The Story of Hike MB

I remember camping. I remember a heavy, canvas tent with tent poles in several pieces… set one side up and the other would collapse and the tent would topple. I remember my dad cursing and scowling but refusing to accept defeat… or help. The tent trailer was a HUGE upgrade… my brother used to roll out the side. Does anyone else remember this from the old pop-up trailers?

I also remember creating little villages out of scraps of tinder, moss, and rocks for my little Calico Critters. I remember learning from my brother and sister exactly how long to let a flaming marshmallow cool for before eating it. I remember late night trips to the campground washrooms to use the bathroom before bed… and how everything was so much more exciting under a cloak of darkness with a little beam from a flashlight.

I remember hours and hours spent on the trail. The one single day that stands out the most in my mind is the day our family got lost in Spruce Woods when my dad decided to go “bush whacking.” I don’t know who decided that’s what we would call what he was doing. We went off trail and out into the woods on a great adventure.

I honestly do not recommend.

We left on the hike shortly after an early lunch. We made it back just before sunset. We probably had nothing but a bottle of water or two and our pride to carry us through the day. I can’t remember those details. What I remember is leaving on the hike (so excited) and returning, cresting a small hill, to see the campground ahead. I’m pretty sure I cried a bunch of times that day. I was worried about our fish, back home far away in the city, and who would take care of them, since we were clearly NEVER going to find our way back to camp and eventually back home.

We weren’t rich, but I remember always having stories to share from summer vacations. We camped a lot. We explored a lot. We woke up in nature a LOT. The best memories I have from childhood are from these experiences. And I suppose, also - all the times I got to wear frilly socks in little shiny patent shoes to all the 80s weddings. Top tier memories, these ones.

And so, thanks to my adventurous parents who wanted to create a life worth remembering while staying on budget, I learned to love the outdoors for all her beauty, complexities, and ease.

But let’s be clear. I strayed from her for awhile.

I was busy. I was working. I was studying. I was bar hopping. I was everywhere but where I should have been…