This past weekend we had camping reservations with three other families and rains of biblical proportion. After the storms passed through Friday, we loaded up and headed off for the campground. I had smartly chosen to take the 4 man tent rather than the 10 man tent. My reasoning was it would be easier to keep the smaller tent warm; what I did not know was that it was also going to be easier to keep the smaller tent upright and on the ground.
With the wind whipping so hard, Janelle had to help me get our tent up (I usually can accomplish this on my own. When it came time to put the rain fly on, I tied it off to stakes outside of the tent pad which proved to be the right decision as the ground was firmer there and there was no problem of these stakes pulling out.
Our friends Mark and Heather had the large 10 person tent. This tent wanted to fly. We ended up tying off the tent poles on the windward side to two trees to keep the poles from collapsing and tying two of the stake loops to rope and staking the ropedown outside of the tent pad. Once we loaded their tent with two air mattresses, a pack n play and 4 sleeping bags, it was grounded.
Now the fear part. We are camped along the Cumberland river which is roaring with all the heavy rain that fell during the latter half of the work week. On two different occasions Christopher disappeared from sight and my mind immediately went to the river. PURE PANIC! Both times he had headed off for the play ground on his own. So many emotions upon finding him safe.
The wind was relentless all weekend and then the weather forecast changed on Saturday for a 60% chance of showers after midnight, so discretion being the better part of valor....we all packed up, went out for dinner and headed home. It was fun, trying, windy and a weekend of building memories.
If you need rain, invite our family and friends to come camping. It is guaranteed to raise the water table of any location!
David
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