Selected PVSP for several reasons - I wanted to go camping for two nights, not just one. I thought I'd stay someplace "local" in case things went dreadfully wrong. If so, I could just ... Get In My Car. And drive home.
Atmosphere / Campground Description
PVSP / Hilton area is very close. Very local. Like, just down the street in the middle of a residential area. Therefore it appeals to people who want to hang out with family and friends. It was noisy. This is where I began to learn that camping is not necessarily about peace, serenity, and solitude. A lot of people think of it as a party place.
The sites were large enough. There was some grassy, foliage, shrubbery-type "buffer" between the sites. I felt that I did have some privacy; although I could hear what was going on in the sites around me. My site though backed up to a wooded area / and the power line cut. So I had a nice view from my tent.
There's a bathhouse in the center of the loop. And a playground.
Overall Experience
But I did get to sleep outdoors and that was the goal. And I learned more about camping. Much more. Starting to grasp some necessary skills. I finally tackled building a campfire - I had something going.
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| My First Real Camp Fire! |
On my hikes, I found beautiful, quiet, secluded spots -- perfect for reading, thinking, relaxing. [Notes about the hikes are in separate blog posts.]
"It's the Other People You Have to Worry About ..."
On of the things the camp host here at this park told me about is making sure I'm aware of the people around me. Study my neighbors. See what kind of people they are. Walk around the campground and be aware of who is around me. Great advice!
On Saturday night, the crowd two sites away from me stayed up late. Then they ended up knocking over their large lantern, full of propane fuel. The lit fuel ran through their site. I was in my tent, attempting to get some sleep, and heard: "F-k!" [they used the real f-word]. "F-k!" "F-k!" Then ... "Fire! Move the cars!"
I got out of my tent super-fast, fast enough to see their tent go: poof! Just a wall of orange-glow.
Since then, I now sleep with these items closest to me: my eyeglasses, car keys, blackberry - in case I need to make an emergency phone call.
Merit Badge / Skill
-- Successfully setting up a new tent! I used all the stakes, though I'm not sure what all the loops and strings and doo-dads are for
-- My first real camp fire!
My Tent/Campsite & The View From My Tent:
Sunrise on Saturday / View from My Tent:
Takeaway
A great base camp. I can spend a full day of hiking and biking, longer trips with short evening/morning hikes. I'd like to try camping here during the work week and heading to the office from here!
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My Gear List
Lots of "stuff" is creeping into my car.
- Shelter: A new tent! REI Mountain-3. I forgot to order the footprint when I bought the tent (do I have a mental block on those things???). So on the way to the campground I bought a tarp and used that as a footprint, as you can see in the photo.
- Bed: sleeping bag, pillows
- Other Essentials: headlamp; a flashlight from home; mini-compass/whistle; map of the park
- Bathroom: garden spade for cat-hole, toilet paper. New item: wipes
- Personal Care: my overloaded tote bag of ...
- First Aid: band-aids
- Camp Fire Supplies: fire starter material, matches, and lots of newspaper (still)
- Kitchen Gear: I was determined to build a campfire and cook, so that means a whole new list/tote bag of supplies: pot, pan, eating/cooking utensils; aluminum foil, ziploc bags for storage & trash; scrubber pad to wash dishes. There may have been more things I brought along ...
- Food: I didn't keep good notes, but I think I experimented with ham, beef, apples. And I had my usual sandwich-stuff, yogurt, fruit & nuts
- Clothing: the basic hiking/outdoor stuff and outerwear
- Hiking Gear: hiking shoes; camelbak
- Downtime Amusement: my Kindle & hiking/biking/camping books
Comments:
- Need to pare down what I bring with me.
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