A Family Camping Adventure

We don't need to look at the photo album to remember our first family camping trip. It was the summer of '78. Cranky kids mixed with heat and unbearable humidity made for an unhappy little family in our second floor apartment in Manchester. Escaping the city noise and heat seemed unlikely. We were on a tight budget. Vacation time was coming up and it looked as though we'd be in for a series of day trips until my Aunt suggested that we borrow her tent and go camping.

Dave, my husband, hadn't been camping since he was thirteen years old, and I had never been camping. A week in the woods sounded a lot better than the alternative. With a little research, we found the perfect place to go in the White Mountains -- Russell Pond. My Aunt gave me her list of tips, learned the hard way when she was a young mother venturing out on her first camping trip. Don't bring a broom -- it isn't necessary to sweep the tent, but do bring a can opener and the iron. Actually, bringing the iron was my Uncle's tip. After making a quick return trip home for the third year in a row because my aunt was afraid she had left the iron on, he decided it was easier to bring it.

We borrowed their tent and packed up the two door, hard topped, souped up, '64 Chevelle, our five year old daughter, Mariah, and one year old son, Kevin, and we were off! The drive alone was worth it as we "oohed" and "ahhed" our way through the panoramic views of the White Mountains. Russell Pond is in the White Mountain National Forest. At that time, it offered only the essentials. It was one step above really "roughing it" since it did have campsites, fire places, and large outhouses with cold running water.

The tent was an older one that had to be put together, not like the new ones that snap into a place with the flick of a wrist. Dave got the job done with some help from the kids and me. He strung a line so that our bedding could be dried out during the day from the night time dampness. And we settled into our campsite.

A day in the fresh, cool mountain air left the four of us ready to fall into a good sound sleep. As I was drifting off, Mariah nudged me, "Did you hear that?"

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