Wednesday, June 22, 2011

Napa Camping

Napa Camping

Let’s face it. With the economy how it is and the work load ever-increasing, it’s difficult to get away. We’ve all heard about the increase in day-cations, but can they really ever be as fun as a full vacation – of course!

Recently, James and I went to Napa. We organized it to correspond with a gig that was happening up there, but why just go for that? Instead, we arranged to stay the whole weekend. Now, it’s true, Napa can be pricey, but that doesn’t mean that you have to spend the big bucks to have fun there. Instead of arranging to stay in a hotel (even the most run-down one would have cost us around $100 a night), we decided to go camping on a lake. You are not going to get the same view and fresh air in a hotel! The lake was beautiful, and we had a big area to call our home away from home. We were a bit of a drive away from town, but considering we had saved close to $60 a night already, we didn’t mind. Plus, we wanted to explore the lake.

When we had the time, we even rented a canoe in order to explore the lake. You can definitely spend the day hiking and hanging out at camp, but to me, it’s torturous to see the other shore and not be able to go over there. A canoe was the best option for us. It allowed us to explore a bit of the lake without having the constrictions of being with a group. We packed a picnic lunch and stayed out all day. We even found a gorgeous ismiss on which to eat our lunch. Sure, it wasn’t a gourmet meal, of course, but simple sandwiches taste so amazingly good when you’ve been hiking and canoeing all day.

Now, maybe you’re not the type who “roughs it.” Well, neither do we really. We’ve just learned how to adapt and be just as comfortable (if not more so) than if we were at home. And we did not spend an arm and a leg on our gear either. Our tent, for example, was bought at a garage sale for only $10. Our camping stove, which we used for the first time on this trip, was another garage sale find for $8. Craigslist.com even has a section for free stuff, and sometimes you can find camping finds. I prefer egg foam for a mattress instead of an air mattress. Air mattresses always seem to deflate a bit every night causing you to feel every turn of you or your partner, not to mention that harsh fall when someone else gets up. Actually, the only camping sleeping equipment that I have that was brand new when I got it is my sleeping bag which was a gift. As for a pillow, I use a normal one with a pillowcase that was handmade and has Velcro along the opening so it’ll stay sealed. This way, no bugs can get inside of the pillow, and we can use it as a laundry bag if needed.

Camping is so relaxing. Give it a shot!


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