There are few things more satisfying to me than to show a non-“outdoorsy†person exactly how fun camping can be. I start by making it easy – all they have to do is bring a sleeping bag, pillow, and their clothes for the weekend! All food, snacks, and usually their tents are covered by me and my co-leaders. I also try to pick campsites that have showers somewhat handy, and make sure that families and light sleepers are as separate as possible. It’s the least I can do to try and spread the word about all the fun people could be having exploring the Seattle/western Washington area (plus, I really do enjoy cooking for large groups and have somehow over the years ended up with 4 tents and 5 sleeping bags, which of course need to get used on a regular basis)
This past Memorial Day, 24 of us joined together for a lovely camping adventure at the Sequim Bay Campground. We had a range of experience represented, everything from first-time campers to those who were more used to lugging their entire livelihood in a backpack over miles of rough ground. I think all agreed that having a giant (well-stocked) kitchen tent and nearly all-day/night roaring campfire was a great way to start the camping season, even if we weren’t the most rugged campers on the block.
The weekend seemed to push us all towards local exploring, whether we planned it or not. A group headed towards a hiking trail in the nearby Olympic National Forest was thwarted by heavy rain (Sequim itself is in a rain shadow) and an empty gas tank. A group that headed to the ocean for a SCUBA dive had to change plans due to forgetting a tank and many weights (yes, that may have been me. My brain was on the cooking). The group that went into town to explore kayaking the shore found store closures, scheduling problems, and prices that had been jacked-up beyond belief. Despite all of these seeming disappointments, however, groups of us managed to tour the beautiful ruins of Fort Worden near Port Townsend, hike the grueling 11 miles of Dungeness Spit, tour downtown Port Townsend and Sequim, drive through the always-entertaining Olympic Game Farm, and hike Hurricane Ridge.
Our evenings were spent around the campfire, dodging smoke and laughing as we got to know each other better. We played games (for reference for those who went, the Werewolf game is here: The Werewolves of Millers’ Hollow), chatted, and enjoyed the challenge of incorporating foreign items into our s’more constructions. I truly enjoyed the camaraderie and getting to know the people who signed up, particularly those who were new to the church and were able to use our trip as a way to make new friends. I hope to see you all on future activities!
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