Monday, July 6, 2009

More Motorcycle Camping



I woke late in the tent. I had to crawl out and walk over to the washroom, do the 3 S’s, then come back and make expresso on the wilderness campstove. It tasted good with honey and canned milk.

Laura eventually crawled out of the tent an hour later to go to the washroom to do whatever girls do since they don’t share the same biological functions guys do. She sure likes the shower though. She returned radiant and had expresso while I boiled eggs which we had with the Bavarian smokies.

After all that effort I had to have a nap. Laura rinsed the dishes in the tap by the picnic table then lay down on her air mattress on the lawn to read. After a while I got bored with all the relaxation, fresh air and sunshine.

I geared up and hopped on my motorcycle. Laura was happy just to hang out at the camp with books, magazines, sunshine and fresh air. She asked that I bring her back an apple. Yea, right. I read the book about the snake. New times, though. Men get the apples and take the blame. And they beat the snake, too. A lot of money in fig leaves still.

I drove up Copper Mountain on the Harley and even went a ways up Willis Creek gravel logging road. Going up is easy. I remembered that and turned around before I got too far. I rode back down in first very carefully using all my strength to keep upright on the loose gravel. I drove into Princeton and fueled up before heading north to the lakes.

Parking the motorcycle on the side of road at the second or third one, I walked down to the dock, stripped out of the gear down to shorts and t shirt. Then I set up the fishing rod and watched rainbow chase my lures but refuse to bite. Nature had been feeding them live bait and they were fuzzy. It would have been fly fisherman’s heaven but I only had the spin caster.

So I went swimming instead. I was floating on my back when a dragonfly landing on my nose. That was a first for me. I know my nose is big but to a dragonfly it must have seemed an island. Didn’t stay long. Flitting here and there defending the world from mosquitoes.

Blue sky, cumulus clouds here and there. Some geese with goslings off in the meadow. Green mountains. The water was cool and the atmosphere hot. I just floated and kicked a bit here and there remembering when I was younger I had to swim across lakes. Always had to be going somewhere. Nowhere’s become a lot more attractive with age.

After a while I headed back and climbed out on the dock to lie on a towel till I dried off. Some canoeists came by. Wore those ugly beige Bermuda shorts with matching new Tilly knock off hats. When they left. I was alone again.

After a while I geared up and drove back to Princeton Overwaitea, picked up barbecue chicken, a cold veggie tray and some little potatoes to boil and have with butter. I remembered Laura’s apples.

Laura was pleased I remembered the apples but even more pleased when I showed here the roast chicken I caught in the lake. She thought I was fishing for rainbow but I explained there was no ‘catch and release’ for barbecued chicken.

I’m reading another book, lying down again. Lying around flicking away the occasional ant. There were two mosquitoes yesterday. Some neighbours have come and gone. Others have stayed. We’ve had a couple of the “in passing” campground conversations about nothing in particular.

I walked over to the stream when I got supremely bored with having such a relaxing good time. I waded about in the rushing water splashing water on my sunburn and generally cooling off.

Then I came back and ate an apple. I’m reading a book about espionage. People getting killed and shot and bombed. Nothing like that happening here. Across the road, outside his camper, an old guy is reading a newspaper, probably last week’s. A crow landed on the other picnic table. Laura told me again how much she’s enjoying herself. She’s quite radiant. I think the grass has grown some.

I noticed most of the people here in these campers look really old. I guess too much relaxation can do that to a person.

1 comment:

bobbi said...

Cool,,,,,good read
Glad you made it back ok,,,
Cheers,
bob