Camp'n Out

Back when I was a lad and Shep was a pup, one of my greatest desires was a week camp'n out in the wilderness. And so one summer it came to pass that myself, brother Tom, cousin Snuffy and last but not least was cousin Johnny, a dyed-in-the-wool city slicker, planned our outing.

Soon, however, Mom got involved. She sez, "You boys, all under 14 and no adults - You might get lost."

I could see it coming.

Mom being a lover of the things of old Mother Nature, as she called it, was not about to lose out on a camp out to Big Sand Lake. She was just as at home around a campfire as she was in her kitchen.

Uncle Vinny dropped us off at the end of the log road. Be back in a week.

No trail to follow, just uncle George's advice – Keep the morning sun on your right shoulder, mid-day sun at your back and you'll hit the outlet.

After a few miles, however, we hit a huge blow down patch. There was so many spruce piled up we lost our way. This was the only time I remember Mom telling me to climb a tree and get our bearings.

About 50 feet off the ground she yells, "That's far enough."

There I could see it off to my right-Big Sand Lake. Cousin Johnny, who had crawled under some brush to get away from the bugs, kept say'n "This is for the birds."

The day was fading when we camped at the lake. The loons were in a serenading mood and I answered.

Mom thought they were wolves across the lake. "Stop," she sez, "The whole pack will be here." She ordered a big fire on the sand and sleep came quickly.

Sometime during the night cousin Johnny got too close to the fire because of the 'wolves' and his blanket caught fire. Mayhem ensued. Someone tossed his blanket into the lake. What a great trip to the hills!!

More than ever Johnny insisted this was for the birds.

Whil'st I was constructing this here story I hear this ad on the radio, "Get out to the Forest." Do we really need the Federal government using our tax money to tell us to go camping, while our dear soldiers, with their legs and arms blown off and more than 20 a day committing suicide, go wanting? How about spending that ad money for these heroes? Oh, I almost forgot, Jon Tester fixed everything.

Anyway, I think we're capable of camping on our own.