A Little Camping

I haven't been keeping up with my blog this summer. I'm sure some of you have noticed. No, I don't have writer's block. What I'm lacking is time.

It's been a busy summer, for sure. I directed our church's VBS, the grandkids came over often to swim in our pool, and Levi had surgery, twice. We all attended multiple Oregon Trail Days and Old West Balloon Festival events. I have been excited to read the One Year Bible for about half an hour each day. I've written several songs. I try to walk at least 10,000 steps a day, usually in the cool summer evenings. And then, I've been fighting an infection for most of the summer, so that has meant extra appointments and tests, as well as scattered days when I just haven't felt like doing anything.

Early this summer, Levi and I visited Erin and Reed in Wisconsin, and our family attended two family reunions in opposite directions from home. For the Wyoming reunion, Bill and I decided to take our pop-up camper to Curt Gowdy State Park, west of Cheyenne. Meagan's whole family joined us at the campground, using their new, eight person tent for the first time.

Camping isn't Bill's favorite activity, but he is willing to go along if he can be comfortable sleeping. The camper had everything we needed: sleeping space for six or more, if some were little kids, a stove and refrigerator, and a toilet and shower. But, even after we bought the camper, we didn't go camping nearly as often as I would like, because I couldn't tow the camper, let alone pop it up and down by myself.

We put the camper up in the cold Wyoming rain, and took it down in rain and hail. The camper weathered the storms very well. But Bill and I got to talking on the way home, about how we needed a hassle-free camper I could manage by myself, at a price we could easily afford. I remembered that the first vehicle I drove on a regular basis was the Hotel Mary-Etta catering van, which had been converted from a huge mail van. Since then, while working as a daycare director, I have driven a 15-passenger bus without any problem. So we began to consider getting an older, self-contained RV for me to drive.

When we got home from our trip, I checked the local internet ads, and found a reasonably priced, 20-year-old RV just a few blocks away from our house. We went to look at it the weekend after the reunion, drove it, and bought it, just like that.

The RV is not too big, but it sleeps at least six, has a well-equipped kitchen and bathroom, and plenty of accessible storage. Best of all, the previous owners had kept meticulous records of all of the maintenance and repairs that have ever been done on the vehicle, so we don't anticipate any serious problems any time soon. The inside needed a lot of cleaning and a little TLC, but I can handle that.

I sold the pop-up camper via Facebook's Marketplace, the day after I listed it, for only $100 less than we paid for it four years ago, so we were pretty happy about that.

Then, we went camping, two different times at Lake Minatare, a few miles northeast of Scottsbluff, and once at the Wildcat Hills Recreation Area, just south of Gering. Meagan's family camped with us at Lake Minatare, and Bill was finally able to join the whole family in the Wildcats.

Ari enjoys camping--and climbing on top 

of picnic tables.

Andy builds wonderful campfires.

Andy's Mom and Dad brought out the Stobel family's boat.

Evie and Tobin enjoyed their first boating experience.

Ari is always content in Mom's pack.

Lydia and Evie love to explore.

  

Swinging and swimming.

Tobin and Levi, winding down after an eventful day.

The Wildcats offer so many trails,
and dry creek beds, like this one, to explore.

Bill joined us when we camped at the Wildcats.

Meagan and the kids enjoy hiking the Wildcats at dusk.

I always bring my guitar so we can sing around the campfire.

We haven't put the RV away for the winter just yet, because we are hoping to do a little fall camping. There is so much of God's creation to explore, even close to home.

This is what God the Lord says—

the Creator of the heavens, who stretches them out,

who spreads out the earth with all that springs from it,

who gives breath to its people,

and life to those who walk on it:

I, the Lord, have called you in righteousness;

I will take hold of your hand. 

Isaiah 42:5-6a