a man that won't lie ain't got nothing to say

  Waking up in the woods suits me.

 If I can hassle my children in the bargain, why then it's a bargain well struck.

No electronics in the woods...makes them appreciate each others' company and America. Also, hopefully, the extensive infrastructure that is our base camp...

We spent the better part of the day hauling ourselves and various masks, snorkels, and floaties up the river to the Narrows. L___ had never been. The kids have been up several times, though N___ had never been up past the waterfall. This day the water level (low...August looking levels) was such that we could get up it just fine. We spent some time up there, and did several slide runs. The ladies claimed they smelled "weed", and sure enough. While working our way down the ropes on the side of the falls, who should we see lurking in the pool beneath but R_man and his nameless partner. We continued past them to a spot more conducive to a lazy snorkel and some mildly entertaining cliff jumping.

By the time we returned to camp, it was time to snorkel more enthusiastically and rope swang and:

 Some of us has got to. Or else it won't get done.

The bugs seemed mild to most of us, though I will confess to realizing otherwise once back at home and the full itching set in.

 D_____ does not suffer bugs gladly in any circumstance.

Nearing the end of the day, while the rest of the group was down at the water's edge just doing things, a couple came walking down the path above camp. The gal said that she liked the spot, then they returned from whence they'd come. Only to return a few minutes later aboard loaded bicycles. I made several snap (and, I feel, astute) judgements regarding their style and capability which I will keep to myself. I will say they looked confused. I called out that the way forward would not suit bikes, but that there were several campsites on the other side of the horse bridge that were very nice. The gal misunderstood me to mean the beach below the bridge (what is it with people and the camping in rotten spots?), so I corrected her with the actual location of actually viable spots to camp. She then piped up with the opinion that they would "just camp right here"; indicating the meadow adjacent to our ground.

I was very surprised.

Some thoughts occurred to me. To wit: why would one come all the way out to the back country (such as it is) and decide that you would camp right next to other people? And, further, expect that they would be stoked with your decision to intrude on their solitude   be "neighborly". Finally, what the hell?!? She was pointing at a rolling and quite sloped meadow; a very poor choice of camp site on it's own merit.

I said, "That would be a bummer for everyone." because, simple is best really.

Dude (now speaking) says, "Why is that?"

I said, "Because we are gonna get hella drunk and shoot off fireworks."

Dude, "Oh...well, thanks for letting us know." And he moves to turn around.  Meanwhile, lathered up gal begins to whine, "Uh! Are we really going to go back?" as they leave.



What?