An actual camping thread in Camp Wordforge

Took a camping trip with a couple of friends this week.






I won't ever willingly camp out in South Texas in July again (it was at least 100 degrees or more most of the time). This trip was the brainstorm of one of the guys who works in an office all the time and doesn't really understand how hot it can get outside.

Here he is setting up his tent.


Shortly after this, he about collapsed from getting overheated.


And decided to take a break.


My best friend that I refer to here from time to time.




A great camp table that my wife got me for Christmas this past year. It beats the hell out of using a pickup tailgate.


Dinner.





It was damn hot. The only constructive thing we did was to kill an alligator that had taken up residence in the only stock tank that still has water in it. A friend of my dad's runs cattle on this property and there was some worry that the gator might get one of the calves at some point.

S/he wasn't a terribly big one (maybe six feet long?), but s/he was wiley and hard to shoot. I finally got it on the last morning we were there using my friend's 870 loaded with buckshot. No photos, unfortunately, because it sank to the bottom and we didn't have the time to wait around for it to "float" again.

"Hey Flow, wanna go camping out in the south Texas heat this weekend?"

"Nah, I'll just stick my head in the oven at home."

Yeah.

I asked, "Why not in October when it's somewhat cooler?" and his response was that he had vacation this week and wasn't sure that he could get more time off in three months.


I will say that the beer tasted better than it ever has on one of these trips.

Those grilled sausages look awesome!

This place is very remote, so I doubt anyone will find out about the dead reptile. Besides, the land owner and the people who lease the place wanted it gone. My old man killed a much larger one there a few years ago.

Firing at that beastie was the only shooting we did (SKS, Mini14 and shotgun). Usually these outings are real gunfests, but none of us wanted to shoot up any of our stash until the stores start carrying more ammo.

Man. That actually almost makes camping look fun again. It looks like you guys should have a bunch of African porters though and head out to shoot elephants and kudzu.

I posted these photos a couple of years ago, taken on the same property, about a half mile from where we camped this time.

Ted asked if we were on the Serengeti.

Fuck, I want to come shoot gators too.

If you'll actually go through with it, I'd put up some money for a ticket to Gainesville.

Shooter, whats your closest big city? Houston?

Ticket would be around $700.

But its not going to happen this year. I can't possibly get away from work till at least Nov/Dec.

Closest to me or to this property?

San Antonio, in either case.

Cool. Costs $350 with Air Canada.

Or I could just hitch a ride with all these trucks I see up here from Texas.

^
Don't come here expecting to go on a gator hunt. The place we go camping isn't exactly a hotbed for them. There have only been two spotted there in the last three or four years (both dispatched). Since we're in a drought right now, there's not much habitat for them on that property.

I found out that there's an actual hunting season for them and we're currently not in it.

Fuck, I just want to SEE a gator in real life.

Let alone shoot it.

One of these years I'm going to make a trekage down south.

So you're saying you CAN shoot them but only from literal point blank range...

Fuck that. If I run across a gator, which is just an armored snake with legs...

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Just go visit the NAS Jax golf course. You smack a ball in the water there, you just forget about it and pull out a new one.

KUDZU?

My mistake. It's spelled kudu.

It's a very inside joke. "Kudzu" sounds like it should be a fleet African game animal. Sometimes I'll thank someone by saying "Muchos Garcias". And I've always sorta thought a Sydney Bristow would be an awesome beef dish. Perhaps roasted or maybe flambe'ed.

Car camping can be fun but it isn't what I think of when people say camping. I like to backpack into a place and only have what I can carry myself. Of course I don't have kids and the girlfriend also likes to backpack so right now it is easy but when we have kids I'll no doubt be stuck with car camping for a decade or more.

I used to do that. Not even a backpack, though. Just an old army surplus LC2 harness with an ass pack and a couple of canteens. Slept on an old piece of OD canvas that I used as a ground sheet.

Now, I take comfort with me when I go camping.

I did that too. Just a satchel with a shaving kit and maybe a change of socks--and my credit card and Holiday Inn reservation.

I'm now at a point to where Holiday Inn, Inc. picks me up at the airport in a Limo and gives me special check-in on top of 24/7 dedicated Concierge Service. Fuck walking into some backwoods nowhere.

They sent me a notice about four weeks ago that I have a week free at any of their resorts, including Dubai, Vienna, Prague, London, Paris, Berlin, Athens, Rome, Malta, Tokyo, Cairo, etc.

I actually did do some car camping about three weeks ago with a bunch of friends at El Capitan State Beach in Santa Barbara. I went to undergrad at UCSB and still have several friends in the Santa Barbara area so going for a visit is a nice chance to do some beach camping, do a bit of surf fishing, and have a bonfire with some friends. All in all a great way to spend a weekend though I wish I'd brought my camera.

Brazos Bend State Park in Texas is literally overflowing with gators. Spend one hour there and you will not be able to count how many you've seen.