of the lake, which put everyone on one side. After driving around trying to find the perfect camp site (close to a bathroom, but far away from other people with big coolers) we finally settled on a spot right by the side of the lake. We were the only people there (when we started). The wind was very brisk, and it took both Doug and I to get the tent set up. There was a moment when I thought it was going to blow right into the lake. Once the tent was up, the fishing began. The boys interest in fishing lasted about 30 seconds. Then out came the air mattress and the DVD players. Soon the rock concert began (we heard one or two of these bands: Buckcherry, Drowning Pool, ThundHer Struck, Hear Kitty Kitty, or Calling All War - come on I know you are familiar with their "work.") and it lasted until at least 2:30. Some neighbors decided our small piece of paradise would be nice for their tents, and they proceeded to get their boat into the water around 12:30. Around 2:30 or so they came back and without trying to be quiet about it, docked their boat and had a lovely conversation for 30 minutes or so. Needless to say they were not using their "quiet" voices because someone might just be trying to sleep.

I woke up around 6:30, the wind was still very breezy and the sound of the wind blowing the leaves and the water in the lake was nice. Everyone was up by about 7:30 or so, and in the gesture of neighborliness we didn't make the kids speak quietly. Doug tried fishing for a bit without luck, and then we took the tent down, and headed to Sugar Shak for the annual birthday doughnut.

I propose that next year we return to it being a boys camping trip.