Camping - East coast style

I took Parker on his first real camping trip. I really am a western boy, but I will concede that Fall in the East probably trumps Fall out West. We couldn't pass up the chance to get out there with the leaves changing and the air nice and crisp.

There was about a one mile hike into our campsite, including a ford of a mighty river. Parker was a trooper, largely spurred on by the promise of a lollipop once we set up the tent. We had the whole campground to our own (thank you third year that lets me go any day of the week!) and the whole setting was really impressive...on a forested hill looking over the river. There was a nice carpet of fallen leaves. All Parker wanted to do was go play/sleep in the tent once we got it set up, but I was able to convince him to roast some marshmallows over the fire and explore. However, despite his insistence that all he wanted to do was sleep, once we got in the tent all he wanted to do was play. He put on quite the show with the light sticks and we had a late night game of hide (the light sticks) and go seek in the woods. Once we did get to sleep, Parker proceeded to steel my feeble pillow and push me off my pad...he is grumpy at night. In the morning Parker sat on the edge of the river throwing rocks into the water while I took some pictures.

Overall, it was super nice and refreshing being out in nature, and extra special sharing the experience with Parker. Much more camping to come in the future, next time with the whole gang!