The fire hissed. Smoke drifted up, disappearing into the star-filled velvet sky. Cool, summer-esque air pooled around me while the glowing embers of the fire warmed my face and legs. I fidgeted with the wine tumbler pressed against my thigh as I slowly exhaled and inhaled, soaking in every bit of the first camping trip of summer.
I’ve been craving the first camping trip of summer. It’s a craving that creeps up often almost the second the sun starts setting earlier and the ground is covered in snow. This year the craving has been stronger and more persistent than past years; I’m sure the strength and persistence is due to many weeks of being told to stay home right when Minnesota is starting to thaw and awaken.
We plan to camp and hike responsibly this summer. There is a big push to #hikeinplace and we’ve already begun to follow that, sticking to state parks and trails within a small radius of our home. Practicing social distancing on the trails is easy — simply move over when you see other hikers; for the most part, the other hikers do the same and keep their distance. Camping is a bit harder to regulate, hence the delay in campground openings. With the Stay at Home order being replaced by a Safer at Home order, remote camping will be allowed, which is great news for backpacking trips you may have planned this summer. Jacob and I were ecstatic when we heard this. We have a mid-summer trip planned as well as opportunities to camp with family throughout the summer in safe and remote locations.
Born out of anticipation to get outdoors and begin the camping season, Jacob and I decided we couldn’t wait any longer for camping so we spent Friday night backyard camping. With Millie being a newbie, this gave us a chance to cure our craving in a safe and responsible manner while also providing a low-stakes introduction to camping with a puppy. We went into it without much of a plan, but we created our own at-home camping experience — it was a dream!
We began the trip by heading to Whitewater Sate Park, a local park we hadn’t been to with bluffs and trails. Millie accessed her inner trail dog and took the lead, guiding us up and down the steep terrain and stopping every couple of minutes to check out the moss-covered trees. Our map reading skills are a bit rusty, and about a third of the way into the trail, we took a wrong turn. The 4.2 mile trail lining the bluffs turned into a short 2 mile hike through a prairie. The sun was beginning to set — we had an hour drive ahead of us, a fire to start, dinner to cook, and a tent to set up. We took the wrong turn as a blessing, packed into the car, and headed into the setting sun towards home.
Jacob started the fire while I prepared our fine cuisine of the night: hobo meals. I brought out the tin-foil packs and placed them on the hot coals. We set up the tent while our food cooked and Millie chewed on spare firewood to entertain herself and ease her teething pains. The tent was up in about 10 minutes. Yes, we’ve still got it! I thought excitedly, proud that we hadn’t lost all of our outdoorsy skills over the winter, just the ability to properly read maps. The only things we had on the agenda for the rest of the night were to eat dinner and sit by the campfire. We let the glow warm us and the smoke guide our eyes to the sky until the tiredness set in.
Millie, eyelids heavy, curled up next to me, resting her head on mine. She softly snored as we all fell deeper into sleep, not to be awoken until the birds told us of morning.
We may have only escaped to the backyard, but we woke up refreshed and eager for start of camping and hiking season in Minnesota. Campgrounds may be closed at the moment, but we can still get outside, unplug, and reconnect. We can tap into our imaginations and turn our backyards or living rooms into the forests we’ve been dreaming of. We can #hikeinplace and start to recognize the beauty within the small radius of home. A pandemic doesn’t have to put our love of outdoors on hold.
If you’ve been craving a camping trip but aren’t able to go anywhere right now, consider trekking out to the backyard this weekend. Set up your tent, start a fire and roast some s’mores. It’s nothing crazy and nothing fancy, but I promise it’s just as relaxing and does the trick.
Kelliemarie Mash 