Camping...one of a Coloradan's favorite vacations, right? Well, camping, for me, is an incredibly stressful experience because of bears. And bathroom facilities.
Let me explain; I love getting away from the hustle and bustle of our daily lives, and we have a lovely pop-up that helps us spend time in the woods. But there are bears in the woods! I know this because each campground where we go has signs plastered all over it about the bears: where to put the food, what not to wear or have nearby, and to make sure our campsite is cleaned up each night. Bears. Hungry bears.
I've read the signs, and I've decided that we can't eat or bathe while in the woods. In fact, maybe we should simply consume some nuts and berries (being careful not to drop any in case we attract bears), and we should not worry about hygiene since our products, including contact lens solution, could attract bears. I spend the first night of each camping trip worrying about the bears attacking us in our sleep. It might have to do with the movie I saw several years ago where a bear tracked and killed people in Alaska. Plus, I've been to the zoo and have seen the size of claws our black bears have. I don't want a claw coming through our pop-up in the middle of the night!
Once I live through the first night without bears, I begin to worry about my bathroom needs. State parks are the best in this area because their facilities are clean and generally well-stocked. Then there are those other campgrounds with vaulted toilets. My sister-in-law laughs when I call those crap-keepers vaulted toilets, but that's what the signs say...I've read them. They smell, they have fecal matter and urine in the bottom, and bugs live in there. I hate using them would rather use the outdoors than step foot in one. Within a day, my stomach is cramping from performance anxiety, regardless of where we are. The middle of the night is the worst though. Not only do I have to go, but so does the dog. And there might be bears in the woods--or maybe using the vaulted toilets!
So while most people go camping to relax, camping is a bit of a stress for me. I love getting away, and it makes me appreciate my bear-free backyard and my own flushing toilets even more!
