Going on vacation does not have to be a week long trip far away. A well planned weekend can turn into a miniature vacation just as well. My family and I just came back from a camping trip. We stayed at Timberland Lake Campground over the weekend. This campground is located near Six Flags Great Adventure part (which we did not visit this time) and only 30 minutes away from home!
As the name of the camp suggests, it is situated around a lake. To the left of the lake there is the office with the camp store, the bathroom, the pool and the playground for children to play. All of the camp activities such as Bingo, face painting and DJ music take place there. The other side of the lake is much more secluded and covered with tall trees.
When we came to the camp, my wife and I could not decide which side of the camp would suit us best. Since we have two small kids, the office side of the camp looked as a no brainer. However, we were concerned that it could be loud there. Also, the layout of the campground there would make it appear as if we were camping in the middle of the playground right next to the bathroom. Convenient - yes, but hardly my idea of camping. So the decision was made - we were moving to the Dark Side.
After setting up the tents we gathered around the campfire for a healthy supper - burgers, hot dogs and beer (kids got apple juice). Cooking was a bit of a challenge as it was very dark, and I had to cook the burgers twice (at first they came a bit too rare). Then we just sat back and enjoyed the fresh air.
In a mean time, our neighbors started to gather for a party of their own. I vaguely remembered the warning of the manager that the "Dark Side" can get loud at night as the seasonal campers don't always follow the camp rules. Was she ever right - the party lasted into around 3 at night, maybe later, but at that point I passed out.
The next day was just great! The weather was beautiful. The camp was full of activities. We started with the hayride. The ride took us all around the camp so we got to see their cabins which looked very good. The only down side to the ride was the exhaust fumes from the tractor carrying us. The kids played at the playground, challenged the parents at the mini-golf course, drew paper plate masks, cooled off at the pool and then played some more.
The evening again was spent around the camp fire. The camp management was taking down old trees all day and cutting them into small logs. Needless to say, we got a lot of firewood to burn. Our neighbors were ready to carry on with their party but that did not worry me at all - I was too tired to care.
The next morning greeted us with a light rain. I guess, the skies were upset we had to leave. Oh well, everything has to come to an end - weekends no exception. Till the next time.
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