Cheater’s Version Camping

Dave and I aren’t new to camping – both of us had hiked a respectable amount before meeting and getting married – me in Denali and the West Coast Trail on Vancouver Island, and he sections of the Apalatian Trail and other rustic trails in the southeast.  So the problem isn’t that we lack experience or gear; rather it’s that the gear we have is for backpacking.  Our two-person tent doesn’t have room for a toddler, and I’m not sure I’m up for sleeping on a Thermarest 1″ inflatable mattress at 19 weeks pregnant!

So in celebration of a respite in Dave’s workload of late, (12+ hours a day, seven days a week for months on end – including Easter Sunday) I made reservations at one of Michigan’s lovely mini-cabins available at some of the State Parks.  It was really nice!  It had two relatively comfy bunk beds, a wall-mounted electric heater (which came in very handy), a little table and some benches.

We drew with chalk,

We went for a little hike,

We rocked in the hammock (stroke of genius on Dave’s part!)

And we ate yummy food.

All in all, not a bad trade off for breakfast in bed on Mother’s Day – instead I got to spend some time with my mostly MIA husband and wake up with my daughter looking at me from the bunkbed across the cabin.  Not too shabby.