When my wife first came up with the idea, I thought she was crazy – to put both of our families together in one campground seemed like a silly idea at best.  It wasn’t anything in particular that had me scared, it was just the idea of trying to coordinate that many families into one place, especially since there so many different personality types to deal with.

But, ultimately, as I reflect back on our family camping adventure last weekend, I was pleasantly surprised.

Not only did all 24 of us get along, but we all had a blast.  Camping seemed to bridge the gap between individuals, and the campfire discussions caused people to laugh like crazy.  I was literally amazed at how well 24 different people – adults and kids included – could get along.  From a small geocaching adventure, to hauling all of our fishing gear down to the water in my daughter’s wagon, everyone managed to have a blast.

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Smart phones are systematically ruining our society.

While I work with technology every day, and actually do enjoy technology most of the time, I think the constant need to be “connected” – at the dinner table, at family gatherings, in a deer blind, while riding in a car, etc. – is really putting a damper on our abilities to connect with each other; it’s putting a damper on our willingness to engage in a real conversation.

It’s kind of sad, actually.

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Life in Hawaii has been amazing. The outdoor world here is slightly different than what I have grown up around, but I have still had the chance to immerse myself in the wonderful creation we call nature. Recently, I have experienced two backcountry overnight hiking trips. The first trip consisted of going to a place I have frequented twice already on day trips. It is a secluded little black sand beach that has decent fishing in the area. The hike in is approximately 3 miles. The trek along the coast is beautiful and not terribly difficult. Our group consisted of ten anxious hikers. We reached the campsite a little before dark and quickly set up camp. We had 6 tents in our group.

After getting settled in we decided to get a few lines in the water while we still had some daylight. The fish did not cooperate, but while attempting some slide baiting on the big ulua poles a few pesky puhis (eels) decided to take the bait. It made the evening eventful, but it was not what we were looking to catch. Uluas were the sought-after prize. They are the commonly known outside of Hawaii as Giant Trevally and they can reach weights of over 100 lbs. Catching a 100 lb. ulua can be the experience of a lifetime. Our evening gave us no such experience.

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Ever tried to draw a T-Rex on a Magna Doodle?  Yea, me neither.  But that is exactly what I found myself doing last Saturday night.  And, although my T-Rex didn’t really look like a T-Rex at all – more like a Brontosaurus actually – I did still manage to win the drawing contest.  Okay, so maybe it was because I was competing against a nine year old.  Well…..or it could’ve been because the judges were only ages 7 to 9.

The amazing part about this whole scenario, though, was that I was surrounded by kids…..who were outside….and using their imagination.  Plenty of adults would associate camping with campfires, beer drinking, and s’mores, but here I was surrounded by kids and having a great time.

We were in a zone.

My wife’s work – at least a few of them from there anyway – take one camping trip a year.  We always have a great time, and this year was no exception, except for one thing:  it brought back my faith in kids’ abilities to have a great time while outside; they do still have imaginations.

These kids had access to electronic devices, a lake, multiple playgrounds, and a host of other not so productive or creative things, and yet here they were participating in a game that was started by a five year old and myself.  And not only did they participate in this simple, fun, creative activity, they did so until their parents made them go to bed after 11pm.

It was awesome.  It restored my faith in kids.  And it proved the point that I have written about a few times on this blog already:  the outdoor experience doesn’t have to be anything overtly spectacular or creative. It can be something as simple as two Magna Doodles, a flashlight, a campfire, and a few camping chairs.

In four hours I never heard DS or Ipod.  Not once!

You got to love that!

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I was going through the designated corner in our garage, and making sure that everything was ready to go.  I was mentally checking off the needed items – tent, lantern, portable grill, rug, Thermacell, etc. – because forgetting one of these items could turn what is normally an awesome few days, into a nasty, ugly, or at the very least, unpleasant weekend.

To some, this ritual that my family and I participate in seems like a case of temporary insanity.  What sane person would throw away years and years of evolution and modernization, leave the creature comforts of home, and head to the woods to sleep with nothing between them and the great outdoors except some nylon with windows?  On the surface I suppose it does seem a little ridiculous to those who’ve never camped, but if they only took a minute to live the experience, I firmly believe they might change their mind.

Camping, like hunting and fishing, has been a part of my life since I was a little kid.  It was ingrained in us when we were young, and at least a few times during the year, we head to a wooded state park or campground, and take in a healthy dose of the great outdoors.

It’s refreshing.

I leave the creature comforts of home, because – similar to hunting and fishing – it connects me with who I really am.  Lying in a tent, and letting the tree frogs serenade you to sleep, can ground a person.  And who doesn’t like to wake up, step out of the tent, and have the smell of a camp stove breakfast start the morning?

Camping is an honest activity – and that is one of the main things that draw me to it.  Plus, because I know how to survive without the conveniences of modern life, I have a distinct advantage when it comes to survival and comfort during times of slight disaster – power outages, ice storms, etc.  It allows us an opportunity to return to where we came from, get in touch with nature and ourselves, and have a great time.

And, even if heading to the woods and sleeping under the stars doesn’t appeal to you, you should at least thank camping for one simple reason:  Smore, anyone?!

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