This weekend will be good, I hope. I am trying to get time in with friends and such before I go. Months ago, my friend Maggie and I started musing about a camping trip. In reality, what I wanted was to find some gigantic state park and spend 2 or 3 days hiking. You know, the sort where you can pack your tent and all your belongings with you, and follow a trail, resting where you need to, to set up camp a couple of hours before dawn. I have my fishing pole and license, I thought it would be neat to bring along staples such as beef jerky, nuts, maybe spam or canned meat equivalent, but to really try and see if we couldn't fish what we'd need for the main protein source. This was my idea.
I am not in the best shape, but the point is that spending three days hiking would be a challenge, and we could go at our own pace. It's not like we'd have to continuously be on the move, and in Texas even in March, the weather is pretty mild. Well, we had some specifications; I wanted to hike where we'd be close to a river most of the time, especially when we camped. She wanted a site that was within three hours of both of us (her in College Station, me in San Antonio). We invited friends and more specifications came along: the park must allow dogs; there should be shower facilities; etc. So, my hiking idea will have to be put on the back burner, at least for now.
We plan to camp at Inks Lake State Park, which is 1200 acres of state-owned park land in Burnet, Texas, along the Colorado river. There IS 7.5 miles of hiking trails including 1.5 miles of backpacking trails, so I suppose that's not too bad (although at a normal pace, one can walk 7.5 miles in around 3 hours). I want to get some hiking done, for sure. I have never been to Inks Lake, so I'm not 100% sure what to expect, but I have been to several state parks and they're generally run about the same way. We'll be tent camping, however we will have access to full shower facilities and bathrooms, water at the campsite, and even electricity if I recall correctly.
I am not in the best shape, but the point is that spending three days hiking would be a challenge, and we could go at our own pace. It's not like we'd have to continuously be on the move, and in Texas even in March, the weather is pretty mild. Well, we had some specifications; I wanted to hike where we'd be close to a river most of the time, especially when we camped. She wanted a site that was within three hours of both of us (her in College Station, me in San Antonio). We invited friends and more specifications came along: the park must allow dogs; there should be shower facilities; etc. So, my hiking idea will have to be put on the back burner, at least for now.
We plan to camp at Inks Lake State Park, which is 1200 acres of state-owned park land in Burnet, Texas, along the Colorado river. There IS 7.5 miles of hiking trails including 1.5 miles of backpacking trails, so I suppose that's not too bad (although at a normal pace, one can walk 7.5 miles in around 3 hours). I want to get some hiking done, for sure. I have never been to Inks Lake, so I'm not 100% sure what to expect, but I have been to several state parks and they're generally run about the same way. We'll be tent camping, however we will have access to full shower facilities and bathrooms, water at the campsite, and even electricity if I recall correctly.
Here's some images to give you an idea of what Inks Lake is like:
I love my state.
Anyhow, there will be five of us in the group, Maggie (I've known her family for years but we became closer when I moved to College Station, where she's lived for about the last ten years), Jessica (good friend I've known for about eight years now, if my math is correct), Pam (Maggie's friend whom I've not yet met), Mary (who is super-cool and I met through Maggie) and myself. We made this specifically an all-girls camping trip because both Maggie and I were lamenting the fact that many of our lady-friends have a difficult time disjointing themselves from their respective significant others. I mean, like ever. It's frustrating for us single gals when our friend becomes our friend+boyfriend on all occasions (think the character(s) Richandamy from the comic Zits). Even if the boyfriend is SUPER cool and they're not all PDA about things, we want and need some time where it's just us friends.
Inks Lake is a pretty good sized lake, and I can't wait to fish it. Plus hiking, and camping. Maggie's picking up all the food and then we'll split the bill. The campsite for 2 nights is only $30, so divided among 5 people, this is going to be a pretty inexpensive little vacation. We're taking my parent's idiot poodle, but I think he'll behave himself once he's distracted by all the NATURE and SIGHTS and SOUNDS and SMELLS and PEOPLE!! If he barks during the night though, I will play "let's filet the puppy." No guys, it's just chicken, trust me. What do you mean, 'where's the dog?'"
Oh, and by the way... 28 days.
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