Rocky Mountain Camping - the photo essay

---

Recently I had the great pleasure of going camping with the Rocky Mountain Steemians. Just eight people showed up, but there are memories galore from that trip to last a while. You can check out some of the posts from other campers!

---

@sunravelme - Rocky Mountain Steemit Camping Roles

@rebele93 - STEEMIT Camping trip with my Colorado Crew

@intuitivejakob - Dog Hero of my Weekend!

---

We went to a small park in the White River National Forest above Siverthorne. I chuckled when I wrote forest, because while there were plenty of trees (and snow!) to be seen in the mountains, there was not one in our campsite. Lesson of modern camping. Don't wait til last minute to make your reservations - especially on a holiday weekend.

---

Some of my favorite recollections from the trip:

~ color-blind guys setting up their complex brand new color coded tents in the dark by flashlight, with vague directions and too many poles.

_{how do you say, "your tent has been drinking again" in spanish?}

~ freezing my ass off the first night on my saggy air mattress because I let my feet get too cold. I revisited the charlie horses of my youth.

_{the compound with canopy}

~ birch benders pancakes the next morning.

_{cooking perfection..}

We all brought wayyy too much food.

_{the beer cooler}

~ @intuitivejakob's morning face as he brushed his teeth...

_{gangsta life}

@rebele93 never sitting still.... unlike some others.

_{steemians on holiday}

@sunravelme always smiling...

_{canopy life}

~ @rebele93 lending me his awesome camera lenses!!!

_{i still want to try the macro..}

I would have possibly been bored otherwise, as the lake was too cold to swim in, there were not many trees to admire, and no one seemed horribly motivated to do anything.

_{hangin out wif mah fuzzy friend}

One day I hope to pin @rebele93 down so i can feast on his brain for photo know how.

_{i thought i was getting a good photo. those fluttery motheras are fast}

~ exploring the flowers, rocks, driftwood and tide pools by the lake.

_{@twenty23three, @sunravelme and charlie at the lake}

what seems to be an barren shoreline can often be teeming with life if you look...

_{plant life}

~ coming back to find that @intuitivejakob tried to play dorothy in 'the wizard of oz', with jolie as toto.

_{shopping for the red shoes}

the afternoon wind gusts had nearly kited the dining canopy and tarp, resulting in snapped poles and a deeper appreciation for the forces of nature.

_{post canopy life...}

95 percent of the campers brought RVs larger than my apartment. we were in the 5 percent who had tents. people stared as they drove past.

~ learning how funny RV names sound when you put the word "anal" in front of them

_{look at all the pretty clouds!}

~ relearning that cooking over a fire is a lost skill that takes hours to do properly.

_{fajitas are awesome!}

~ documenting how to make peach cobbler in a dutch oven over the fire.

_{peaches, cake mix, butter..}

I've been trying this at home. without the fire.

_{peach cobbler... nomnomnom}

~ trying to build a fire in a metal pit filled with what seemed like a years debris.

_{prepping the cook fire}

I spent the next morning emptying it out, about two dozen buckets worth of ash, broken glass, bottle caps and coal.

_{cooking in the dutch oven}

~ remembering what blisters and bad knees feel like, but being too stupid and or lazy to change into proper shoes or put on sunscreen before going for a hike.

_{forest first aid, tree forts and hanging hammocks}

~ finding out how trees look upside down...

_{change your perspective}

~ water is a precious commodity. don't waste it

_{gratuitous scenic photo}

~wishing i could stay forever, but finding out I've been spoiled by technology, hot showers and warm beds.

_{snow in May}

I'm glad to be home. Let's do it again! but next time, trees ... !!!

all photos taken and edited by torico