the update

I look up through the branches to the illuminated night sky. The stars meet my gaze. They twinkle back. The moon continues to set as I peer out the hole in my sleeping bag, too excited too sleep. Finally we are camping.

After so many weeks of planned and failed trips. I even had to start getting sick yesterday, but that wasn’t about to stop me. I tried to get extra sleep so I would feel better today. I told myself the mountain air would make me well. I may be more sick when I get back, but it will be well worth it. Every painful second.

Even in the woods you cannot escape the sounds of civilization. A plane flies overhead. But, you can escape the effects of it. Even up here, we look down at the city lights miles away. Their ethereal glow in the fog filled valleys is a nice view. But I think its because we are miles away from it, that we can say its nice. It’s nice being away from it.

Life changes up here. Everything becomes richer, you appreciate time and slowness. The joy of sitting down to cook a meal over the camp stove. Grabbing your pot grippers and then dumping your chicken and rice into your new lexan bowl that you are so proud of. Then making your way back to that ‘perfect’ spot on the log by the fire (which is a good size tonight, much warmth). Your friends’ join you, and you sit there and eat… and talk about how this is the best chicken and rice you’ve ever had. “everything tastes better when your camping”, oh how many times those words have been muttered. They are engrained into our minds, and they never prove themselves wrong. And once you have almost inhaled your carb filled dinner, you realize that you still get to boil some coffee. And a smile comes over your face in the dim light of the flickering flame. So… this is what heaven is like.

Even as I lie here, my nose is freezing. My entire face will be frozen by morning (the forecast called for a nightly low of 28). So you reach up and grab the drawstrings of your sleeping bag and cinch it closed till the tiniest opening remains. Just enough to get some fresh air. I can still see the illuminated night sky and the starry gazes, though. I smile again. I love this.

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I copied the above out of my little black journal that I keep with me. We had gotten in out sleeping bags already, but I just couldn’t sleep. So I reached out and grabbed my journal and headlamp and started to lay down a few thoughts.

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So, I will put my journal away, find that comfortable place on my bed of leaves, my sleeping pad, and in my sleeping bag. Then I will breathe in the cold night air. Forgetting all my worries, forgetting the world, and I close my eyes.

And my thoughts turn to the morning. A smile comes, once again, across my face. Maple and brown sugar oatmeal for breakfast. The first light of morning waking me, and the feeling of not wanting to move from the comfort and warmth of my sleeping bag. So, I pull it tighter around me, sit up, and watch the sunrise.