Camping with Cameron
The last couple of days have been spent camping and fishing with my Godson. It was his first time for both, and my first time since before he was born. However, don’t get too excited: Neither activity could be classified as intense or even fully committed to the task.
My sister decided it was time for Cameron to experience camping, so they got a managed campsite for the weekend. You know, one of those places with a fire pit, a picnic table, and space for your car and a tent – with showers and toilet facilities nearby. (I don’t say this to disparage the activity, I’m just setting the scene.)
They began their adventure on Friday with a fully loaded pickup truck containing all the home comforts. Well, more home comforts than you’d have if you were hiking into the remote wilderness at least. Daddy and I were invited to join them and decided to do so beginning early(ish) Saturday morning – just in time to join them for breakfast. This means we spent Friday getting ready to travel to the campground – and finding my fishing gear.
Yes, fishing gear! They were camping along the river, and I had a couple of poles I bought for fishing with my foster kid (years ago!), so we decided to introduce Cameron to the sport. This meant searching and searching and searching for the tackle box and poles. And then searching again. And then finally finding them exactly where I’d left them and where I’d searched earlier in the day. (Come on, you know how this game of frustration and bewilderment works, admit it!)
After a review of the tackle (complete with the world’s oldest bait marshmallows!) I went to buy my fishing license – just a 2-day permit to allow for a bit of fun. I had no expectations of catching anything! (Which means I wasn’t disappointed.) Then we set about loading the car for our half-hearted camping adventure.
I say half-hearted because Dad had already decided to stay at Royann’s house a few miles away, rather than on a camp bed. And I decided that I would join him in that idea. Because as much as I do enjoy camping, and as much as my body is generally up for it, I was extremely exhausted and felt that a decent night’s sleep was the better option. (Yes, I know. But I don’t care.)
We arrived at the campground in time to enjoy a bit of breakfast. Then we all set off to the river to try our hands at fishing. As it was Cameron’s first go, there was a lot of extra coaching and guidance for his casting. But he did stand there for a bit attempting to fish, as did I. The problem, however, is that we were fishing in a busy area with lots of families playing in the water and along the shores. So really, it wasn’t the best location for the activity. But I am hopeful that it was enough to whet Cameron’s appetite for fishing a little more seriously next summer.
Cameron had decided not to bring any electronic games and gadgets with him on the trip, so grew bored quickly after we finished our attempt at fishing. To give him some entertainment, Dad and I took him for a quick geocaching trail (OK, that was mostly about me). Then Royann sent us out on a little scavenger hunt around the campground. We opted to take photos to show our finds, with our hands or feet in the photos for proof of scavenging.
It wasn’t long before Cameron was bored of that activity, but by then we’d found a really good swing set that we raced off to play on. And we swung and swung and swung for an hour before finally returning to the campsite.
In the evening, we enjoyed carne asada, flame-cooked corn on the cob, and some Jiffy Pop popcorn. Then it was camp stories and marshmallows for the rest of the evening before Daddy and I went in search of real beds at Royann’s house, leaving them to the tent and air mattresses.
The next morning, Daddy and I returned bright and early with coffees in hand – just in time to enjoy Royann’s campfire breakfast. Then, when it was time to take down the campsite and clean up, I did what any responsible adult would do: I entertained Cameron back on the swings for another hour or so. Which was a help, as otherwise, he would have been in the way.
I’m not sure just how “camping and fishing” this camping and fishing trip was, but I am hopeful that Cameron enjoyed his first taste of wilderness and that he will find more excitement and enjoyment from camping in the summers to come.
(Yes, I know: What a boring post. But it’s for my memories just as much as anything else.)
