Home is Where Your Dog Is

The decision to go camping was a simple one.

This is Porter

It’s getting colder, I recently purchased a truck and more importantly, acquired a new dog. It’s almost as if nature was beckoning me out of the city. I love living in Dallas but it was time to take my 6 month old puppy, Porter, into some real nature. Keep in mind, this is not a guide to camping. If you could take a look at my google searches before I left, you’d see a few variations of ‘how to’ and ‘camping.’

After doing a bit of research a 3 hour trek to Broken Bow Lake in Oklahoma seemed like a fitting test… for both of us really. I set up camp in Beavers Bend State Park after finding a fantastic spot right next to some rapids. (I’ll refer to them as rapids by the definition I’m sure the two dudes in a kayak that tipped over will use when they tell the story about their kayak tipping over.)

One of my first challenges after entering the park: the ‘NO SIGNAL’ text displayed stubbornly on the top of my phone. Now to someone addicted to screens, this was tough. It was my first real test after setting up camp. I made it a few hours, but then decided to explore the rest of the park in my truck as an excuse to find some precious cell signal. The only location in the park to have a few bars happened to be at the top of the dam which luckily featured some amazing views. Some might even say, a dam good view.

Lately I’ve noticed myself more and more addicted to screens. I stare them a huge percentage of my day for everything from work to entertainment. Lately I’ve noticed my immediate need and ability to have everything quickly and at my fingertips affecting focus and attention span.

This trip really helped me wind down, read a book, listen to nature, and pay more attention to the reason you’re probably here: my super cute dog.

I got Porter during a transitional period in my life and I really can’t say enough about what he’s meant to me.

I won’t completely gloss over things, he’s been a challenge at times, but a more rewarding challenge than any I can think of. During our hikes, Porter would frequently run ahead, stop, and look back at me with this ginormous smile. Almost as if to say, “this is great and all, but what’s up ahead is going to be even better.”

Broken Bow Lake offers many different hiking trails. We went on two which featured everything from deer crossing our path to cliff-faced views of the lake. Not bad. Next time I come back I’ll probably take advantage of the great kayaking available and learn to fly fish. Both looked like a ton of fun despite the fact that I didn’t see anyone catching anything and the kayaks do tip over.

As I mentioned earlier, I’m no expert outdoorsman. I barely made it through Cub Scouts. So the fewer details and tips I give, the more of my credibility I can retain. But I did survive, I didn’t starve, and I made a couple fires (bonfires, if you will) that I used to cook some food. I consider it a resounding success. I’ll link to a couple articles at the end that will better prepare you to go toe to toe with mother nature than I can, but there’s still a few items I used that were great to have and some I wished I had bought.

Super Helpful

• BioLite Campstove — quick fires with little to no smoke. You can also charge your phone using the USB port.
• Mummy type sleeping bag — when buying a bag think about the temperature abilities and go a bit lower than you think you’ll need.

Would Have Been Nice To Have Had

• Hammock — just get one. They rock.
• A larger tent — if you aren’t backpacking with your tent, get one a person larger than you have.

Don’t Forget

• Pillow (I did)
• Trash bags — good for everything from dirty clothes to actual trash

Camping in a beautiful location (Oklahoma, who knew…) is a great way to unwind and connect with your primitive self all too often repressed by the niceties and hustle of everyday life.

Grab some friends, human or canine, and get outside!

Prepare yourself for your next trip with these great articles:

Bring your dog: http://gizmodo.com/how-to-take-your-dog-camping-1575730467

Make a checklist: http://www.cozi.com/blog/family-camping-checklist-and-a-few-great-tips/

Find a campground: 

This article was originally published on Bonfire Thoughts (December 6, 2016).

What’s In a Car?

Silly question right?

Everyone knows what a car is. An engine pushes it down the road, seats hold us in for the ride, speakers keep us entertained. We could get all of these things via other means of travel, sure, but should we? Recently I took a trip to California and splurged a bit on a convertible rental. Wait, why am I not telling you about my trip? Why have I spent an entire paragraph setting up an exposition on automobiles? Don’t tap the brakes just yet.

