More Camping
We cannot remember too often that when we observe nature, and especially the ordering of nature, it is always ourselves alone we are observing.
-- G. C. Lichtenberg
Sunday, August 27, 2000
One year ago: GATTACA
Two years ago: How Did I Get Here?
To recover from the stress of running Vikingcon 17, the concom (that's short for convention committee) had decided to do a camping weekend, like we went on last year. The only difference was the location; we'd be going to Silver Lake Park, which is the county park Jack, H--- and I had visited before.
I asked Jack if there was anyone who'd be driving out on Friday evening, who could pick me up at the bus station? I figured that he wouldn't want to be driving his motorhome out there to park it in the dark. There wasn't anyone coming out that late, though, so Jack said we'd head out there during the day on Saturday. I suspect he didn't want to face getting the motor home ready that early (Thursday night?) anyway.
For once, the greyhound left early! So we arrived in Bellingham around eight fifteen, a record, I believe. This was possible because they needed to run a second bus. That meant the first bus didn't need to wait until the posted time of departure. Jack wasn't even there yet, so I called him to let him know I was waiting. It was a fine evening, so waiting a few minutes wasn't a problem at all -- he's waited for me many times.
Our main activity for the evening: Jack and daughter H---- constructed a model rocket. The plan was to fire it off in the park, the next day. It looked good, but very long and thin. Said Jack, "They've changed some parts of the designs since I used to build these, so I guess we'll need to look at the directions after all." But he thought the changes made it easier to build now.
* * * * * * * *
Saturday morning, we gathered our stuff together and crammed Jack's Blazer full. Poor H---- was buried in the back seat! We drove off north to the place where Jack is parking the motorhome now. He used to have it in someone's yard, next to the townhouse development he lives in, but it was hard to get it in and out. Now it's in the backyard of a coworker of his, in the country north of town.
Jack was very pleased when the motorhome started up easily, since he hadn't taken it out camping this year, or driven it since he'd moved it to this place. He brought it out front and we transferred all the stuff we'd need. It seemed rather a lot for just one night! But some of it was gear that should have been in the motorhome anyway, rather than in Jack's garage.
We drove to a grocery store and got food for the ice chest, then fueled up and drove across the county. This west-to-east trip is a good overview of the geography of Whatcom county, from the flat agricultural lands near Lynden, to the foothills, then over aptly named "South Pass Road" to Silver Lake Park. Every time we are out that way, Jack exclaims over the beauty of the land. There are lots of properties out there that he wouldn't mind having, not at all!
* * * * * * * *
We got to the park. Jack didn't remember the number of the camping spaces we'd be in, so he decided to just try every loop in the campground until he saw a car he recognized. I think we were on our fourth loop when we saw Jacqueline and Winston. We pulled in and parked.
It turned out that they and Don had been the only ones to show up Friday night. The fact that the park was farther from Bellingham than Larrabee park (last year's site) had something to do with this, I'm sure. We found out that the three of them had been asleep until one in the afternoon!
After we got set, Jacqueline decided that she wanted to move the tents to be around the fireplace where we'd parked. "I don't want to be far from the activity -- I'll freak!" she exclaimed. Luckily these new modern tents are easy to move. They offered us food, but we'd eaten when we got groceries.
There were A-frame outhouses (I was warned away from these) and portapotties (needing servicing) near our campsite, but the nearest flush toilets were down at the bath house. This lack of facilities was the one category where last year's camp was better.
After Don got back from the showers (which were a distance away from the campground, down by the lake), we decided to set off the rocket! We walked into the open field that was just behind our campsite, past the folks playing frisbee, and picked a spot. Then there was a problem finding batteries for the igniter. We eventually found them -- in the cardboard box with all the other rocket stuff, which had been carried out with the rocket -- but not without several efforts to find the batteries in cupboards inside the motorhome.
The rocket was easy to set up. Jack had H--- count down and throw the switch, since this project is really hers. (He wants to encourage any science or tech interest of hers.) Three -- two -- one... vvoom! We started with the smallest engine. It flew to a respectable height. The only problem: it burnt the strings that connected the parachute! Jack swore he put in enough wadding to prevent this, but there it is... The rocket took some damage to its lower section, since the landing was hard with no chute. We decided to continue anyway. The second attempt burnt the shock cord that connected the two halves of the rocket! The nose section came down about a foot from H----, and went six inches into the ground! This made her treat the rocket with more respect, I think, since she could see that a game of lawn darts with herself as the target would not be a good game.
