Bike Camp

One of the risks of sharing a plot of ground with humans is that you have to live with those hominids, ever so slightly as it might be. Camping in public / private campgrounds offers the security of organization (Site 34, Site 35) and some degree of comfort, especially when bike touring with children. There are a number of camps near our home and one even offers an Olympic-sized swimming pool, horses, horrendous quads and, yes, even mountain bikes for those who do not bike to camp.

But then there’s the people. Some people. They are rowdy, loud, drink a little too much as though nature and star-filled skies bring the best of alcohol-induced male bonding. Rudeness is a key ingredient in male bonding, it would seem. But who am I -- ??? -- to say.

At 04:00 a.m. while the toughest males of our species where playing hide-and-go-seek with equally well-behaved females of the species around our tents, my lovely wife calmly said TO ME: “Oh, shosh, you old grouch. Remember that time in South Jersey when you and Santi lit a torch in camp and prayed to the fire gods – quite loudly till dawn?”

I don’t remember, I must say.