A Night to Remember

Last night I slept in layers of clothes and a sleeping bag that was too small for me. It was a long day from the beginning.

My boyfriend Jared and I had plans to meet up with our friends Jay and Carrigan in downtown Midland for the Chili Cook-Off at noon. Then we were all heading back to my house for the night’s adventure.

Jared and Jay have been best friends for a few years now, Carrigan is Jay’s girlfriend, also a good friend of mine, and we double-date quite often. The boys work together at Quality Truck and Auto Accessories in Midland. One of the days they were detailing a car together, they came up with an idea. Since this past week was so warm and beautiful, the boys decided that we should go camping as one last summer hurrah. I suggested that we go out back behind my house because there’s several acres of forest and trails, plus one really beautiful clearing where we could set up our camp.

So when Jared and I were waiting for Jay and Carrigan, we decided to head out and set up our stuff so that we could help carry our friends’ things back there when they arrived. We had just made it to the clearing when Carrigan called me saying they had arrived. Jared and I hurried back to see that Jay’s truck was filled to the brim with things to carry. Jared and I passed a look that said “oh wow” to say the least. We had just made one trip and we were worn out already, it was at least a ten minute walk one way and we looked at that truck to notice that it would take at least three additional trips out there and back to get everything they had brought.

We began with their tent, blankets/pillows, and clothes. By the time we got back I had to loan Carrigan a lint brush to attempt to remove the thousands of thistles from her yoga pants, whereupon she changed into jeans. Trip number two consisted of the cooler, chairs, and a few more bags. Surprisingly, we got it all out there in only two trips.

Once we set up camp, it was time to find good roasting sticks for our hot dogs while the boys cut firewood. Carrigan and I set out for a younger tree with long enough branches for roasting sticks, none of which we found. So we resulted in cutting down two saplings. When we returned to the camp site, it was just about dark and the boys were having trouble getting the fire going. To everyone’s surprise, the dried ferns we chose for kindling would not light. While I spent about a half an hour whittling the sticks into perfect roasters, the boys struggled with the fire. They tried lighting different branches from our wood pile, different dead plants, they even tried softly blowing on the tiny flame. The fire finally started when Jared let the Butane run out of the lighter onto the instruction manual from Jay’s tent and lit it. Carrigan and I cheered.

After about three hours of laughing, singing, and storytelling, we decided to put out the fire and retire for the evening. After putting plenty of water on the coals, we said goodnight and zipped up the tents. Jared and I climbed into our sleeping bags and the peaceful, cricket-chirp-filled atmosphere was soon filled with Jared’s snoring and some creature in the woods. I would listen to that mixture for the next two hours or so while I laid there wide awake, staring at the ceiling of the tent. That creature in the woods had me quite freaked out throughout the duration of the evening. I didn’t sleep well at all, but I stayed warm and that was the important part.

This morning we woke and began to pack everything up. We again loaded ourselves like pack mules to start our hauling trips. Carrigan made a comment about how next time we do this, we should plan to camp out for more than one night, we all agreed. All in all, it was a fun night full of memories with good friends. Point taken, when going wilderness camping, pack only the essentials, and that includes starter fluid.