My Lovely Bride and I decided to make this our summer of many camping trips. To that purpose we bought a cool tent that fits right on the bed of our pickup. It is just a basic tent, but it is the only way I can get my Lovely Bride to camp out doors. You see, since this tent is in the pickup bed, my Lovely Bride believes snakes will not be able to get in. Shhhh...don't tell her that snakes can climb ladders! But, she insists, the snakes cannot unzip the mesh door and crawl into the tent. That is the big thing for her.
So Saturday just past, my Lovely Bride, myself, and Baby Baby set out on our adventure. We were headed to Fort Davis and our destination: Davis Mountains State Park. We picked up Baby Baby at 10:00 AM at her other grandparents' home. Baby Baby was still asleep when we arrived, but in a few minutes she was dressed, and we were ready to go...er, to Academy Sports. We still had a couple of items to buy to make our camping "kit" complete. THEN, we were ready to go...to Walmart. We had to buy a couple more items for camping, and some food supplies, because there were no fires allowed in the park. All the meals would be cold. Oh well, that's the price of "roughing it."
With all the supplies bought and stowed, we were ready to GO....to Auto Zone. There was one more thing I needed, and Walmart let me down. I needed a power supply to run my CPAP machine. Yep, there would be no camping if a "bear" were sleeping all night in the truck tent. BTW, I do not believe I have a snoring problem. It is only my son, my daughter, all my relatives, a couple of my friends, and of course, my Lovely Bride, who believe that I have a snoring problem. I actually sleep very well all night whether or not I have a CPAP. But, back to my story, the camping trip would not happen unless I could find that power supply. So, after leaving Walmart, we found the item at Auto Zone, and FINALLY we were ready TO GO!!!!!!!
I told you we picked up Baby Baby at 10:00 AM. Well, after all the shopping and running around Midland, and finally pointing the pickup to the west, it was only 11:30. I swear it felt like afternoon! But in the company of my Lovely Bride and Baby Baby, all the bother of shopping on a Saturday morning faded away. All the way down I-20 West we were entertained by Baby Baby telling and retelling her stories, such as The Grumpy Monkey or Night Animals. Sometimes my Lovely Bride would read the stories to her, and sometimes Baby Baby would make up her own stories, in which of course, she was the main character! The drive "West of the Pecos" did not seem that long at all.
As we turned south at Pecos, drove a ways, and finally drew near to I-10, we passed through the little village of Saragosa, the village so strong that the people came through a tornado's direct hit several years ago, and re-built that shining white shrine, the Nuestra Senora de Gudalupe. Even these more than three decades later, it is still a very stirring sight as one crosses the Trans-Pecos desert. Another half-hour's drive found us at Balmorhea. We drove through this little tourist trap and on through Toyahvale, where the Balmorhea State Park is located, then we were in the foothills of the Davis Mountains.
It was as we drove through the mountains that Baby Baby began to really notice the passing scenery. Then she got excited, having a blast, yelling, "Turn Poppee! Tuuurrrnnn!!" Then she would tell Poppee how great a driver he was. Then we would hit more turns and twists with Baby Baby yelling, "Yeehaahhhh, way to drive, Poppee!!" At times, my Lovely Bride was yelling other things, which I will not repeat in this family-oriented venue. But we survived the trip through the foothills, across Wild Rose Pass, and into the Davis Mountains. We were all in one piece as we entered Davis Mountains State Park and it was only about 2:30 PM. I am pretty sure we flew part of the way!
Upon arriving at Davis Mountains Park headquarters, we secured our permit and went to our reserved campsite. It was beautifully green, plush, AND located within one hundred feet of the restrooms. Like I said, we like to really rough it when we camp. But we found one little, tiny problem. The parking spaces were too far from the picnic tables and trees. So, I decided to improvise...by driving beyond the boulders marking the boundaries of the parking lot. I backed right up to the trees, just a few feet away from the table, and we unloaded our camping supplies.