Since I'd missed out on showering in the rush of getting ready, I decided to walk to the bath house and try it out. Jacqueline said she'd give me a ride, but I didn't want to wait, so I said she could pick me up if she saw me walking. I ended up not going by the road, though, since I knew the general direction and spotted a trail that led that way. It was a nice walk through the forest, with moss and evergreens, and huge stumps from when the land was first logged many years ago.
The bathhouse wasn't bad! But I wished I had some flipflops -- managing to dress and get my shoes on after the shower took some doing, since the floor was pretty wet. The water was coin-operated. I sat out on the lawn overlooking the lake, afterwards, watching some hang gliders and combing my hair.
* * * * * * * *
One thing that worked very well with our camp setup was the double folding chair that Jack had bought at Costco. (Similar to this one, but without the table in between, it's more like a loveseat. Awww.) It just slipped out of its bag and unfolded -- very easy!
Around dinnertime, we did get one more camper; Bill, who'd run security at the convention, drove up from Seattle to join the group. We had a good dinner! Burgers, corn on the cob, Yukon gold potatoes roasted on the fire, with Jack's chili on top. H---- made s'mores in little foil packets that she put on the fire -- no need to roast the marshmallows. I think s'mores are especially good with Hershey's Symphony bars for the chocolate portion.
After dinner and washing up, Jack got out his guitar and played, while we sat around the campfire and relaxed. The one thing I wasn't thrilled about was having videos going after Jack was done playing. He thinks that this fits very well with "science-fictional camping," which is true. But I think it impedes conversation! I turned in fairly early, cozying up with a CJ Cherryh book and reading by flashlight; Jack stayed up and partied with the rest. He said to me when he came to bed, around two, "I'm about three-quarters drunk!" but he seemed ok to me.
* * * * * * * *
I woke up at one point in the night, to hear rain pitter-pattering on the motor home roof. I was glad we were under cover! Everyone slept late -- I think being under the trees on a cloudy morning kept the light so low, that we couldn't tell what time it was! I though it was around eight or nine, when Winston told us it was eleven!
Jacqueline wouldn't get up! Despite the folks who'd shared her tent crawling in and out, and us talking outside. Someone said they heard her talking in her sleep: "The dogs...I need to walk the dogs...."
We ate, then started packing up and policing the area. We had the notion of moving down to the parking lot near the lake and bathhouse, then doing something outdoorsy. It seemed only fitting, since we were supposed to be camping.
Jack, H----, and I drove down to the bathhouse before anyone else, so we decided to go ahead and shower. Jack said the hot water felt so good on his back, he used up all the change he had and felt parboiled! I wandered around outside while Jack helped H---- get her hair untangled. She's got very thick hair, and I know from my own experience that knots can develop at the nape of your neck that are tough to get out by yourself.
Finally Bill and Winston showed up. Winston was all about walking all the way around the lake (but I saw no such trail on the map), but I proposed something less ambitious. There was a trail ("Lookout trail" on the map) that went over a hill to the other end of the park that looked doable to me. H---- didn't want to go, and proposed that she'd wait for us in the motor home. The rest of us started off, up the same trail that I'd taken to and from the bathhouse the day before. We found the beginning of the actual path we wanted, and headed up the hill. It wasn't too steep, and our pace was moderate. (But I was amused when Winston said, "This trail is more strenuous than I thought!") The trail switched back and forth, zig-zagging up the hill. The woods were thick! Lots of different microclimates at every change of elevation and sunlight. I laughed -- when we got to the top, there really wasn't any view!
On the way down the other side, Jack ran into a nettle, but he resisted the urge to scratch it. That only makes the pain worse! I guess he shouldn't have been wearing shorts.
We walked down the lake shore for our return leg. There's a section of campground up there that doesn't have running water, so it might be a good place to pick if seclusion is what you want. It looked to be empty!
* * * * * * * *
We said goodbye and headed off across the county again. Jack tried a different route, and again saw much in the landscape to please him. "What if I bought some land out here, then parked the motor home at work? I could sleep there on weeknights, then come out here on weekends!"
I had to guide Jack in parking the motor home out back at his friend's place, which I was dubious about at first. But we managed it okay. We chatted a few minutes with the friend's wife (I had met her at a wedding Jack took me too, a few months ago), then hit the road home. At least this time H---- was visible in the back!
