Well, I finally got the pictures from my little camera from my first actual camping night on my trip out to see the Grand Canyon and points in between..
This was in Arkansas at the Village Creek State Park campgrounds.
I arrived later than I wanted, in the early evening. I started to set up camp next to a couple in a RV who had built a nice fire and were nice enough to talk with me and answer some questions. However, I quickly decided that the smoke blowing my way was going to be a problem, so I moved away.
The next site seemed OK and I started my very first camp set up of my trip and it would be the first time ever sleeping in my new tent! I immediately could hear the mosquitoes buzzing about my head. I was in the midst of a swarm! I wished I had that fire blowing smoke on my tent now :shocked: Fortunately, I had the foresight to apply a generous coating off DEET based repellant and it kept me from getting bites.
Anyway, I got the tent set up and my pad, sleeping bag, etc. in it, and began to prepare my evening meal. I ate and cleaned camp, etc. Went to sleep but could not fall sleep for a long time. After I had slept for a while, I was awakened by the loudest, most unearthly owl(?) call I'd ever heard. I have lived in the mountains of WNC so I've heard many owl calls including bard owls, great horned owls, etc. But I never heard a call like this before. I was nervous anyway and it scared me a little bit, specially since there was also the sound of something dying or being killed in between the strange calls. I don't mind saying that it took me another long while to get back to sleep. LOL!
And this stagnant creek in the back explained the mosquitoes...
My first camping meal!
This was in Arkansas at the Village Creek State Park campgrounds.
I arrived later than I wanted, in the early evening. I started to set up camp next to a couple in a RV who had built a nice fire and were nice enough to talk with me and answer some questions. However, I quickly decided that the smoke blowing my way was going to be a problem, so I moved away.
The next site seemed OK and I started my very first camp set up of my trip and it would be the first time ever sleeping in my new tent! I immediately could hear the mosquitoes buzzing about my head. I was in the midst of a swarm! I wished I had that fire blowing smoke on my tent now :shocked: Fortunately, I had the foresight to apply a generous coating off DEET based repellant and it kept me from getting bites.
Anyway, I got the tent set up and my pad, sleeping bag, etc. in it, and began to prepare my evening meal. I ate and cleaned camp, etc. Went to sleep but could not fall sleep for a long time. After I had slept for a while, I was awakened by the loudest, most unearthly owl(?) call I'd ever heard. I have lived in the mountains of WNC so I've heard many owl calls including bard owls, great horned owls, etc. But I never heard a call like this before. I was nervous anyway and it scared me a little bit, specially since there was also the sound of something dying or being killed in between the strange calls. I don't mind saying that it took me another long while to get back to sleep. LOL!
And this stagnant creek in the back explained the mosquitoes...
My first camping meal!