a river ran through it

i don't camp much. in fact, this trip is only my second time as an adult. my husband however, is a seasoned veteran and so i put myself in his capable hands. off we drove with friends to the adirondacks, to a beautiful riverside site that greeted us each morning and rocked us to sleep each night.

i am however left wondering if i am truly a camper at heart. setting up the tent minutes before a torrential downpour (featuring hail) is not my idea of relaxation. having to constantly dig in one container or another to find the most basic of items like food, toiletries or clothes gets old very quickly. having to put them away again right when i'm done gets even older. the feeling that i am never fully clean and that my clothes are always damp irritates me. i very badly want to be better at this, but i feel that it will be a work in progress.

while on a canoe day trip we found ourselves in the middle of yet another thunderstorm. at the same time carrying our 80lb canoes on a very rickety bridge over some serious rapids, and on through a long dark, muddy trail in the woods all while wearing improper footwear (sitting in a canoe for 3 hours, who would think to bring anything other than flip-flops?) all culminated in my reaching my limit. sensory overload won and i was brought very near to tears. it seems silly now, but i have concluded that i don't like not being in control of my surroundings. but that's what camping is: putting yourself at the mercy of the elements. it hurts my heart that i have to work so hard to enjoy it.

hiking however, was my salvation. give me sunny day and a destination to reach on foot and i am a happy camper. there is something so reassuring in the act of propelling yourself towards a goal. i love the feeling of putting my foot forward before i know completely where it is going to touch back down. my body moves without need for direction from my mind. i become able and agile and, in a way, graceful. hiking has become a sort of meditation for me. it reminds me that the human body is a very capable machine.

my body is a machine and it propels me up the mountain.
i derive great joy from this statement.

this very simple hike up to the top of bald mountain was the highlight of my trip.

all in all, the trip was good: nature, great friends and a few adventures all made for a memorable experience. and the town of old forge is truly charming in a cheesy, touristy kind of way. i was quite taken by it.

do i love camping? not yet. will i venture out again?
i believe i will.