May 13, 2011--Father/Son Camp Out

The last time we tried this with some friends was a year ago and we got stormed out. Really. We were with friends at the campsite when it happened, and all of our wives were having a party at one of our homes. When we came back at about midnight, our wives made fun of us and didn't believe us until the next morning when the news reported the seriousness of the storm. That didn't stop them from continuing to make fun of us. The weather forecast for this weekend included a high chance of rain, but I was determined to go through with it. My son and I loaded the car up after work and took off for an all-guys camping trip. My daughter was heart-broken that she couldn't come. That made me sad too. Other than that, the trip was one of the best uses of my time with my son I've ever had. Well, I also neglected smores supplies, but my son isn't very attached to those yet. We stopped at McDonald's on the way and talked and joked over dinner, which is a bit of a cop-out, I know, but as we arrived at the campsite and saw other fathers slaving over the fire until 8 pm to finish their Dutch-oven dinners, I felt glad we did. One of those dads said that he had to do it because it was tradition. I joked that I am thinking very carefully about which traditions I want to start. I am happy to start Dutch-oven-dinner-as-long-as-we-get-to-the-campsite-by-noon-and-the-kids-are-old-enough-to-help-me tradition. We set-up the tent and sleeping bags, then played at the playground. We came back before dark to sit in our camp chairs by the fire playing flashlight games and eating snacks. We also brushed our teeth while sitting there and tried to see how far we could spit the rinsing water. That activity resulted in a particularly bright twinkle in my son's eyes. Finally, when he said he was ready for bed we got into the tent and read rattlesnake books (his favorite thing right now) until we were both ready to sleep, though he reminded me we needed to say prayers first. We both woke up at 6 am. He said he had fun and was ready to go home. So, we packed up and drove out of the park. As I was driving, I felt a strong tinge of regret that we didn't go hiking. I asked him if he wanted to, he said he did, and we drove back and went on a beautiful hike through the woods to the river. He reminded me as we walked that I needed to look six feet all around me so that we wouldn't get rattlesnake bites. He was not-so-secretly hoping to see an Eastern Diamondback rattlesnake. In fact, when we arrived at the rocky shore of the river we looked in all of the holes and cracks (from a safe distance, of course). Throughout the camping trip we talked about so many things. He asked questions like, "How do they make gum?" and "Why do they call it a forest?" neither of which I was able to answer. We also talked a lot about rattlesnakes and joked about other things. We also just enjoyed experiencing something fun together. It has been a few months since we've had a boys night, and we needed this time together I think. As the girls get older, they need a little more, and my son and I get less one-on-one time. I am reminded how much I admire him, how good he is, and what a good friend he is. Every father should make time to take his son camping.