Lots of fun, lots of folks, and lots of cold (for South Carolina, anyway).
I got to the Sesquicentennial State Park in Columbia, SC Friday afternoon, and several people were there already as the event officially kicked off Thursday - a night which got down to a reported 13*. Unheard of. Even at our first Frozen Butt last year, it only got down to 31*.
I'm not sure anybody expected that.
Friday evening was met with about 20 of us hitting up Little Pigs Barbecue near the park, working on a good case of the meat sweats and food comas. As usual the food was fantastic and the "chocolate sex" was worth fighting over.
Friday night also marked the arrival of Matthew, the "Chief Hammock Officer" of The Elevated Movement, a company I've mentioned here before that is starting up to specialize in 100% recycled material hammocks with suspensions that boast printed designs. I got an exclusive first look (right here), but for those of you who are ecologically minded and are into saving the environment, you'll want to check that out.
The fire was hot and several members (read: a majority of members) had a touch of the homemade antifreeze in 'em, and we sat around the campfire trying not to freeze to death with pallets that OC_Looper brought in. They bloody well worked, too! Pudden regaled us with tales of the eerie and spooky ghosties of South Carolina and the surrounding areas.
I slept well into Saturday, so breakfast wasn't a thing I experienced. It was my first weekend away from the new baby (nicknamed "Sequel" by PSH members), so I took FULL advantage of not having to listen for a baby monitor! 11:00am rolled around, so I rolled out of the hammock in all my layers to go check out Get Your Gear On, a local establishment that specializes in second-hand outdoor and camping gear. Lots of selection, good prices, and they'll haggle...plus they let us in despite the fact that they were closed for inventory. Check 'em out if you're in Columbia.
Field trip over, back to camp to get ready for the pot luck supper. Vegetable stew, Cowboy Chili, chicken pot pie, and cobbler were just a few of the tasties offered for our masticating pleasure that night and it was well worth the feeling of being overfull. I tell you what, when PSH get together to camp we sure do eat good!
One of the Rangers stopped by to shoot the breeze for a while, and handed off a business card. It was for the Park Interpretive Ranger (who organizes park sponsored events), who invited us to do a demonstration for disadvantaged families interested in getting involved with camping. The park provides tents (for now...) to the families and teaches them to basically camp - cook over a fire, hike, fish, etc...and now, HAMMOCK CAMP! Hopefully, be looking forward to that trip report in April...if all goes well, it'll prove to be a good one.
Another (considerably more sedate) night was had around the campfire as a touch of the antifreeze made its way around before we headed on in to bed.
Of course, Sunday morning sucked 'cause we all had to go home but breakfast was mighty fine - leftover vegetable soup and biscuits 'n gravy from IT_Mike and German Girl were had in the dutch ovens before we all sat around to avoid breaking camp before we see each other anon.
Miss you guys already!
Reply With Quote
Also, I loved Shutter's checkered onesy. 
Originally Posted by Pudden
Bookmarks