Anniversary #4 (Kentucky)

I've been dying to go to Florida since we moved here. Destin is only an 8 hour drive and Orlando is only about 12. I want to go to Disneyworld so bad! I thought I could convince Scott to go to Florida if I agreed to camp instead of get a hotel, not to mention I think it would actually be really fun to camp on the beach.

I looked up campgrounds where we put our tent in the sand, had it all planned out....but then we decided not to take the Thursday off before the long weekend, and we had to be back at work on Tuesday so it wasn't worth the drive for just Fri-Monday. Back-up plan: backcountry camping at Land Between the Lakes, KY. 

We planned our trip, were all excited to go "backcountry" camping and on Friday morning we packed up and headed 3 hours north to Kentucky. Let me just say two things: 1. it was SO hot, like 100 degrees and 2. backcountry camping is pretty much just regular camping to any Canadian/Oregonian. It wasn't really the rustic, serene, put your tent on the lake shore kind of camping we were excited for. 

So, day 1. We are in Kentucky and have checked in/paid for our permit ($10 for 3 nights) at the main house. We have our maps and begin driving around checking out all of the "backcountry" camp spots. The park is huge and is surrounded by 2 lakes (Lake Barkley and Kentucky Lake) as it straddles the Tennessee/Kentucky border.

While out looking for campsites we stopped to fill up our drinking/cooking water jug. There was a tap in the bathroom  just a few feet away, but as you can imagine, it was disgusting looking. I'm sorry, but I can't drink water that I saw come out of that tap. Instead, I filled up our water jug using the water fountain. It was hilarious and took forever. The fountain would run out of steam and we'd have to stop and let it rest and then start back up again. The best part- we dumped the whole jug out the next day.

We drove around and found ourselves driving down this dirt "road" that we were sure would lead us to the best, private camp spot...the one from our dreams. WELL...Lets just say we learned the the Honda Civic can actually become an off-roading vehicle when necessary...and we'll never travel down any road marked "141" again. We weren't sure we would make it out with our car still in one piece. After we finally maneuvered our way off road 141 we just went back to the first camp spot we had come upon and set up camp by our neighbors. 

Our camp on Lake Barkley

As I said before, it was hot! And our food needed to be cooked over a fire. Scott decided to go for a swim in the lake. I wanted to join, but the lake was stinky, had lots of bugs swarming around AND a really muddy bottom. It wasn't the swimming section of the lake. Scott didn't mind though and he was off. He swam across the lake to the other side and back while I waited for our fire to die down so we could roast our potatoes and sausages. 

Scott swimming across the lake

Scott got back from his swim and was already asking if we were really going to stay out here all weekend. Yes, I said. It was our anniversary and we have never done anything fun for it and so yes, dang-it, we'll be staying out here all weekend! He said okay.

We roasted our potatoes and sausages and sat down to a lovely camp dinner. 

I had forgot to pack s'more stuff, so after dinner we had ourselves a game of cards and got ready for bed. We set up our beds in our little tent and laid down to read. Our camp neighbors in our "backcountry" camp ground had a generator. Yes, a generator. Hooked up to their trailer. (In fact, besides one other site, we were the only ones with a tent. Everyone else had a trailer/ 5th wheel.) So, needless to say it was a loud night as we laid in our tent, under the stars and listed to the frogs, the crickets....and the generator.

It was a long night. It was so hot! Even without our rain fly on, it was still so hot. There was no wind and therefore no breeze blowing through the mostly net tent.

Day 2. We woke up with the sun (what I think is a great perk to camping) and again, Scott asked if we were really going to stay. He kept reminding me there was a lodge a few miles away :) I thought about it, and yes, it was really too hot to camp, and certainly too hot to do anything outdoorsy during the daytime.

Camp on Saturday morning.

We pushed the thoughts out of our minds and went on to eat breakfast. I had bought this camp toaster at Wal-Mart and it was only a couple of bucks, so Scott was making fun of me for getting it. He was certain it wouldn't work. I showed him!

Cooking breakfast- eggs and English muffins.

Toasted perfection! Well worth the $2 and change. 

After we finished eating we continued our discussion on staying out the weekend. I said it was our anniversary weekend and so we could pack up camp, but we weren't going home. I casually mentioned that St. Louis was only about 180 miles away...and Scott replied "why wasn't I informed of this yesterday!". I was shocked (and thrilled) that he so quickly agreed to drastic change of plans, without any pre-planning or pre-budgeting. It was spontaneous and just what we needed.

We had a horseback trail ride scheduled for that morning, so we quickly packed up camp (and by packed up I mean we took the tent down and threw it in the trunk along with our sleeping bags and sleeping pads. We had no time to pack everything away properly before having to be at our horse ride!) and headed to ride horses.

The horseback ride was a lot of fun. Scott's horse had a mind of it's own and kept stopping to eat. We were told by the guide that we weren't allowed to let them eat, so Scott kept getting called out by the guide to "stop letting Twobug eat!"...and his horse didn't want to stay on the trail so Scott spent a lot of the ride fighting his horse.

My horse. Her name was Cowgirl. She had a bit of an attitude.

Scott and his buddy Twobug.

Helmets were mandatory and we had to be concerned about the ticks. Hence our sweet outfits of helmets and high socks!

After our horseback ride was finished (about 10am) we refilled our cooler with ice and hit the road. We were St. Louis bound with no plan, no hotel, camp clothes and minimal toiletries. It turned out to be the best weekend....