My husband and I both grew up in small towns in the mountains. Camping, hiking, swimming in rivers and lakes, was a way of life. Before we had kids we would spend time tent camping, kayaking, and skiing. We also took trips to Europe, the East coast and crazy weekends getaways to Las Vegas and New Orleans. Then our first daughter was born...(queue the screeching tire noises). In other words, our time of kick-our-heels up travel was over!
But when one door closes, another one opens. Three months after Sadie was born we found a 1970’s Airstream travel trailer, and decided to give it a try. It hadn’t been on the road in quite a while, and we spent some time getting it up-to-date. Soon, we were camping all over the mountains again. I found our daughter loved being outside all the time and playing in nature, and I loved getting away from the pressures of everyday life.
After moving to the Bay Area, we discovered a whole new type of camping. Now, instead of spending time in the rugged beauty of the Sierra Nevada Mountains, we find ourselves camping by the beach, or in the nearby redwoods. This past summer, now with two young daughters, we went on a whole new adventure and drove all the way to Vancouver Island, camping along the way.
Sometimes I lament the days of carefree travel, and I can’t say I don’t yearn for another trip to Europe. For me, the stress and cost of towing two small children around the globe is something to avoid at the moment. But, I have found so much joy in rediscovering our own part of the world. There really is so much to see right here. Not only that, I love to camp because it takes me away from my everyday chores, and routines, and I find myself reconnecting with my family on a deeper level.
I know that this has become our family “thing”. We are campers, and this is something the kids will identify with as they grow up. For my family, camping is what we do to get us back in the groove. It is where I reset my goals, and dream about my future. When you sit out in the woods without any distraction, things settle down, and life becomes simple again.
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