Days and Nights at the Bong

We're back! Actually, we came back yesterday, a day earlier than planned. Things started off well: the site was lovely, surrounded by trees, with a nice level area for the tent. The tent that The Wife (TW) got us is fabu! Loads of room (even with the big air mattress TW required – wimp!) and room dividers for those who want the appearance of privacy. I even slept well in my bag on the ground; despite the barking dog in the next campground over (I understand that many people choose camping as their vacation so that they can bring Fido along... I just wish they could keep Fido from barking all the time. Perhaps we could use barking and non-barking sites? )

Next morning, I’m first up, as usual. Got a fire going, as it was a bit frosty in the morning (in July! Go fig). When TW got up, we started up the camp stove and made some delicious coffee using the new French press. Then, TW and I had some quiet time chatting while we waited for The Kid (TK) to wake up. (I swear, we must have the only 6-year old who sleeps late on a camping trip. But then we have the only 6-year old who wants to sleep in on Christmas morning. I shudder to think what she'll be like in her teens). Gradually, my back started to hurt. Next thing I knew, I was deep into a back episode. I blame it on the combo of ground sleeping (however good I felt) and sitting in one of those bag chairs for two hours, waiting for TK to awaken.

So... moving about was difficult. Not so difficult that we didn't try a hike, tho'. That's where the heat came in. Mid-80’s to 90. A little warm for a sun-baked prairie hike. Doesn't bode well for our August trip to Arizona! “But”, we thought “maybe the beach would offer a cooling respite”... nope. 'Twas loaded with goose dung. I tell you - I'm a vegetarian, and I don't believe in harming animals (except where the alternative is to harm people), but those bloody birds really have me at the end of my rope. It almost wouldn't be so bad if they were skittish, but they're so arrogant! They're even more arrogant than squirrels! (But squirrels have the edge in pure, unadulterated evil - more on that another day.) Of course, prior to the hike, my new eyeglass frames let loose. After a half-hour or so of searching about for an eyeglass screwdriver, I gave up and managed to rig them back together with a twist tie. All in all, not the best day. Dinner time discussion that night centered on ending the trip a day early.

We eventually decided that we would. TK had completed her Junior Ranger booklet during the day (very neat, that. Any K-3rd graders who complete 7 of 14 activities in the book get a patch and Junior Ranger certificate - and its all free), and with my back acting up, hiking was not an option. Rather than face another day of nothing we could do, we came home. A soak in the new pool did wonders for the back, and for the mind. Plus, we had time for a leisurely unpack and put away, which has led to a mostly restful disposition for our return to work.

Overall, Bong is a very nice park (er, State Recreation Area – due to the ATV and horse trails). The hiking trails look nice, if it isn’t 90 degrees out. Every day has a naturalist program, and Saturday nights, a local astronomy group lets the general public look through their scopes (we watched the ISS pass over, and finally saw four of Jupiter’s moons live and unedited!) The campgrounds were nice and the bathrooms were well-lit and well-maintained (for a campground, not for a hotel). I think we’ll go again, but I’m bringing a regular chair… and an air mattress.