Camping

Today, I will embark on a two day camping trip with my family. And I'm not talking about sissy camping with a trailer and all that - I'm talking tent.

The girls have never been to the mountains before and I thought it was about time we go. Much as I would love to go to the beach, much as I really wanted to go to Florida this September, finances don't ever seem to allow, and really, it's about time we did something different.

Living in the Raleigh area is convenient in that way - we are lucky. We have an enormous shoreline to the east, and the Blue Ridge Parkway is to the west, and all are within three hours time frame away, give or take.

So we've borrowed a tent and equipment from various friends, done a trial run with said tent to make sure we can actually put it together once we're there, packed everything we can think of that we might need, and arranged for the dog to be watched by neighbors. And I have entered anxious mode, as I always do when I'm ready to leave my house for a few days. (I hate that - I wish I was a bit freer of spirit in this matter). We are ready to take to the open road!

We are headed to the Linville Falls area, in between Asheville and Grandfather Mountain areas. There are supposed to be beautiful waterfalls there, and pretty scenery. Hopefully the girls will be able to sufficiently hang for the hiking. I think they will - we've done plenty of day hikes around our area. We may also go apple picking somewhere up there. If nothing else comes from the weekend, it will be the welcome relief from this never-ending, ridiculous, Triangle heat that has enveloped us all since late May. While temperatures here continue to broil in the '90's, it will be a refreshing 80 degrees up there.

Anyway, wish us luck. Deep breath. Here we go.