Stoneman Lake

Larry and I went camping this weekend at Stoneman Lake and I saw something I’d never encountered before. During one of my exploration treks around our camping spot, I came upon an elk skin hung over a fallen tree. The skin had obviously been in that same spot for many seasons. I thought about taking it but the coat was mangy and matted. Hunters must have skinned their prey, left it to dry and forgot it. I never saw any bones or other parts of the animal.

But that wasn’t the only noteworthy thing that happened. We had a time of it for sure! Camping with no facilities makes for a true wilderness experience.

During the night I got up to go to the bathroom, but because I was still groggy from sleep, I wasn’t thinking too clearly and when I pulled up my pajama bottoms and they were soaked! Well, now I was embarrassed and wet. I had to rummage around in the dark for a second set of pajama bottoms, luckily I packed an extra pair. While I was outside the tent balancing on one leg ( I find that the older I get the less supple my body becomes) I fell down and scratched my calf on a stick. The resulting three inch scrape burned and made it difficult to sleep comfortably because any material that touched my calf irritated my skin.

While lying awake, I was bothered by a familiar hum-mosquitoes! We had put on bug spray before retiring, but it must have worn off. I didn’t feel like getting up again and spraying outside. I would have sprayed inside, except we had foolishly done so earlier. Who knew that toxic fumes build up if spraying occurs in an enclosed area? The can clearly states the warning. (Every once in a while I feel like all my common sense has deserted me.) So I just hunkered down even further in my sleeping bag and waited for the sunrise.

The joys of the forest have always far outweighed any inconveniences. As usual, I can’t wait to go again!