Camping with Chance

Our family went camping up in the mountains this week. If you are going camping, you really want Chance to come with you. He is an avid outdoorsman and enjoys doing things like making a fire and maintaining it, putting up hammocks, putting up tents and exploring the great outdoors.

Chance decided to forgo sleeping in the tent and opted instead to sleep out under the stars.  Chance may not hear the morning sounds while camping, like birds chirping, the river gurgling or the sound of trees rustling in the wind like the rest of us, but he is awakened by the light. Deaf or not, you can not avoid the light from the rising sun when sleeping outside.

While I lay in the tent going in and out of sleep early in the morning, I heard a sound that I figured what either soft rain falling or a fire crackling. When Chance unzipped the tent and announced that he had a fire going so we could come out now, I realized that it was indeed a fire. I was hoping the sound was a fire because that would mean warmth. It was about 44 degrees when we woke up.

Me and Chance's little sister made our way to the camp chairs around the campfire and started warming up while Chance made hot chocolate. That is right, he starts fires and makes hot chocolate for you in the morning which makes him an excellent camping buddy. And a good fine son.

Chance got the morning rolling for the rest of us, and then after breakfast, he headed down the canyon to work. Chance is taking some time off later in the summer so he couldn't spend the entire day in the mountains, but he packed in a lot of activity while he was there.

He brought up his mountain bike and did some exploring. He also got down to the bathroom faster than the rest of us. Chance made popcorn over the fire and spent some time enjoying the view from the hammock.  You could hear the stream quite well from the hammock if it was quiet.

Chance proved himself to be an invaluable camping buddy and we may need to make sure that we never go camping without him as long as he lives. Having someone who will get up and make a nice warm fire for you to come out to, is worth their weight in gold when the temperature is nippy in the morning. Plus, he is a fine conversationalist.

Making popcorn over the fire

View from the hammock

The fire Chance and his sister built

Chance tries to save a wounded butterfly