The call of the wild

I can't believe I haven't been camping yet in 2010! And June is half over! SHAME!

Oh well, we're remedying that right quick by answering the persistent call of the great Virginia outdoors with two weekends in a row of camping.

This weekend Robb & I are journeying 200 miles west to Salthouse Branch campgrounds at Philpott Lake, which is near Fairy Stone State Park (here's a map). Weather is gonna be steamy but I reserved a campsite that was labeled "full shade" so me & my hot feet should be ok. I've never been to this particular campground and I'm pretty sure Robbie hasn't either. I couldn't really find any photos online of the campgrounds but there are plenty of pics of Philpott Lake and it looks gorgeous. That is one of the things I miss the most about Minnesota... the beautiful lakes that are so plentiful you can't take a step sideways without sticking your toe in one. I'll get my little fix of home this weekend... especially if they rent canoes!
 

Next weekend, we are making camping a family affair. Robb's sister, brother-in-law, niece and two nephews, dog (?) -- oh, and Robb & I -- are going to Loft Mountain campground at Shenandoah National Park. This is familiar stomping ground for us and we're all looking forward to it.

However, in the last year or so (or, perhaps more accurately, since the economic downturn really started hitting home for those who were accustomed to traveling), it has been difficult to reserve a site without doing so literally months in advance. Each time we camped at any of the grounds in Shenandoah last summer, they were always at capacity. So, for example, if you happened to load up the minivan last-minute and drive your wife and kids two hours past Charlottesville with the hope of getting a walk-up tent site at Loft Mountain upon your arrival, you'd likely be welcomed with a big fat "CAMPGROUND FULL" sign at the gate.

Also, for those of us who did make a reservation and were hoping for a nice, peaceful, relaxing weekend filled with the sights and sounds of nature... well, we were in for a "call of the wild" all right. Because all those families who decided to postpone the trip to Europe or Disneyworld in lieu of an economical family jaunt to Shenandoah descended upon the park en masse and raised enough ruckus to send even the most domesticated deer or squirrel high-tailing it out of there for some solitude.

Next weekend, Robb & I will likely be part of the latter group, so recognizing this, we are going to make the most of this weekend at Philpott Lake. We'll get our flora and fauna fix so that we can get loud and rowdy with the kiddos in the great outdoors the following weekend. Who knows... maybe after all that exploring and adventuring, we might be tuckered enough for some quiet time and get to hear some wild calls after all........