For this years camping trip, we opted out of our normal foray of going to a sportsman's lodge in Maine and strictly went camping. We're planning on going to Disney which is why we bailed on Maine, even though both my wife and myself we're reluctant 1/2 way through the decision process because we enjoy Maine so much.
We went to a very close second to Maine, the Adirondack's, more specifically Forked Lake. Forked lake is a very primitive camping experience, all but a handful of sites are paddle or hike in only, which a vast majority of them being paddle in only. They do allow motor boats but there's never too many of them as people much rather enjoy the simplistic stroke of a canoe or kayak paddle to the drone of a motor. We've been to Forked Lake three times, all of them fun and more or less dry. This year we were threatened with the chance of rain every day, but only one day did it rain and that just so happened to be the day we were packing up and moving onto our next destination.
I was soaked, as I took the bulk of things out in the kayaks and canoe. My family was damp but since I packed my rain coat up in the stuff they carried, I paid the price by getting soaked. A small price to pay since it wasn't too bad, it was nice and warm out and the rain was refreshing even though it too was warm. Ironically every time I got to the car/unloading area, the rain stopped. Then when I got back to the campsite it started raining again, and it'd rain until I got to the car, then stopped again. This happened twice. not bad, but annoying and when I got in the car with the A/C working I froze my ass off. I don't think I officially dried off until the next day.
Our time in the Adirondak's was wonderful, the kids were happy and playful and doing things out of their initial comfort zone. Which for some is more of an accomplishment than others. They used the outhouse provided without argument or disgust even though I thought there'd be some argument upon the call of nature. We've stayed at that site before, it's a nice site with a nice view and the nights came alive with the sights of campfires around the lake and laughter filled the night sky. People just like us were enjoying the time there. The water was warm, the weather more or less perfect and everything went more or less well.
I love the Adirondak's, I never thought I'd feel that way about another place besides Maine. Although it's got the same feeling, but it's different in a lot of ways. In some ways better, and others not. One of the more special ways it was nice this time around was that my hesitant stepdaughter decided on her own to join us on our adventure, even though she hates long drives and not being in reasonable distance to the wifi or cell service. I think she had a great time. She said she did and the various looks of happiness showed that she enjoyed it more than I ever thought she would.
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