My Summer Camping Vacation from Hell
At Least in the Winter, Everything Dangerous Has Frozen to Death
A male companion and I went on a camping trip out west. It took over 48 hours and two nights of sleeping in the car to get there. Everything went down-hill from there.
I had asked my companion several times to stop somewhere so we could purchase food and do a bit of laundry. The two-seater Toyota Celica wasn't conducive to storing an extensive wardrobe, groceries and camping equipment. Once in Arizona my camping mate finally allowed me time to wash but not to dry our clothes at a laundry-mat. It was nearly nightfall before we located a camp ground with a vacancy. It was for RV's. We had a tent. The cement slabs precluded the use of tent stakes.
As he set up the tent I attempted to run a line to dry our clothes. That's when I heard the knee-weakening sound of a rattlesnake. I screamed, other campers gathered. One woman yelled, "Where is the sound coming from?" Standing on one leg I screamed, "Over there!" To which she replied, "Run the other way!"
As I sat in the Toyota, crying, a storm - complete with wicked wind - was rolling in. My camp mate tapped on the car window to inform me of dinner plans.
"We only had two hot dogs and an onion," he said. "But one hot dog just blew away."
Lightning cracked, the rain began to pour.
Then the tent took flight.
Today, my idea "roughing it" is anything under a 4-star hotel.
I had asked my companion several times to stop somewhere so we could purchase food and do a bit of laundry. The two-seater Toyota Celica wasn't conducive to storing an extensive wardrobe, groceries and camping equipment. Once in Arizona my camping mate finally allowed me time to wash but not to dry our clothes at a laundry-mat. It was nearly nightfall before we located a camp ground with a vacancy. It was for RV's. We had a tent. The cement slabs precluded the use of tent stakes.
As he set up the tent I attempted to run a line to dry our clothes. That's when I heard the knee-weakening sound of a rattlesnake. I screamed, other campers gathered. One woman yelled, "Where is the sound coming from?" Standing on one leg I screamed, "Over there!" To which she replied, "Run the other way!"
As I sat in the Toyota, crying, a storm - complete with wicked wind - was rolling in. My camp mate tapped on the car window to inform me of dinner plans.
"We only had two hot dogs and an onion," he said. "But one hot dog just blew away."
Lightning cracked, the rain began to pour.
Then the tent took flight.
Today, my idea "roughing it" is anything under a 4-star hotel.
Published by Patricia Campion - Featured Contributor in Politics
Patricia Campion is a Featured Contributor in politics for Yahoo Voices and Yahoo US News. In less than four months she became the first contributor in Yahoo! history to be honored simultaneously with a Risi... View profile
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12 Comments
Post a CommentWhat doesn't kill you makes you stronger - you can now whip Chuck Norris.
Sometimes a brave, adventurous spirit can get you into trouble but if it makes a good story and it's all behind you (and you didn't lose any limbs) then it was all worth it, right? I take it nobody told you how the American Sidewinder Rattlesnakes are attracted to hot dogs and apple pie. Great story and Kudos on your awards.
Actually Jill, after the tent blew away (fully loaded with camping gear) and we chased it down (much to the amusement of the RV camper around us), we packed up and drove another 3 hours to a long lost (yet thankfully relocated) friend who lived in Arizona. They were scheduled to host a wedding in their home the following day so, while he and his wife allowed us to graze from the horsdoeuvre trays stashed in their fridge and (because their friend and morrow's bride was sleeping in the guestroom) welcomed us to crash on their living room sofa (around 2 AM) we were instructed we had to clear out by 9 AM.
They said to come back after the ceremony (and we did). It was heavenly to take a real shower, use a real bathroom toilet and (as the bride was now on her honeymoon) sleep in a real bed in their now available guest room.
As for the hot dog....
You have no idea how far one can fly when you drop-kick it into a stiff wind!
I hope he at least shared the remaining hot dog with you...
Thank you Cathy!
This is pretty funny stuff! I am sure it was not funny at the time! Wanted to stop by to offer up my congratulations on your most awesome awards! Fabulous work and well deserved! :)
Thanks for reading and for sharing and being inspired to share your comment, Patricia.
An yes, at least the chaotic adventure did provide a funny memory. However, these days, my idea of "roughing it" is more in the lines of staying at any hotel with less than a 3-star rating.... l
In fact, it reminds me of a little song......
(Que music of Barbara Streisand's Memories......)
"Memmmm-ories... haunt the corners of my mind.... rattle snakes and thunder craaaaacking.... camping really suuuuuucks.
Scattered wienes... and the tent has blown awaaaaaaay. Who'd have guessed it would start raaaaai-ning..... camping reeeealy suuuuuucks.....
Could it be it was a bad idea?
Or should we have have rented an RV?
If we had the chance to do it all again....
Tell me, would weeeeee....? Could... weeeeeeee......................................................................?
HELL NO!
I hope you told him that the last hot dog was YOURS and let him chase the other one! Actually, tent camping is not my cup of tea either, we rent State Park cabins, which have no plumbing, but do have a beds, a stove and refrigerator. At least you have a funny memory.
Indeed, Jill.
... and they say God doesn't have a sense of humor.... pffffft
oh boy. that was like a cruel joke gone wild. at least you've got a great story to tell!