Jay Cooke State Park
Happy Camping

Okay, at some point I intend to blog about Guatemala (even though I did already post pics on Facebook and possibly everyone who reads my blog is also friends with me on Facebook). BUT. That is too daunting a prospect right now, especially since I haven't been good at posting as of late. So I hope to ease my way back into posting with this post on my recent camping trip with Joleen. Maybe it will re-inspire me and take away some of the panic I feel when thinking about posting a new blog entry.

And have I mentioned that I'm super busy now? Yeah. 'Cause I am. School. Work. Etc.

The weekend prior to the start of this current semester, I went back to Rochester. I went to the Renaissance Festival with Joleen and the 'rents, saw Sam the Nephew (not to be confused with Sam the Butcher), and then went camping with Joleen. We left after dinner from the Cities and stopped at Banning State Park simply as a stopping point between MSP and our final destination (which had no campsites available that night). When we arrived, it was dark and started to rain. Fun times for setting up the tent. Although it actually wasn't too bad. There must have been a group campsite nearby with about a bazillion children in it. Again, could have been more annoying.

We left early-ish the next morning, and managed to not pay. We are bad people. (We did passively try to pay...we just weren't active enough to actually end up doing it...It's not our fault that the ranger didn't come back to our site and take the money from the picnic table like he said he would...or our fault that we couldn't be bothered to drop the envelope of money off in the drop box the next morning as we left...)

On the way to Jay Cooke State Park we were on a quest to find a place that sold 1) firestarters and b) a little propane thing for our little gas camping stove. Because seriously. Need coffee when we wake up in the mornings. Even if it is instant. Apparently, small town MN is closed on Sunday. We were forced to go to the Super Walmart in Cloquet. I hate Walmart, but there's something to be said for giant mega-retailers that are actually open 7 days a week and carry the shit you want.

We checked in and got a campsite. Joleen put up the hammock I got in Guatemala. It's comfy. We went hiking.

Hey, look at me!
___________________________________________

Look. the water's such a pretty orange color...
____________________________________________

A view. Of trees. And a river.
____________________________________________

Testing out the new Guatemalan hammock ($11)
___________________________________________

Hobo dinner and wine. Mmm. And flaming elbows.
_________________________________________

We went hiking the next day, too.

Ooh, look at the (St. Louis) river!
__________________________________________

I apparently have this new thing where I like to be
photographed while pretending to jump off a bridge.
__________________________________________

Simultaneously pretty and gross. Great accomplishment, Nature.
________________________________________

The water is clear.
There are many rocks in it.
It is so soothing.
____________________________________

Oh my God! The tree ate Joleen!!!
__________________________________

Both Joleen and I wore New Zealand shirts while on this trip. Fyi.
_________________________________________

This is me not wearing my New Zealand shirt.
___________________________________________

Then we went home. And I started school again.