Week 5

Its 331250. I have to play catchup here because I've been busy. I think that is one of the most commonly uttered phrases in US society today. We all seem so busy. But I'm happy to report that I have been busy... having fun. Last weekend - August 27 - 28 Heather and I drove up to join Heidi, Mike, Jan, and
Andy for an overnight camping trip at Meadow Creek Lake. It was iffy all week if we would actually go, and we paired it down from Friday and Saturday night to just Saturday to Sunday.

We were unable to find where they had set up camp so Heather and I figured we would put our kayaks in the lake and maybe they would spot us. As luck would have it, they found us in the parking lot getting ready, where Heidi declared that was the plan that she had told me, which was just another Heidi lie, but we went along with it. We brought our kayaks along and did about a hour or two of floating, it wasn't real strenuous with Mike and Heidi in an inflatable Rubber raft, but it was fun and relaxing.

Our next adventure was really the highlight, we hiked up to Columbine Lake. It was about a 3.5 mile trip and it was most excellent hiking. Beautiful trail winding higher and higher and peaking out at an alpine lake in a cirque of rocky peaks that were part of the Continental Divide. We didn't stay long which was a big disappointment, but there had been rain, hail, thunder, and lighting, and it appeared that another squall could be moving in, so we took the safe out.   

The camping was OK, it was nice to be out and its great to be with Mike and Andy, Heidi and Jan are a bit negative and high on themselves as teachers, but sitting at a campfire, and sleeping in a tent is pretty wonderful. It was very cold and Heather had trouble sleeping so it didn't reinforce for her the idea that  sleeping out was really great. The next morning the other parties had compelling reason to leave early so it was up, cook, eat, pack leave.

On this outing there were several issues that weighed in the experience:

• Heidi always stresses Heather. I think does it intentionally and prior to committing, Heather was afraid to go because she knew Heidi would tease her about her diet so she ate the provided food and didn't give Heidi the satisfaction.
• Heather used the word "work" to describe camping; largely in the context of "its a lot of work to set up a camp for just one night" This just creates work because now I cram a weekend of work into a single afternoon. 

This was bothersome and I told her it was hard to enjoy the experience if the person I was there to have fun with couldn't relax too.

In short summation, it was fun, I know Heather enjoyed herself most of the time as did I. We had a good time together and the best upshot was Heather wanting to go back to Columbine Lake to hike to the lake and spend the night up there. I think that is worth looking forward too.