Luxury Camping

A couple of weekends ago we sought refuge in the mountains to camp with our dorm friends from two USAF bases. :) "Where are the tents?" you may ask. They were on clearings with retaining walls! We didn't have to smooth out our area for our tent and hope to avoid the inevitable tree trunk that always seems to be there! The ground was as smooth as you get on a mountain in Arizona.

Derek was our expert pyro-man. He not only brought up the firewood (as it is monsoon season, and we weren't sure if we could gather enough dry timber on the mountain), but he also tended to the fire that NEVER went out--even during our 20-minute downpour!

We also had a ramada (shelter) in which to gather, and it had a pump for potable water--imagine that! Now that feature is luxury at a campsite! :)

The campers helped me de-silk the corn, but questioned the idea of leaving the husks on. I told them we'd soak the corn and then put it on the fire, and it should make some yummy eats. In disbelief during dinner, we kept hearing, "Oh, the corn IS good!" Thanks to Martha Stewart and the FoodNetwork, I didn't doubt myself too much but was very validated when at least one of the volunteers recognized the technique. :)

Those jeans just hanging around? They belonged to one of the ladies, for she sat down in the dark in a rain drenched chair that then spilled its contents onto the next level of recliners beneath her. :) Ah--camping!

I am always in shock when people tell me it is their first time camping and/or hiking. I feel privileged to be a part of their first of hopefully many more experiences in the great outdoors that our God has created.

We are once again thrilled that Makana loves the outdoors. When we had to leave on Saturday night, Makana was upset because she wanted to sleep in the tent again. We left our tent for another person to use, as we needed to get back in time for Dave to preach in the morning. Also, because we had a big group hiking the 6-mile loop, Makana had to ride in her backpack most of the way. She kept asking to be let down to hike, but we insisted it was a "special" hike, and we needed to move quickly. That is something that is not Makana's forte when hiking. Thus, she was excited to be let loose at the creek at the end of the hike to throw her rocks and to do a bit of hiking herself. :)