Camping Schmamping

Sunshine. Downpour. Bocce Ball. Ice Cream. Weird cousins. A very weird Uncle. Ice Cream. Quality outdoor theater. Abraham Lincoln. Disc golf. Ice Cream. Mr. Lincoln. Ice Cream. President Lincoln. Ice Cream. Ice Cream. Ice Cream.

Yes, this is the story of our family camping trip in Springfield, IL (Home of Honest Abe). What an adventure. All 15.5 members of the Hoekstra and Schutt families gathered and spent far too many hours together. But, let's face it, we all loved it even more than we let on. Yes, even you, Jonathan and Dorothy (our not-so-campers).















We ate too much. Far too much. But I was taught that vacation is all about eating. And it is mostly about eating ice cream. The meals plan the day. Have BREAKFAST. Find something to do to pass the time until LUNCH. Lolligag a bit more until AFTERNOON DQ RUN. Stuff the ice cream down so you can fit PRE-DINNER WINE AND PEANUTS, which is appropriately followed by DINNER. And for those of use that made it past 9pm, LATE-NIGHT SNACK around the fire was certainly enjoyable.

Consequently, the pressure is on to return to my previously regular marathon training program.

My favorite part of the weekend was the drive from Canton, OH to Springfield. Okay, I lied. It took John and I 10.5 hours (should've been 9) due to our now most-hated city, Indianapolis, and a flooded road that forced us to turn around, in the dark on unfamiliar country roads, when we were just 4 miles from arriving at our destination.

My actual favorite part was the rainy part. Not kidding. I told another lie earlier when I said "Quality outdoor theater." I've never seen such a terrible performance. It was a lovely evening when we set out to see the show. At intermission, we all secretly wanted to leave, but our dutch heritage left us obligated to stay after paying $9 a ticket. One act into the second half, an oh-so-sweet thunderstorm forced the play to be canceled. What an awful shame. And the better of the two shows followed:

15 Hoekstra-Schutts remembered that they had left their campsites anything but rain-ready. They all ran. They ran fast. They ran on a dark, dark trail in the pouring rain without flashlights. They nearly tripped over fire pits and died. Upon reaching the campsites, there was a mass scurry to zip up the tent windows and pull things into shelter. The 15 knew of only one dry place...under the awning of Auntie Cindy and Uncle Eddie's trailer. And so they huddled, and they dripped, and they figured out who had wet underwear, and they laughed harder and longer than they had during the entire play.

I love camping. It is filled with the unexpected. And that, my friends, is what makes life the quirky, bumpy, fun-filled journey that it is.

Now who's brave enough to try this again next year? Any takers???