Camping Sucks!

I’m Mister Out Door Man. I can got into the mountains and survive just fine.

That said, camping sucks.

And why?

Because as a kid, I can only actually say I went camping a few times. Most of the time when we went into the mountains, it was to work. and if we stayed overnight, it was after a long day with promise of more of the same the next day.

One thing I can actually call a camping trip was with my uncle and aunt. We went up above La Jara Reservoir and camped not far from Jim Creek. There was a lot of fishing (I never caught a thing), but what I recall most was my aunt making an upside-down pineapple cake up there.

She had one of those old cast iron Dutch ovens with a lid. She drained and poured a can of pineapple into it, and then after adding some oil, poured the prepared cake mix into it. The entire thing was buried in the still burning embers of the camp fire. About an hour or so later, it was fished out, and we had an outstanding dessert with supper of fried trout, fried [potatoes, and corn.

Years later, I’d use the area we were in as part of the chase in my novel Event Horizon.

The only other camping trip that had nothing to do with work was we (meaning the family) went up onto our summer range. We spent a week sleeping, hiking, and fishing.

But what stands out the most about the trip was we were out fishing and I heard a large multi-engine plane coming. I really wasn’t paying much attention to it, but then Dad started hollering and pointing. Clearing the tree line and not far away was a B-17 Flying Fortress. it was the first time I’d ever seen one outside the movies, TV, or books. I was astonished any were even flying.

Today, when I get a chance to visit a Fortress, I wonder if it was the one I saw.

I guess you could also call going out in the field with the Army, camping. After all, it was a little like the BoySscouts. We had tents, sleeping bags, and guns. The only thing missing was adult supervision so maybe it doesn’t count.

---