Our first camping trip!
Our first ever camping trip (together as a couple) was a success! We arrived at Yellowstone Lake State Park in southern Wisconsin just after noon on Saturday and left just before noon on Sunday.
One of the neat things about this particular state park (aside from the huge lake and all the hiking trails) is that they have bat houses all around the park to encourage bats to live there and eat all the mosquitos! Everyone we were camping with was saying this is one of the more enjoyable state parks because you do not have to worry so much about the mosquitoes.*
So who is this “everyone” I speak of? I didn’t mention it to you guys before I left, but this was actually an organized camping trip with the Madison Area Vegetarian Meetup Group! A few months ago Steven reached out to the group to offer a FakeMeats.com promotion, and the organizer suggested that Fake Meats donate some food to this camping trip… and come along as well! Steven asked me and I said “hells to the yes.”**
Here’s the funny thing – we had never met anyone in this group before. So we were essentially going to a 24-hour event with 30-40 people we didn’t know! BUT! Three vegan meals (and snacks) were included. And I had been wanting to try camping for so long, so I was excited about going.
Would you be up for going on a camping trip with a group of people you have never met before (and I don’t mean other bloggers that you have read about before)?
We were some of the first people to get to the campground on Saturday (we had a huge area reserved just for our group). So after some introductions to new friends and yummy vegan wraps we decided to set up our tent.
Here’s the thing – Steven bought this tent a long time ago (maybe 2004?) and we have never used it. He saw that it was on sale for a great price, knew we wanted to go camping some day, so he made the (very inexpensive purchase). It has been sitting in our garage since we bought it, and all week I was worried something was going to be wrong with it when we tried to set it up! But it went up perfectly. As we were setting it up, more people started to arrive, and they were über impressed with our raised (blow-up) bed tent with the front patio:
The tent set-up was the “hardest” part of the day! After that it was games,
a late vegan lunch,
hiking,
lots of talks with new friends, dinner (including Fake Meats soy curls and veggie burgers!),
watching the bats come out of their houses, talking around the campfire, vegan s’mores
and star-gazing.
We slept comfortably in our tent, although I did have climb over Steven to trek to the bathroom a few times!
In the morning we had a vegan breakfast,
packed up the tent (we got it all back in – SUCCESS!!!),
checked out the beach,
then drove the 2.5 hours back home.
On the way home we both commented on how much we enjoyed the trip and that we would like to try camping again very soon!
I think quite a few things made it so much fun:
- Everyone in the meetup group was really cool. I would be lying if I said I hadn’t thought about what it would be like it we didn’t “click” with anyone in the group. But we did. We even exchanged numbers with a few people! And I met one person from my hometown.
- I didn’t have to think about the food! The meals were already planned out and coordinated by one of the meetup members. And I could eat any of it! Vegan blueberry muffins? Don’t mind if I do!
- The weather was decent. It was a bit humid and warm out during the day but we actually got chilly at night (which I like).
- We were within decent distance of an outhouse
- We didn’t forget to pack anything major.
*Awesome news for me because they eat me up.
**Okay, I think it was in the very early spring and it was quite a ways away but I said “At least then we will get to go camping!”
Themocracy
Oh how fun!!! Rich and I have said we wanted to go camping for years!!! Maybe soon we will actually go!
Some of my friends loooooove camping, and I’m not really into it. I don’t mind doing 1-night trips, but beyond that I just get tired of “roughing it.” I prefer renting rustic cabins (with indoor plumbing). I think I might be willing to do a trip like this if Robert was with me and it was a group that we had something in common with. The fact that all the meals were included sounds awesome! About 15 years ago my parents took my brothers and me on a white water rafting trip, and it included camping overnight. The trip included all of our meals (prepared by the river guides). It was freaking sweet. The food was actually really good.
What a fun outing! I love camping … in small doses … because, I also like showering in a real shower without a timer at home. =) We have a quick camping trip planned in July and a longer trip planned in late August. Cannot wait! (PS – that tent looks perfect!)
