I want to preface this by saying that I have never been camping before. My family doesn’t do that sort of thing. Sure, we’ve walked trails and taken trips to State Parks, but I’ve never stayed overnight, and I’ve never not had potable water. The closest thing I’ve ever done to something like this was a camp I went to, complete with bunk beds, showers, and dining halls. This really wasn’t like that.
The first thing I noticed when we pulled into Umstead Park was the dwindling phone service. It seemed that with each passing tree, I lost a bar. Some in the group of 6 have said that they still had some service when we reached Maple Hill Lodge, where we’d be staying the night. I was not so lucky. When we first arrived at the lodge, there were a few noticeable fixtures. First was that the bathrooms, which were unattached from the actual lodge, stood quite a few meters away. As well, our water source, a pump located right in front of the lodge, had a big yellow sticker on it with the words “NON-POTABLE.” Upon entering the temporary home, I couldn’t help but notice a lack of furniture, save a few built-in benches against the walls and 2 closets, which I dared not open in fear of encountering a spider. There were no electrical outlets, let alone Wi-fi. In fact, there wasn’t even a light in the cabin. Our only source of light (and heat!) was going to come from a fireplace, under which we had to build our own fire.
But I loved it. The first moment I could, I took a small walk around the cabin, following a mossy, unmarked trail through the woods. Then, I set up my off-brand ENO hammock and read a book. It was the single most calming experience of my entire life. It was quiet, a little chilly, and perfect in all ways. Later, I, along with the other Franklins, used coals and a lighter to make 2 fires, one on a grill outside that we used for cooking, and another inside, that we used for heat and light. It was a fabulous experience. We had smores, we played card games, and we talked. The next day, we even went exploring through Umstead. Even though I was practically completely out of my element, I was happy. I wouldn’t worry about my homework or tests or anything because I couldn’t do anything about it. Without access the internet to log onto WebAssign or electricity to charge my laptop, I was essentially cut-off from my homework. It was like I had no choice but to relax. The experience was so fulfilling, and perhaps most importantly, I think Wendell Berry would be proud.
