Both my husband and I grew up camping. There were no trips to Walt Disney World, Europe, or even Hawaii in either of our childhoods. We went to Hawaii together for the first time when we were 29 years old! Hubby didn't get a Passport until he was gearing up for our honeymoon, and mine is about to expire. Disneyland was between the towns we were raised in so we both went there a bunch, but the main activity we hold most dear to our hearts as children was good ol' fashioned camping.
Camping is a simple way to bond. You get to (or are 'forced to' if you're a disgruntled teenager) spend every moment together and sleep within inches of each other. You wouldn't dare wander off for alone time because there are always bears, at least where we camp, so you must bond with your fellow campers wether you like it or not. You have to use your creativity and imagination typically because campsites don't provide entertainment...and you may not be able to leave your tent for days depending on the bear situation.
Actually, I believe in the power of camping so much that I suggest couples camp together before committing to each other. Camping brings out your true colors (and smells). For better or worse, it will all be exposed when camping. Dirt + bugs + burying anything that comes out of you + uncomfortable heat or cold - running water - showers - electricity = you in all your natural glory. I've heard folks can get cranky, irritable, and straight up angry when camping. If your prospective mate doesn't like what's exposed, move on.
As a kid I camped with my dad on the beach at Camp Pendleton. I camped with my mom, dad, brother, and sister a ton in our early years up and down the California coastline. My mom took the three of us kids camping any chance she got. We camped in the backyard when we couldn't really go camping. I camped in Mendocino and all over Northern California with my dad, stepmom, brother and sister. As a junior higher I camped with friends at San Onofre. Then I started High School and camped with friends everywhere and anywhere- on Lake Oroville, in country backyards, at parties, at random spots we'd off-road to in the mountains, all along the Fort Bragg area and private beaches that we'd hike into, at swim meets, on rivers surrounding Chico and Paradise, at Lake Almanor, 'Beer Beach', High Lakes, and at music festivals. Then along came my husband and we camped everywhere together along with our friends- mainly Mammoth plus Tahoe, Yosemite, Sequoia, Joshua Tree, Santa Cruz, and many more. Then there were our epic backpacking trips around San Gorgonio, and that one time we went from Mammoth to Yosemite. We REALLY like to camp.
Then along came our baby and we failed to get a camping trip in until just after his first birthday! Bless their hearts, our friends Jon & Stephanie invited us along on Jon's annual birthday camping trip. By the looks of our car you'd think we had five children and would be gone five nights, somewhere five hours away. Of course we have one child and and we're going for one night to a spot about one hour away. But we were super prepared!
We roll up to the campsite and are the only parents amongst almost 20 hipsters. But no worries, our adorable 13 month old charmed the socks right off our friends and friends of friends. We had a blast, the baby had a blast, and our friends had a blast. We played at the beach all day and gathered around the campfire all night. I tried a sip of moonshine and my husband got to smoke his tobacco pipe with the guys. Best of all, we got to stay up late chatting with friends while the baby snuggled off to sleep in the Ergo Baby carrier. Although it was only one night we brought the smell of the campfire back with us in our hair and every article of clothing to remember the wonderful weekend after we'd arrived back home.
Posted are a bunch of family pictures. For some reason no one else was up at 5:30am when we took a walk to the beach.
San Onofre, CA June 1-2, 2013
