Camping Trip at Lake McBride:
Thursday 4
July 2013:
On this 4th
of July we made sure all the camping gear was in the van, all of the stuff I
pulled out yesterday. We got most of the van loaded yesterday as well. Today we
made sure that we did not miss anything, because we are leaving for Lake McBride
the first thing in the morning.
Tonight we
lit our display of firecrackers, bottle rockets, mini fireworks, smoke bombs,
and snakes. It was fun. Afterwards we went to the movies. I saw, “White House
Down”. Jill saw, “Heat”. And Ken saw, “Despicable Me 2”.
Friday 5
July 2013:
It is 10AM
and we are on our way to Lake
McBride. At just before
noon we arrived in Solon Iowa.
Ken wanted pizza, so we stopped at a place called DD’s Pizza. It was not worth
it. It was the worst pizza I ever had. We left nearly a whole pie there and we
did not get any money back. The customer service was terrible. The sauce was
completely bland. It was right out of a can. The server told us that there is
nothing she can do about it. That is what the owner wants. She also said that
she likes the sauce. She must have been out of her mind. She does not know what
good pizza is. Chicago
has good pizza. Solon Iowa
has shitty pizza.
At 1PM we got
to a camping site by the lake and set up camp at site 56. We got the tent set
up, the air mattresses blown up, and everything. We then went exploring around
the lake.
Today Ken and
I made a friend, Sydney who is a 10 year old girl who was fishing on the pier. I
hope she does not forget me and what I did for her. It is a long story. When
Ken and I went exploring we saw her fishing so we got our fishing gear and
decided to go fishing ourselves. We chatted with her and she was a kind
well-mannered girl. She offered us live bait to use. We all sat on the pier
fishing. Giggling and having fun. Then I took off my shoes and rolled up my
jeans to put my feet in the water. I slipped, but the water as not too deep. It
went up to my knees. I pulled myself back up on the pier and continued fishing.
Then Sydney took
her shorts off, she had a full one-piece swimsuit on, and jumped into the
water. There was a sign that said no swimming, but we did not see it at that
time. She drifted toward the deep water and the current took her. She yelled,
“Help” I jumped in and grabbed her and pulled her toward the pier. We grabbed
her stuff and Ken and I walked her back to her camp. She was shook up a bit. I
talked to her dad, and told him what happened. Instead of thanking me and
shaking my hand, he swore at me. Instead of giving her a hug; he swore at her.
He was not very polite and I was thinking to myself. Why were you not watching
your daughter? The grandparents were there and I said Hi to them. I asked him
about his tattoo. He said he just got out of prison. I thought he was kidding,
but he wasn’t. Anyway I tried to do the right thing and help a child. We said
goodbye. They ended up leaving the camp. Thank God. I pray for her, because of
the bad influence of such a family. Ironically she was too polite and friendly
to be with such a family. If I ever had a daughter she would be treated with
respect. They are the most precious of children. Anyway, Ken and I went back to
fishing for awhile. Then we changed out of the wet cloths and hung them on a
clothesline we strung. Then my wife got back from paying camp fees, she missed
the entire incident.
At 3PM we
left and went down to the beach. My wife bought some floatee chairs for the
beach. We swam, floated, played football, and I read some of my book at the
beach. We had a blast.
Then at 5PM
we left to go back to camp. We just got a fire going and had the Coleman stove
lit. We were starting to make dinner, when all of the sudden this couple
arrived and said that this site was reserved for them. It was way under all of
the cards that was on the post. So we had to pack up the camp and find another
spot. I put out the fire and cooled the wood, Ken grabbed the spare pieces. We
were not letting them have our wood. Then we took everything out of the tent, deflated
the mattresses, and threw everything in the back of the van. We found a spot at
site10. Then we had to reset up camp.
At 7PM we
finally ate chops from the campfire. Then Jill did the dishes. Then we
reorganized the back of the van the best we could. Afterwards I went to socialize
with some fellow campers. I met a nice gentleman named Justin and his family.
He had a 4 year old girl and I told him what happened earlier today. He told me
that he would have been watching his daughter and that I did the right thing.