I can’t believe you had never been camping before!! Glad you enjoyed it – i always like hiking, and trying to cook over a fire the best! 😀
I know! I had only done backyard camping as a young kid then “camping” with high school friends in the local state park… and you know that wasn’t camping! 🙂
Looks like you had an awesome camping trip. Much better than any I’ve ever been on. Camping and I don’t really get along. I would rather stay in a motorhome or cabin or something like that. I’m find with the great outdoors and all that, but I like to sleep with four solid walls around me and a door that locks.
Fun! It was a good weekend for it. And the food looks amazing!
What a successful trip! The food looks delish! And I love how Steven is representing A-town. Holla. LOL!
The couple we exchanged numbers with is from NYC and they accused Steven of teasing them with his Astoria shirt 🙂
It looks like you had so much fun! I never got the appeal of camping anywhere else but at a beach. With very specific specifications nonetheless. And even then for a day, two at most. What can I say? I love beds and showers way too much. And I only abandon them for very special camping trips, like to Kedrodasos 🙂
A lot of people camp at the beach where we are going this weekend. We talked about it… but the beach is on an island and I think my family would forget about us there. LOL. Okay, not forget, but not come back when they said they would 🙂
The worst part of camping is packing the tent back up! We received one as a gift at my bridal shower (we registered for camping gear) 4+ years ago and STILL haven’t used it.
I love camping and getting into the outdoors. The worst part of camping for me is going to a place that has too many bugs.
This camping trip you guys took looked like a lot of fun. I am still amazed at all of the vegan meals you make that look so good.
And there was a lot of other vegan things that I did not take photos of that were amazing! I think we like the vegan lentil meatballs the best 🙂 And the muffins. 🙂 And the sausages. LOL.
We were happy there were not too many bugs. We are taking our tent to see my family this weekend. If it’s buggy we’ll have to go inside!
looks like fun
This sounds like the perfect camping trip–especially not having to worry about food. And now I really want to go camping (but not here. I don’t even know what that would be like.).
Ha ha. If you went there, all I know is that you would be really hungover the next day! 😛
Maybe the four of us should check out Starved Rock this fall? I would be game 🙂
Sounds like fun. Especially since you didn’t have to coordinate any of the food. Although one of my favorite things about camping is being involved in the cooking process. Camp fires are fun to cook on!
We usually camp at least once a year. The campsite I like to camp at actually belongs to my mom and her siblings and I grew up going there a lot in the summers. It is about 3 hours from where I live now though so we don’t get out there as often as I’d like. It can be especially exhausting if we drive up to camp for only one night.
So fun! I haven’t been camping in ages. It looks like you guys had a really great time – and what a fun way to meet new people! I’ve never really thought about a camping meet-up but it looks awesome!
That’s so neat that all the food was included! Now THAT’S the way to camp!
And your tent is pretty sweet. To be able to sleep up off the ground is pretty awesome. Maybe I could convince Jason to go with to the river this summer if we camped on the beach. We could keep the jetskis there, right?
I’ll have to ask! I am getting the feeling that if we camp on the beach we are on our own until whenever they decide to come back for us. LOL. JK. My dad would remember we were there. 🙂
FUN!! I think we are going in September and I cannot wait! I love camping, I love being in a place where you can see all the stars. AND I LOVE SMORES!!!! Yum!
Sounds like a great camping trip! Glad that the vegans and the bats were able to coexist so well. 🙂
HOW AWESOME!!!!! Sounds like a fantastic and very relaxing weekend! Your pictures are great, I loved hearing about the bats, and the tent looks very comfortable (you look like camping PROS!!!)
Doesn’t it feel weird to come home after a weekend of camping? It’s like, wow – hot enclosed showers and a refrigerator!?!? =P
And I loved how you were able to just relax without thinking about the food. I try very hard to eat healthy, so I get frustrated when we go to events or functions where there are minimal or no healthy options – and likewise, I am always so relieved when the food options are good and I don’t have to worry about them!
Oh gosh, the shower was great! And the even more comfty bed!
I have had many times in my life where I worry too much about how healthy food is. Right now, I am eating anything, and honestly, I should worry more. But there was a lot of heatlhy stuff at the picnic! Salads and veggies at every meal! 🙂