I alluded to it on Tuesday and we did indeed go camping this weekend. And you know what? It was fun but it wasn’t great fun. Part of the problem was the weather – it rained every day. Part of the problem was equipment – our tent leaked. And part of the problem was our age – I think we’re too old to sleep on the ground.
I did manage to do some knitting and spent some time on the beach. And I took lots of photos of the sunflowers I picked up again this week as part of our CSA share.
Next time we have a weekend with no plans, though, I think I’ll suggest a seaside hotel instead of a pondside campground.
My idea of camping DOES include luxury hotel accommodation and fine dining reservations. Tickets to the ballet or something also help.
For our honeymoon, I got us a pair of Thermarest’s top of the line camp mattresses (http://tinyurl.com/28dyzkk). They’re expensive and a bit too bulky for hiking trips, but they make a huge difference for my achy body. So. Comfy. They also strap together to make a bigger mattress, so we use them otherwise as a topper on our guest room bed.
Now a seaside hotel sounds perfect to me!!
Thank God you’ve come to your senses.
Rain kind of kills the camping experience. Glad you survived and still had some fun.
The rain is less a deal breaker than sleeping on the ground. You must be very happy to be home!
Rain is the #1 reason I hate camping!
Amen. I love the idea of camping, but in practice, the lack of sleep kills the fun for me. Of course, if you live in Colorado and say you don’t like camping, you get a look of disbelief, followed by equipment suggestions.
Rain kinda sucks when one is camping, no matter if it is tent camping or being in a 40′ motor home (not that I would know what THAT is like). Was it all the what-to-bring-when-camping posts that inspired you?
Rain + camping = no fun at all. A hotel will be much better! 🙂
Leaky tents can really spoil a camp out. Sorry it wasn’t wonderful. You’ve earned a posh vacation.
Hm. Maybe we don’t have trouble sleeping while camping because of the cocktails, or that we’re just so tired from hiking all day! Sorry you had rain!
Oh, you are a brave one! I’d rather go for half the time in a hotel than to camp!!
Yeah, not a big fan of camping in a (leaky or not) tent and sleeping on the (hard or not) ground. Bleh. Seaside motel sounds mucho better! Or better yet, call me & come visit at the lake (we have beds, hehe)! Love the sunflower photos, you always capture something that I never would have seen just looking at the item.
We gave up the tent years ago. We moved on up to a pop-up camper for a couple of years. Then we moved to a “rental camper” that is permanently at the campground. We have since moved to “it’s too much friggin work to go camping”. A hotel it is.
Air mattresses were a lifesaver back in the day though. Beats the heck out of sleeping on the ground.
LOVE the sunflower photos.
Cabin-by-the-lake, with modern plumbing and at least semimodern kitchen (by which I mean you have to light the stove), is as rustic as I get.
Wonderful photos!
I wondered when you would come to your senses about that camping business. ;^)
breath taking photos. I think the second one is my personal fav, but it would be good to see them matted up in a series of three… have you ever thought of doing that?
camping…. sleeping on the ground… bleh… (sorry, just never been a fan of that) Sorry you have a crumby weekend.. Gimme a sweet hotel with a large porch anytime!
Well, you know that my idea of roughing it is no cable. So, I think the next time you have a free weekend, you should suggest a trip out to Western MA, where we have new-fangled things like indoor plumbing and electric lights! And Yankee Candle, and Historic Deerfield, and…
Here’s to never sleeping on the ground again! 🙂 The pictures are beautiful!
Some camping trips are just like that, aren’t they? I related to your observation about sleeping on the ground as DH and I are clearly more aged than you. We went through the progression of sleeping under the stars to tent, to pop-up camper, to pick-up camper, to camping tailer to this spring when we bought a motor home. Sort of an age indicator, isn’t it?
And, yes, I do stay in luxury hotels quite regaularly, as well. Its not an either/or, so I hope you’ll enjoy doing both too!
🙂
Hubby was thoroughly vetted on what ‘roughing it’ meant before marriage was considered. We agreed it looked something like a Holiday Inn – or perhaps something a little less posh if traveling over seas. ;^)
I’ll be in the room next to you at the hotel!
As the saying goes:
It’s been real
and
It’s been fun
but
It hasn’t been real fun
I’m with you on how hard it is on the body to not have proper sleep gear.
For me, Rain in the dealbreaker…I have moved through tent, tent trailer, house trailer and back to tent again and for the most part I enjoy the tent experience. Now that I am a few months shy of 50, I have clear rules around rain and camping…if it is raining, we’re packing up and going to a hotel or home, whichever is closest – I have floated in the tent a few too many times to tolerate a wet tent. however, I do like that I feel a little more in shape when I CAN make it through a week of tenting (it’s only in my mind that I’m in better shape – physically, I’m the same as always).
I’ve never been the camping type…just give me a king size bed, a jacuzzi and I am as happy as a clam. 😉
Beeutiful sunflower pictures!
MUST get a macro lens. Beautiful!
Been there. Done that. Love cabins, motels, showers, beds…
I’d vote for the hotel, too!