Before I left I browsed a set of intriguing pictures by a photographer I can’t remember. Every photo was taken in a famous location. The twist? He or she chose to rotate their camera 180 degrees. Instead of showing the Taj Mahal, we see travelers viewing it. If your metaphorical glass is half-empty, cell phones on selfie sticks were everywhere. Some of the locations are even surrounded by desolation or are generally unkempt. Or, if your glass is half-full, you might see the faces of families filled with joy, experiencing something they would remember the rest of their lives. Something they can experience again and again. This made me think about what we want to really remember as we attempt to make memories each and every day of our lives.

OK, remember that convertible I mentioned earlier? Hop in, I’d like to flip the camera 180 degrees on my trip.

The Famous Bixby Bridge

After flying into San Francisco I boarded a busy tram with other travelers hoping to also borrow a car. Looking around, I was also the only person wearing shorts and a t-shirt. Tourist alert, California is a little bit colder than the blistering summer heat of Texas. Exiting the maze that is the San Francisco Airport rental car parking garage, the gate worker gave me a huge smile and said ‘Welcome to California.’ I think he know I’d have some fun.

The next morning I woke up early, which, thanks to the change of time zone was super easy. I put the top down and set out for my destination, driving from San Francisco to Monterrey. After putting the route in Google Maps, I decided to ignore the computer and take the long way, the more scenic route.

This put me on Highway 1 (also known as the Pacific Coast Highway) which is something everyone should experience in their life.

With a smile on my face I rounded a windswept corner, the sun just rising over the peaks to my left and I saw the Pacific Coast in all its glory.

I quickly pressed on the brake and hopped out of the car with my camera in tow. Similar to the Grand Canyon, it’s difficult to put into perspective and for a picture or video to capture what you experience being there. I snapped a few pictures, posted some to social media, and got back in the car to get to my destination.

Wow, was that car fun to drive.

Over the next few days I did this repeatedly. Friends acting as part-time tour guides took me to their favorite spots and each time we hopped out of the car. How did I know what to take a picture of? What memories did I want to keep? Well, after a day or so, I began glancing back at the convertible as I walked away from it. Maybe it was just to double-check I had locked it. Maybe it was something else. Now… I realize this may seem shallow. I was potentially enjoying a physical object as much as one of the most beautiful locations on Earth. I get it.

On the last full day we set out for Napenthé, a beautiful restaurant high in the coastal hills and past Big Sur which I had hiked the day before. We stopped to pick up one of my friends’s friends. Even living there, she had never had the chance to drive the coast in a convertible. The look on everyone’s face as we, let’s just say quickly, accelerated up hills and rounded steep corners was priceless. Halfway through the hour-long drive I let her drive as I took everything in from the backseat. It was fantastic, albeit a little chilly. (Trip recommendation: bring a jacket.)

It was a fantastic trip and one I’d highly recommend to anyone.

I could go into more detail on so many points, but it’s been done before. Go to Big Sur, checkout the Golden Gate Bridge, or even get some clam-chowder on the Monterrey boardwalk. Seriously, go do it! I think what I got out of this trip is that it’s the whole experience that matters. While Napenthé was an amazing restaurant, one deserving of it’s own review, it was really the drive that I’ll remember.

You may hate cars. You may really enjoy performance; having your head thrown back in your seat as you accelerate from stoplight to stoplight. Or, you may enjoy having a nice stereo to blast awful 90’s songs with your friends. It’s easy to consider a car just a material means to an end, a device that gets you from Point A to Point B. Consider for a second that there’s actually some cool stuff between ‘A’ and ‘B’.

That silly, somewhat impractical, bright red convertible taught me something I didn’t expect that week.

Enjoy everything when you have the chance. Even though it sounds ripped from a Hallmark card, if you only focus on the destinations you’ll miss most of life. No matter if your destination is the Taj Mahal or work on a Thursday, think about the memories you can make just getting there. Don’t just drive through the work week to reach the weekend. Look around you, you are surrounded by the wonders of life every single day. People that love you, a choice of what’s for dinner, even the mundane oil change, all are a blessing if you choose to view them that way.

I look back at that convertible not because of the destinations it took me to, but because of how much fun I had getting there.

This article was originally published on Bonfire Thoughts August 13, 2016.