He said he would have thanked me. He had a 10 year old son, and two dogs, a
golden retriever and boxer, as well. They said that they come up here camping
on the 4th of July weekend. They are from Davenport.
At 9PM we
sang some campfire songs and had some s’mores. Then we tried to get some shut
eye. But it was too loud. At 1030PM the state park rangers came around, to tell
everyone that it is quite time. But it went out the ears of most. The campers
next to us got drunk and played loud music until 2AM. My friend Justin and his
family were pretty polite. But no one could quiet other disrespectful campers.
At 3AM we finally fell asleep.
Saturday 6th
July 2013:
It is 5AM and
I am up after only sleeping two hours. I slept outside as well, since the tent
is not that big. I got some wood to split and got the campfire going again.
Then I lit the stove and started making some bacon. My wife came out of the
tent and said she did not sleep well with the screaming kids, loud music, and
disrespectful campers. I hear her. No one could really sleep.
I turned
around to get my pills out of my bag and the bacon pan slid off the stove. This
entire trip has been a mess so far. My wife put new bacon on the pan and we
cooked eggs as well. Good old fashioned camp food of bacon and eggs. The
breakfast was good.
At 8AM Ken
and I headed down to the beach. We rented a canoe and attempted to go canoeing
for an hour. Ken could not get the hang of it, so we rented individual kayaks.
Ken tipped over in his kayak and I jumped out to get him and then pulled his
kayak ashore. I asked if he wanted to try it again and he did, so I made sure
his life jacket was on properly and he got back in his kayak and paddled out. I
thought he had the hang of it, so I paddled out in mine and followed around the
lake for an hour. I looked behind me and did not see Ken; he was just a few
yards from shore. I paddled to find him and then tethered his kayak to mine and
pulled us both back to shore.
By then it
was 1030AM and my wife was back from shopping in town. She went to go get
another air mattress, since mine popped. I made me a peanut butter, black jam,
and crumbled potato chip sandwich. Then went down and joined Jill and Ken at
the picnic table. Ken was eating geedunk from the snack machines. Jill made
herself a sandwich and we all ate. We
then hung around the beach for most of the day.
At 2PM we
left the beach to go back to camp. Jill said she was tired and wanted to sleep,
so she did. Ken and I left to go find some trails. It was nearly an hour drive
to the other camp areas like Sugar Plum. We explored the other camping areas. Then
ended up in the town of Sugar Plum
and was lost. This jogger stopped and she gave us directions to the dam and the
fossil gorge. After exploring the fossil gorge we found the nature trail and
then the Veterans Trail. We walked the Veterans Trail with a fellow veteran who
arrived on his motorcycle at the same time. His name was Reverend John
Poggenpohl he helps out fellow veterans who are homeless and those in prison
through his ministries. He is noble.
At 6PM we
made it back to camp and then cooked some chicken on the campfire. We ate and
then went into town to get some burn ointment and some pain pills. My family
got sunburned badly. On the way there we discussed what our next move will be.
Since the campsite was so loud and my family was burnt we decided to leave
camp. When we got back from town we broke down camp quickly. Unfortunately, the
stakes for the tent would not come out. The lady next to us gave me a stake
puller, but it bent. So I cut the straps and broke down the tent. I took down
the clothesline and did one last good deed. The new camper next too us did not
know how to play the guitar and asked me to play a song on his. So I did and
then showed him so chords.
At 9PM we arrived
in Iowa City
and at the Comfort Inn Hotel were we stayed in a cool air conditioned room. Ken
and I cooled down and swam in the hotel pool. He could not sleep with his wax
build up, so at 3AM Jill left to get some hydrogen peroxide. At 3:15 AM she
arrived back and Ken flushed his ears.
Sunday 7
July 2013:
Afterwards we
finally slept until 9AM. We got up and went down to the free continental
breakfast. We then left for home at 10:30AM. At just before noon we arrived
back home. I actually wanted to go back to the lake and check out the other
trails. But my family wanted to go home. So the camping trip was cut short. It
was kinda a waste.
