Finding time to take a vacation can be challenging for an event planner and business owner. There never seems to be a perfect time to be away, but every year my husband's siblings, dad, neices and nephews block out 5 days to spend in the Adirondacks. This is sacred time that for the past 10 years has had 100% participation.
The beauty of these 5 days is that we are totally removed from the world and technology. It's what is called primitive camping (that means no showers, no bathrooms, no electricity, and you get to your campsite by canoe).
It starts with packing everything you'll need; food, clothing, sleeping bag, tackle boxes, fishing poles, toilet paper... and oh don't forget wine, beer, and Bailey's. All these items are put into wanagans (these can be any covered box or plastic tub) or waterproof bags that will keep everything dry if it rains or falls out of your canoe. Although I suspect if it falls out of your canoe, it's at the bottom of the lake and who cares if it stays dry or wet.
Once you arrive at your destination you then portage all your items to the edge of the water (this is usually anywhere from 1/4-1/3 mile). Portage means you carry all your items on your back or in your arms (see photo). You then pack everything into your canoes and paddle to your site.
This really is fun.
Your site consists of hopefully a flat space to put your tent and a ring of stones that is where you can build your fire. Then you make it "home." For the past 3 years we've added cots to our load and has made bedtime a much more pleasant experience.
This really is fun.
The next 3 days are spent hiking, swimming, canoeing, fishing (I don't fish), reading a book by the camfire, playing card games, and enjoying the beauty of your surroundings, smells of the forest and peaceful sounds of the wilderness (unless of course a screech owl spends his evening on a branch above your tent).
Breakfast and dinner are communal meals and each family takes a turn prepareing one breakfast and one dinner. Pancakes are my specialty (I make the batter, Kevin does all the cooking). We eat well and have plenty of alcohol. We even tried bringing in icecream sandwiches this year. I had my famous "dirt" dessert as back-up and the back-up dessert was needed.
On the last day, we pack everything up (garbage included) and load-up the canoes, paddle out and portage all the items back to our vehicles and drive back to the hectic pace of our lives with a renewed sense of ourselves and what really matters.
This really is fun. Really.
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