The Story of Our Camping Honeymoon

You could go to Hawaii on your honeymoon or you could go camping. Everyone honeymoons in Hawaii but who do you know who went camping on their honeymoon? Well, we did. We were both in graduate school and didn't have any money so Hawaii was out. We got married at the beginning of Spring Break and we did want some sort of honeymoon. It had to be a budget honeymoon following our budget wedding and reception. We both liked camping and cuddling beside a roaring fire seemed romantic so we decided to have a camping honeymoon.

We spent our first night in a hotel room and set out the next morning for Brookings, Oregon. By mid afternoon we had pitched our tent at Harris Beach State Park. Our campsite was tucked into some bushes and trees and couldn't be seen by other campers. We walked down to the beach and took a stroll along the sand. It was beautiful but there was an icy wind coming off the water that hurt my ears (I didn't have a hood or a cap) and pretty soon I whimped out.

We had a romantic dinner of hamburgers and beer and then built a nice fire and cuddled beside it while toasting the occasional marshmallow.

The next morning I cooked my new specialty-mishapenned undercooked pancakes. As I settled back to enjoy my after breakfast coffee he said something about packing up. Trouble in paradise! We had never taken a trip together and suddenly we discovered a major difference in trip behavior. I came from a family that went to a place and stayed there, exploring what was nearby. His family went to a new place every day. The idea of packing and unpacking every day horrified me while he shuddered at the possible boredom of staying put. We finally compromised on two nights and Harris Beach and two nights somewhere else.

Honeymooners in Hawaii may stroll along their balmy tropical beaches but there is nothing like a walk on a bone- chilling beach in Oregon or Northern California to make one want to jump into a sleeping bag with the one she loves. After all, camping and romancing rhyme. Sort of.

If you are interested in this type of vacation, check to see if you need reservations at any of your camping spots. Here is a list of what you should take with you:

• Tent or vehicle you can sleep in.
  
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• Sleeping bags (preferably ones that can be zipped together)
  
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• Air mattresses or sleeping pads
  
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• Camp kit for cooking and eating
  
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• Coleman stove
  
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• Lantern
  
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• Wood, kindling, paper
  
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• Matches in a waterproof container
  
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• Ice chest and ice
  
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• Food and drink
  
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Clothing and other stuff you would take on any trip

If you lack any of these, perhaps you can include them when you register for gifts.