Baby Baby was so excited. She ran to and fro yelling, "We are going camping! We are going camping!" I told her, "No Baby Baby, we are not GOING CAMPING, we are HERE!" As we unpacked I noticed that the passing park "hosts" kept glancing our way, and at the same time, I could see that I was the only vehicle that had driven beyond the boulders. It would not have been too bad, except I had by now unloaded everything, and we were ready to begin setting up the tent. Once the tent was up, there would not be any going back, as it were.
It was at this point that the two park hosts (a mature couple - about OUR AGE - who volunteered in the park to assist guests, direct visitors to the various hiking trails and natural sights, and to let errant drivers know that they were not supposed to be off the pavement) came over and made our acquaintance. Luckily, however, these volunteers were not "enforcement agents." They merely advised me that I had violated park rules by leaving the pavement, and that I should speak with the actual Park Ranger at headquarters to rectify the situation. Not wanting to pay a fine, I followed their advice. At Headquarters, I was politely offered an alternate campsite that allowed access right up to the picnic table.
So, I loaded up the truck, moved to the new site, unloaded the truck AGAIN, and we were there - at camp. Baby Baby was so excited to be "going camping." She helped my Lovely Bride and I set up the camping area, then she built a "fire" by gathering small twigs and arranging them in the classic campfire style, all the while singing (LOUDLY!) I am building a fire, I am building a fire, I am building a fire, I am building a fire, I am building a fire!" Then, verse two: "I am building a fire, I am building a fire, I am building a fire, I am building a fire, I am building a fire." As Baby Baby started the THIRD verse, "I am building a fire, I am building a fire, I am building a fire" I recovered my strength rapidly (cough, cough) and decided to harmonize with Baby Baby. I took a deep breath, leaned my head back, and started to belt out "I am building a fire!!" when I heard my Lovely Bride yell, "Leah!! That's enough! THAT IS EEE-NUFF!!" I glanced at my Lovely Bride, saw fangs showing and veins bulging, and thought to myself that I probably would NOT harmonize with Baby Baby just now.
My Lovely Bride, of course, would NEVER yell at Baby Baby. Instead, she REDIRECTED Baby Baby into another activity. An educational activity, actually. I heard her ask, "Leah, do you know what to do if you see a snake?" Leah said, "Run away!" Good answer I thought. No, not good answer. My Lovely Bride very carefully taught the little girl to slowly back away and say, "Honey? It's a snake!" So, using a rock in the middle of the road for a snake, Honey and Baby Baby practiced. Baby Baby would "see" the "snake," back away slowly, and say "Honey, I see a snake!" After about half an hour of this, Baby Baby knew EXACTLY what to do if she should see a snake: RUUUNNNN!!!!
Baby Baby really loved the tent. That was her favorite part of camping out. She normally uses all tricks in her power to keep us from putting her to bed at her bed time. She wants to have another tea party. She wants to watch Peppa Pig or Paw Patrol. Again. And one more time. Then she needs to brush her teeth. Then she needs to wash them again. But not tonight! Tonight (by that I mean by 4:00 o'clock in the afternoon) Baby Baby was "tired" and "sleepy" and "needed to go to bed." Two hours later Baby Baby was still trying to go to bed. She wanted to sleep in the tent. There is no camp out unless one sleeps in a tent. Baby Baby knew this, and time was getting short. She kept turning on her little "torch." Honey would have to yell...er...I mean tell Baby Baby not to turn on the light until it was dark outside. By 4:05 PM it was dark, if you ask Baby Baby. This went on for several hours, until it really did get dark. Finally Baby Baby was able to turn on her torch. And she was able, after taking a shower, to finally go into the tent with my Lovely Bride.
While both my "girls" were in the tent, I sat out in the twilight, enjoying the cooling breeze, and listening to the wildlife. And getting mad. The wildlife were a bunch of kids who kept yelling and hooting, and no doubt scaring the real wildlife away for miles around. But finally quiet settled down over the campground, except for a constant "click...click...click...click." With each click our little truck tent would either glow a soft grey and blue, or would fade to pitch black. Light, dark, light, dark, light, dark..."LEAH!!" Finally my Lovely Bride threatened to take away Baby Baby's torch. Then there was dark...and quiet.
