Camping with the Crew

Despite what seemed to be the camping gods' best efforts to thwart our plans, we managed a brief camping trip this past weekend.  Our go-to campground in Baraboo, Wheeler's, was closed for the season -- what?! It was perfect camping conditions! - and every other person in Wisconsin and Illinois, it seemed, had intentions of camping; it appeared as though every campground in the state was at full capacity.  Finally, we found an opening at Pinewood Campground in Ottawa.  Dawn and Chris, Scott and Steph (and Joni, their fur-child), Brian and I -- the DINKS-- set up camp and spent the evening around the cribbage board and the campfire. We enjoyed lots of chili, guacamole, bubble water, and Malbec, truly some of my favorite things!  I am so very lucky to have found such an awesome group of people to call my friends. I've got to give Brian credit for that one - he sure has a great crew, and I'm so glad they like me as much as they like him.

Our plan to camp at The Lake was largely due to a desire to get out at least one more time to enjoy fall climbing at Devil's Lake.  We kept true to that and packed up camp, got breakfast, and found ourselves some room to climb by the noontime hour - I was shocked it wasn't busier at The Lake considering how wonderful the weather was for being outside (and based on how busy the parking lots seemed).  We hopped on some  climbs that were surely group favorites, and I even got to try a new (and difficult-for-me) Devil's Lake climb.  We also crossed paths with Brian's parents, which was a great surprise.

The weather was perfect for camping and climbing this past weekend, so much so that we could not stomach the idea of missing out on any of the awesomeness that fall still has to offer; thus, we will be heading west next weekend to take in fall in our favorite place, Colorado.

camping necessities

settling into camp - before it got really chilly

gearing up
The Lake



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