Camping Trip

A few months ago we planned a camping trip for after the honeymoon and before the semester started to take advantage of our free time at the end of August. Libby set the dates and Eric picked the site. We settled on August 26th through the 28th up in New Hampshire’s Monadnock State Park.

We gathered our gear and thoroughly planned meals, did any and all prep we needed to do before leaving, packed the cooler and food along with everything else into the car and headed out the door. It took about an hour and a half to get up to the park and get checked in. The campsites were super nice–it’s all about the running water and toilets…let me tell you. They even had showers were you could get 3 whole minutes of hot water for 50 cents. Luxury! It was impressive that every spot was filled even with Irene breathing down our necks. After setting up camp we got ready for our hike up to Mount Monadnock by taking an hour nap.

Supposedly one of the world’s most climbed peaks, whether that is true or not it is one of the most prominent mountain peaks in New England. Right before we filled our camel-packs and hit the trail a park ranger confirmed what we had been hearing about the threat of the storm coming up the coast and that the State of New Hampshire would be shutting down all State Parks at 6pm the next day. So our two nighter was now a one nighter… which worked out beautifully.

At about two-thirds the way up it became more and more obvious that this was not a leisurely hike up to the top. The trail became more and more a scramble up to the summit. This picture is taken on the eastern end of the ridge line right before we reached the tree line.

Then about twenty minutes later we reached the summit and you can tell from the pictures that even though you’re only at 3,100 feet you’re still about a 1,000 feet higher than anything else within view. Pretty spectacular views.

We sat and watched the sun fall and the clouds move in before heading down the mountain. It was tempting to stay longer but we both knew we had a 3+ mile hike down in the dark so we both wanted to get moving.

Once we got back to camp Eric started the fire while Libby took a shower. Once Libby was done cleaning up we both started putting dinner together and ready to throw on the fire. Once our gourmet tin-foil dinners were packaged and ready to cook Eric ran up to the showers and got cleaned up while Libby supervised the food and read by the fire.

After Eric was done showering we both finished the cooking and laid everything out. Now, we’ve both had our fair share of camp food, but this was up there. The main course was spicy sausage with potatoes and green beans, with butter and rosemary corn on the cob, and watermelon. Amazing! And if that wasn’t enough, cause what’s a meal without dessert? Libby made peach cobbler.

After eating ourselves into a food coma, we cleaned up the food and put it all into the car to keep the wild life away. Didn’t want to wake up to a skunk in our tent. Then we watched the fire burn out and headed to bed. There were no s’mores. Is that legal?

The next morning…not when the sun came up but a little later…we got up and puttered around–not really wanting to leave (but definitely not wanted to hike to the summit for a second time) we decided to make breakfast. Now, I know you have to cook differently when you go camping but if you have one of those little jet boil/propane tank/burner thing-ys the sky is the limit. I tell you what. So we had bacon, hashbrowns, and eggs. Heaven. It just took a little longer then normal.

And then we headed out, checked in with both parents to make sure they knew we didn’t die, and went home. It was a great trip! There was zero rain until we got back to Belmont and then the deluge began. But the Red Sox played both their games, trouncing Oakland twice (I think the A’s gave up and just wanted to get on their plane before the hurricane reached land…).