So I was sitting peacefully in the dark, listening to the night sounds, watching bats fly in what was left of the twilight, and staring at the stars...the most spectacular starscape I had seen in quite some time. With no campfires, and just the subdued lighting inside the various tents, there was nothing to blot out the starlight. I was at such peace with myself, and with the mountains. And just as I was really feeling the spiritual connection with the majesty of those ancient hills, I heard two little steps, then something brushed lightly (and FURRILY) against my foot. As I said, the stars were very bright, and there was just enough light to reveal a small little black silhouette. There was also just enough light to reveal that the little silhouette had a bright white vertical stripe on its posterior. SKUNK!!! I mean ... skunk...
I did not jump or yell. I decided that the best way to handle this situation was to pretend that the pole kitty was just a kitty. So I spoke quietly. I said, "Hello Mr. Skunk. I just wanted you to know I was sitting here." The little skunk was surprised, but not really startled. It did not run, but rather just sort of ambled away; however, that vertical stripe was now pointed directly at my forehead. I just sat in my chair and waited for the worst. But the skunk just walked on and began foraging at the base of a nearby oak tree. Neither wanting to provoke a skunk shower nor alarm anyone inside the tent, I turned on a small strobe light and aimed it in the little critter's direction. That was just enough to encourage the camp guest to move on to parts outside the effective range of its special weapon.
After making sure that the skunk was gone, I got into the tent. Baby Baby was all excited about the "night animal" that had visited our campsite. I have to admit I was a little excited too, but happy that the skunk had gone on its way. After we had a good laugh over the skunk adventure, we got down to the serious business of sleeping. I turned on the power supply we had purchased at Auto Zone, hooked it up to my CPAP, and entered into glorious (and snore-free) slumber. At last, a good night's sleep. WRONG! Within an hour or so the CPAP went dead. There was nothing wrong with the power supply, and there was nothing wrong with the CPAP, but the power inverter had burned out, never to regain life. And just like that I was snoring. I went to sleep anyway. I have no idea whether or not anyone else slept that night, but I DO know that not one single, solitary night animal approached within two miles of the snoring tent on top of the black pickup.
Sunday morning arrived pretty early. We got up, had a cold breakfast of cereal, then we broke camp. Once again Baby Baby was quite helpful in this operation. Our next destination was Balmorhea State Park, where we would swim in Solomon Spring. Baby Baby was very excited about going swimming. She was excited right up to the minute she and my Lovely Bride entered the water. It was then that Baby Baby realized FISH were swimming in the water. Then she had a meltdown! She started yelling and shrieking! She screamed that the fish had teeth, and that they would bite her. When she was assured that the little pupfish and perch had no teeth, she screamed again. This time she was certain passing turtles would bite off her toes. When my Lovely Bride explained to her that the turtles were afraid of people and would swim away, Baby Baby then began crying again. It turns out that she did not want the sharks to eat her. My Lovely Bride was able finally to allay all the baby's fears, and they went into the water. As soon as Baby Baby realized that the fish weren't eating her toes, she began to enjoy being in the water. I spent a little time snorkeling in the spring, then it was time to eat.
After lunch, it was obvious that Baby Baby was getting tired and cranky. And she wanted to go home to see Mommy/Daddy. We packed up our belongings and headed back to Odessa. Traffic was a little hairy, but we didn't have any trouble. Baby Baby was soon home, reunited with her parents. We gave her hugs and kisses and released our little charge to her parents. This, though necessary, is still a little sad. Although my Lovely Bride and I talked about the trip and good times we had, it was still just a little quiet without Baby Baby in the back seat.
We finally arrived home late Sunday evening. We were both exhausted but it had been a great weekend trip. I had just enough strength in reserve to unload the pickup, store the gear, and bring the
other things inside. But the fun we had, the excitement in our Baby Baby's eyes, the closeness of being together in such a peaceful place, made all the loading and unloading worthwhile. We can't wait to go camping again. This time, Baby Baby will have her own sleeping bag. And I will have a reliable means of running my CPAP machine. Not that I snore, mind you, just that other people THINK I do.
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