Camping

I used to go camping a lot. I love the great outdoors and really enjoy the peace that comes from being with nature. Until very recently, I believe the last time I spent the night in a tent was at least 4 years ago. Having kids can affect the types of activities you participate in, depending upon how much free time you have (or don't have). I just returned from a little camping trip with family and friends this past weekend.

The weather was not the best. In fact, on Saturday night we were told to move to the storm shelter because of a tornado warning. It rained so hard that driveways and paths became tiny rivers and nothing remained dry. Before that, it was so hot and humid during the day that it was hard to feel comfortable. Definitely not the best campout conditions that I've had. It was still fun, though.

Why did I still enjoy it? Being with my wife and kids, seeing how much fun my 3-year-old was having, and just taking it easy with friends made it all worthwhile. Of course, I brought a nice selection of beer to enhance the fun.

Camping and beer go together like, well, fishing and beer. Relaxing in the outdoors with your favorite brews can make them taste even better. For this trip, I went ahead and supported the local breweries; I purchased a Schell's sampler and a Summit sampler. The only thing I missed was sitting around the campfire while sipping on those beverages. The rain made sure that didn't happen.

Oh well, I guess I'll have to take the family camping again. After this trip, I know that we're able to do it and we'll have some fun. Maybe it will be drier, so I can get that fire going...