Look on the bright side, man. Even with all of the mishaps, look who was prepared to handle a serious injury.

Of course, after the cat, you should be ready to handle serious injuries.

Hi Blast - sounds like a wonderful time. It's great to camp out with others and see how everyone's got different ideas of needs vs. wants when it comes to food and gear.

All the great lessons learned from this trip, and 1: None of YOUR kids got hurt, and 2: You've learned them when your girls are still at such a young age that you'll have the major kinks worked out by the time they hit those 'tween years and are more likely to turn their noses up at a lot of things...which may keep them camping with you even when they're older. And I'd consider that a huge win.

Dave

What a great story. Thanks for the memories. When I got stationed back in the states when my kids where pre-teen, I too took them camping. The ex was not impressed with the birchbark splint I had made to keep my middle daughters index finger straight, so that she wouldn't open the laceration. A result of tomahawk practice. I can still hear the high pitched, shrill squeeking voice as I tried to explain ablut stitches and 100 mile dirt road, not one of my best moments, I hate when my voice does that.

Blast,

Remember this word.. Bubbles.

Buy/make a few bottles of bubble stuff for the kids. Great simple fun.

What a great story. The sand part is the best. Draw a heart, get a hug. That is worth all of the bad chili in the world.

Congratulations on a great father/daughters weekend.

"There were times we ate till our bellies were sprained and swollen, of all the harvest of branch and hoof and feather and fin, then there were times when we ate a swag of moldy cheese, a cup of watered down salsa, and a handful of stale crackers. So long as we ate our meals around the campfire or under the stars, we were content."

Some of my sweetest memories are sitting in my big camp chair in front of the fire with my daughters falling asleep in my arms after a challenging but fun day camping. I could never have imagined how good that would feel until after doing it. I am so looking forward to grandkids.

I'm taking my kids camping this summer, can't wait. We slept out in the back yard last summer in our tent to see if they would be warm enough, now it's time to get serious!

Fortunately, my wife and I are on the same page as to what gear and food to bring. No problems there.

Greetings Blast!!!!
I have thoroughly enjoyed your journal entry. I too have been through a similar experience. With that in mind, please think about Lessons 11 & 12:

11) When the friend (whom you've never gone camping with before) suggests going camping by having to haul everything in,,,,,Quickly, have him DEFINE: "having to haul everything in". This is why I too have brought equipment and supplies for one kind of camping (backpacking) only to belatedly realize that another type (car camping) is what they were talking about.

12) Be EXTREMELY careful at regular state or national forest type of campgrounds where you are primitive camping near other people!!!

My case in point:

Having set up camp at Ocala National Forest in the primitive area, everything went well that evening. We had a heck of an electrical storm during the night (ended up sleeping in the minivan). The next morning, everyone is up, we're fixing scrambled eggs, biscuits, bacon, etc,,,,,,,,,when we started hearing some rather deep-throated animalistic noises emanating from the camp next to ours and about 30 yards away. It was a young college couple there and they were practicing the fine art of tricyle motor manufacturing inside of their tent. She was one of the rather loudly vocal types who was very much enjoying the manufacturing process. We kept hearing the words, "I'm coming" like it would be written in a porno book (DW & I kept acting as though nothing unusual was going on) until my 7 year old DD1, sitting in her chair at one end of the picnic table, suddenly turned to DW and myself and clearly said: "I sure will be glad when she gets here because I sure am tired of hearing about her coming!"

Out of the mouths of Babes!!!!

Great write up Blast. Maybe you could market that chili concoction. Sounds like a fun time though in spite of a few mishaps. Man I can’t wait to get out camping again.

Blitz

Nahhh I'd still be around, someone's gotta keep bumping that thread every 6 months or so to share with the newbies.

Blitz

Wow, I expected to be reprimanded for not being well enough prepared!

OldBaldGuy, I was told we'd have to carry everything from a parking spot at the front of the deer lease out into the woods to the campsite. I was very suprised and a bit annoyed to see everyone else show up with coolers of food and tons of other gear. Had I known I would have had a lot more stuff like edible food for instance...

Wildman, "tricycle motor manufacturing"? ROTFLMAO!!!!

SHawk, I understand the voice thing completely! My DW is the only person under 6'6" & 275lbs that has ever truly intimidated me...

To the rest, thanks for the support. I really did have a wonderful time in spite of the few setbacks. I think I also learned more about parenting in those two days than I have in the last three years.

It was proof to me that "bugging out to the woods" is NOT a plan.

-Blast