Camping like a maniac in 16 hours

March 2012

After my first trip to Jordan Lake last month, I was keen to go back at some point, and luckily I was able to for a lot longer than the half hour I was there before. I can’t remember exactly how it came about, but the suggestion of camping was bought up in conversation, and obviously me being me was incredibly keen to do. It was decided to go for one night, with 6 of us sharing a tent; Emily, Michael, Laura, Lindsay, Travis and myself.

We left late afternoon Friday, very lazily (may have been partly my fault there not realising the time!) and after numerous trips to the store for booze, ice and then another stop for food and a pickle bucket (yes, you read correctly), although I hasten to add it was empty. At least we thought it was until it spilt pickle juice all over Michael… The campsite was on the edge of Jordan lake, about 20-30mins drive away from Chapel Hill (longer with all the stops we made!) and we pilled out of Travis’ care just in time to receive a lecture from the park ranger about no drinking water, pick up the trash etc etc. The site we picked to camp was a fair way from the car (vehicles not being allowed onto the actual site), which involved such a large amount of effort to lug down that a beer was needed straight away as reward. Obviously! The site itself is right on the edge of the lake, in the pine forests that are abundant in the area. The area is protected as a state park, and incredibly beautiful to wander around (not that we did much of that...), and really quiet which is such a change from the hustle and bustle of the UNC campus.

We managed to get the tent set up and fire started way before darkness fell which was lucky (because in my personal experience this is a bitch to do once its dark and everyone’s had a little to drink!) and then the real business started. Of eating camp food, singing songs and playing guitar. Because that’s clearly what college kids do when they go camping for the night…

Scenes from the campsite

Needless to say it was a late night, with some great merriness occurring and good banter flowing. The fire was kept a roaring by the use of Travis’ blowtorch (as you do!) and Lindsay deciding to scare of all manner of living things big and small by a combination of her voice and country music. And that’s before Michael’s conversation about circumcision!  Laura had the great idea of doing the old chocolate-and-marshmallows-in-banana-wrapped-in-foil-in-the-fire-trick.  Which was amazing, but she missed out on it for reasons not going to be mentioned here (that me in trouble now!) 

Cooking. At least, attempting to cook...

Ufortunately it began to storm about midnight/1am, which lead to a  scramble to get everything cleared up and into the tent, leading to Michael and myself getting drenched when the heavens opened and we were still attaching guy ropes to the tent. What great ex-scouts we are! The merriment continued in the tent, with the cards being wacked out, and me trying to teach the Americans games such as ‘fives’ and ‘international drinking rules’. Which didn’t work out too well… Crawling into bed at some ungodly hour lead to me having a rather uncomfortable night with sticks and pine cones sticking in everywhere, as Lindsay had decided to nick my sleeping mat. Typical!

The morning was still a wet one, meaning the tent had to be taken down in the wet, and everything quickly ferried back to the car. It was then off to Bojangles, which if I haven’t mentioned before is AMAZING in the morning! A chicken biscuit cannot be beaten when you’re tired and not-very-merry anymore. After probably annoying everyone in Bojangles by moving tables around and causing no end of carnage to trays we trundled back to Chapel Hill, where I collapsed into bed and dozed for the rest of the day. So hardcore I am I know…

Great night with some great people and lots of laughs though!

Not bleary eyed the next morning at all!